ANG PAGDADALAGA NI MAXIMO OLIVEROS

Maximo “Maxi” Oliveros, a homosexual pre-teen, was completely devoted to his family of thieves. He was indifferent to their way of living. A fateful encounter happened one night while on his way home. Victor, an honest and righteous policeman, save Maxi from harassment. Maxi’s love story begins as he showed his affection for Victor. As Victor got close to Maxi’s family, they felt like a policeman nearby will only hinder their way of living.

“Ang Pagdadalaga” in English refers to the transition of a girl to womanhood – the time when a child matures to be capable of making own decisions in life. In the film however, it was Maxi who underwent this process, since he was a homosexual pre-teen. The transition of maturity for Maxi in the film was during such time when he developed affection to victor. Liking the same sex proved that Maxi is indeed a gay.

Maxi was openly gay and was fully accepted by his brothers, Bogs and Boy, and their father, Paco. Treated as the family’s only daughter, Maxi’s homosexuality was welcome and accepted. Outside the family, Maxi was also accepted but there was an instance when he was harassed by some teenage boys. The harassment reflects the current condition of homosexuality in the present Filipino society. It implies biased discriminations and criticism against members of the society who belong in the third sex. Another symbolic element in the film was the cross necklace that Victor wore. The necklace stands for the righteous bearing and authority a proper police officer should have. The character of Victor also embodies police officers that lead honest lives but soon succumb to suppression from society. 

Homosexuality in the country has been always an issue. People continue to criticize and discriminate those who belong in the third sex. In the film, discrimination was clearly shown when Maxi was harassed by two teenagers. It was Victor who stopped the harassment and saves Maxi from humiliation. This scene was crucial to the study because in the scene, Victor symbolizes a solution that keeps LGBT’s (Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) from discrimination. Local government units from different cities all over the Philippines have been proactive in passing and filing city ordinances banning LGBT discrimination.

In Quezon City, anti-discrimination in employment was enacted in 2004 and LGBT-friendly provisions are supplemented in the Quezon City Gender and Development Ordinance. Albay Province and Bacolod City passed an anti-discrimination ordinance. Angeles City not only passed antidiscrimination

legislation but created a Gay Rights Desk as well. In Cebu City while an anti-discrimination ordinance is being deliberated, a city resolution was filed urging the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to issue a memorandum to all government agencies to include the LGBT sector in their Gender and Development (GAD) Programs. Another critical moment in the film was when Bogs, Maxi’s older brother, accidentally killed someone after a failed pickpocket attempt. It was a turning point in the film. Their once quiet life of petty thievery shifted into a display of outrage and confusion as authorities started to investigate the murder. The scene suggests that people involved in crimes, be it significant or small, can spiral into an even greater crime. In an attempt to stop Victor from investigating the murder, Maxi’s brother, Boy, and their father, Paco, beat up Victor and warned him to stay away from their family. The threat stopped Victor from further investigating and he distanced himself from their family. The sequence clearly shows how, despite being an enforcer of the law and a man of authority, a police officer can be powerless against criminals.

The period of Victor’s suppression came to an end as a new Chief of Police was appointed in their district. They both shared the same conviction against crime in their area. With the help of the Chief of Police’s influence, Victor swept the area of crime and continued with the investigation. With this, law was slowly restored. 

The film “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros” ends on a good note. The ending does not manifest any unresolved conflict or problem in part of the Maxi’s family despite of the loss of their father. There were no loose ends in the film. There were resolutions for each of the characters. Although Bogs was not punished for his crime, he left the life of pick pocketing and started to work honestly to support Maxi and Boy. On the other hand, Victor was successful in bringing down the criminal network in the area. Lastly, Maxi, with his new life away from always being an accomplice in crimes, started to go to school again.

The story portrays the issue of poverty in the present society. The lack of job opportunity in the family forced the characters to resort to thievery. The film clearly showed elements of poverty derived issues. According to research, unemployment rate in the Philippines is at 7.2% as of January 2012.1

Crimes involving police officers in the country for the past decades has always been one major setback to the Philippine anti-crime programs, much worse the inability of the police to serve and protect people which is their constitutional mandate. The powerlessness of the police to prevent crimes downgrades solely the morality of their institution’s vision and mission that foresees the society in a more conducive place for living.

While it is true that the acceptance of the members of the LGBT (Lesbian, Gays, Bisexual and Transgender) community has started to proliferate in the country, but still they experience discrimination. In the Philippine context were members of the family extends support to their children who has gay or boyish blood makes them feel accepted. The saying “kung saan ka masaya, anak, susuportahan kita” has been the source of inspiration among gays and lesbians who armed gain the guarantee of acceptance and equal treatment from their parents. In the case of Maximo, where he is freely accepted by his family and by the community in which he is part of is a classic example of the acceptance of the society to the homosexual.

Families in the Philippines despite their everyday hard work and patience to get over the sea of poverty, sill continues the bond among members. They are always ready to face challenges in life as long as they are together. In the film, it clearly shows the typical family in the Philippines that even with the family’s outstanding job status-stealing-has still support for each other, except one from Maxi himself but there is nothing he can do about it.