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VIVA Films' Uploading of "The Flor Contemplacion Story" on Youtube May Have an Anti-Constitutional Reform Motive

 

Some time ago, I wrote a review of The Flor Contemplacion Story. The movie was uploaded on February 13, 2024, last month. The movie was most likely uploaded on VIVA Films' YouTube Channel as a reaction against charter change, better yet known as constitutional reform. Migrante International was involved with the movie, where Ms. Nora Aunor won an award for best actress. For all the good acting the film has, the real content is just plain garbage. 

I rewatched the film in HD. However, putting the film in HD can't change the fact it's not worth the watch. That's unless you want to debunk it. The film is probably used to defend the late Flor's "innocence" even after the results of the superb Singaporean justice system. It was also in the 1990s when Hubert Webb was wrongfully accused of the Vizconde Massacre when he was really in America at that time. 15 years of Hubert's life wasted. More than 15 years is also wasted trying to defend Flor's innocence.

This is my assumption as to why the film was uploaded around February 2024. It's because people who advocate for constitutional reform keep mentioning Singapore. It's hard not to mention Singapore for this reason. Singapore started out with third-world status and achieved first-world status. Several nations were impressed. Even Communist countries like China and Vietnam were impressed. Vietnam is a country rich in natural resources, also followed. It's hard not to mention Singapore because has become a model country despite its size. Who can deny Singapore's economic miracle had worked better than what the late Fidel V. Ramos or the late Benigno Simeon C. Aquino Jr. did? 

The film tried to demonize Singapore in more than one way. Scenes of the proven false statements by Virginia Parumog were portrayed as fact. After all, the twin sons, Jon Jon and Joel (both are still in jail) starred as themselves with Efren Contemplacion's involvement. The film doesn't only try to portray Flor as a wrongfully accused woman. It also tried to show Singapore as a tyrannical place. The film also had scenes where Migrante International and Gabriela are glorified. Nora still gets involved with remembering Flor. After all, Nora took the lead, didn't she?

"No, the Philippines should never learn from Singapore. Remember our beloved fellow Filipino, Flor Contemplacion! Don't forget what Singapore did to her." is what Migrante may want to say. The film's jail scenes would make more sense if they were in a movie about the three drug carriers that got executed in China in 2011. However, Singapore is still democratic to a certain extent. The film can evoke anger and pity when one doesn't know the real situation. Former president Atty. Rodrigo R. Duterte also rode the trend in the 1990s, before he became the 16th president. FVR almost cut ties with Singapore until the autopsy reports proved Flor's guilt. 

I wouldn't be surprised if representatives of Migrante International would screen The Flor Contemplacion Story in the Senate of the Philippines. CoRRECT Movement founder Orion Perez Dumdum has been speaking in the legislative. One of the representatives of Migrante, maybe either former chairperson Gary Martinez or its current chairperson Joanna Concepcion, will show the film as an illogical attack against Singapore and constitutional reform. 

Imagine if its current chairperson, Joanna, would show the film to the Senate. Representatives of Migrante International will say, "Before you want the Philippines to learn from Singapore. Watch this film!" I would call that loose evidence because movies are open to artistic liberties. In the case of The Flor Contemplacion Story--the artistic liberties are taken too far as to try to make a guilty woman, look innocent. Migrante may commit the guilt-by-association fallacy that the Philippines shouldn't follow Singapore, because of Flor Contemplacion. They may throw in Ad Hominems next if ever their data are disproven. What do you expect when the Philippines is plagued by bad reading comprehension and logical fallacies? 

I believe the timing isn't a bit off because March 17 is Flor's death anniversary. Instead, the film was uploaded earlier, presumably because Singapore is often mentioned, during the hearings. It's most likely trying to evoke feelings of pity and anger from the audience, to oppose Singapore, and to learn from Singapore. However, none of their protests in memory of Flor has ever solved unemployment (read here). They didn't prove that FDIs can't create jobs (read here) and that the solution is national industrialization. When questioned, I believe they'll just throw in more Ad Hominems since they can't prove their point. 

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