Chapter 16: Nanang
1281 Words
Barangay San Nicolas, Dingras. Ilocos Norte. May 1, 2026. 8:43 AM.
EXT. DINGRAS MARKET - MORNING
The habagat left mud and silence. NANANG LUDING, 61, fries empanada on her usual corner. Dry. Like the rain skips it on purpose.
She’s on a bangkito. One hand flips empanada. The other holds a wooden rosary. No cross. Just a circle. She isn’t praying. She’s counting.
AMIHAN, 19, walks through the mud. Barefoot. Uniform torn. Rubber slippers gone. In her hand: A MANILA ENVELOPE. Wet. Name still readable.
AMIHAN.
No surname. The birth certificate inside changed in the flood. MARIA LIWAYWAY MONTEVERDE became what Nanang called her on October 13, 2008, when she pulled a basket from the Cagayan.
“Amihan ka,” Nanang said. “Kasi kasama ka ng hangin na malamig.”
Amihan stops at the stall.
Nanang doesn’t look up.
NANANG LUDING
Na-late ka.
AMIHAN
Nalunod yung bus, Nanang.
Nanang looks up. Eyes: singkit, tapos maitim. Same as Amihan’s.
NANANG LUDING
Pero buhay ka.
Not a question. A fact.
Amihan holds out the envelope.
AMIHAN
May nagbigay nito.
Nanang wipes her hands on her tapis. Opens it.
Her face doesn’t change at the birth certificate. Or St. Martha’s Home for Children. Or LILIA A. REVENAR.
Only at the PHOTO. Six-year-old girl. White dress. Swan burn on chin.
Nanang’s finger traces it. Then touches Amihan’s chin. Same spot.
NANANG LUDING
Alam ko.
AMIHAN
Alam mo?
Nanang drops the paper in the kawali. Oil hisses. Ash in three seconds.
NANANG LUDING
Alam ko nung pinulot kita. May singsing sa leeg mo. Jade. Tapos may papel. “Maria” nakasulat. Sabi ko, “Hindi. Amihan siya.”
Amihan sits in the mud.
AMIHAN
Bakit hindi mo sinabi?
Nanang sits too. Rayuma hits, but she touches Amihan’s wet hair.
NANANG LUDING
Kasi hindi ka Maria. Hindi ka Monteverde. Hindi ka kung ano mang nakasulat sa papel.
Flash: October 13, 2008. Nanang Luding, 43, washes clothes in the Cagayan after the habagat. Finds a basket in kangkong. Baby inside. Jade pendant. Soaked name card: MARIA L. MONTEVERDE. Nanang tears it. “The river gave you to me. So you’re mine.”
AMIHAN
May tao, Nanang. Nakaitim. Sabi niya ako yung nasa picture.
Nanang stops breathing.
NANANG LUDING
Ano itsura niya?
AMIHAN
Malinis sapatos. Kahit baha.
Nanang stands. Rayuma forgotten.
NANANG LUDING
Pumasok ka sa bahay. Ngayon.
INT. NANANG’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Nipa hut. Concrete floor. Jollibee 2018 calendar on the wall.
On the table: PICTURE FRAME. Face down. Always.
Nanang locks the door. Bolts. Chain. Turns the frame over.
PHOTO. 1980s. Woman, 30s, holding a baby. The woman has Nanang’s eyes. Younger. No gray hair.
Baby: Six months. Jade pendant.
Behind them: ST. MARTHA’S ORPHANAGE.
NANANG LUDING
Sister ko. Lourdes. Nagtrabaho dun. 1972 to 2008.
AMIHAN
Anong—
NANANG LUDING
Nung 2008, tumawag siya. “May sunog, Luding. May bata. Kunin mo. Itago mo.”
Flash: October 12, 2008. 3:10 AM. LOURDES, 58, soot-covered, puts a basket in the river. “Patawarin mo ako, Lilia. Hindi kita nailigtas. Pero siya, ililigtas ko.”
NANANG LUDING (CONT’D)
Kinabukasan, nakuha kita. Sabi sa TV, nawawala daw anak ng Monteverde. Sabi ko, “Hindi. Anak ko.”
AMIHAN
Nasaan siya ngayon?
Nanang looks at the door.
NANANG LUDING
Sabi ng pulis, nalunod. 2008 din. Pero walang bangkay.
Outside, the WIND changes. Habagat becomes amihan. Cold. In May.
KNOCK. Three times. Slow.
DON SEVERINO (O.S.)
Luding.
Nanang grabs the kawali. Oil hot.
NANANG LUDING
(whispers)
Hindi siya pwedeng pumasok. Hindi siya inimbita.
INT. NANANG’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
The door doesn’t open.
DON SEVERINO is inside. Black suit. Shoes clean. Mud parts around him.
He looks at Nanang. At Amihan. At the photo.
DON SEVERINO
Lourdes should have burned it.
Nanang throws the oil. It turns to steam mid-air.
DON SEVERINO (CONT’D)
You took what was mine, Luding.
NANANG LUDING
Hindi ka diyos.
DON SEVERINO
No. But I keep books. And your sister owed me.
He holds out his hand. Five SKELETON KEYS.
DON SEVERINO (CONT’D)
Amihan broke one. Now the balance is wrong.
AMIHAN
Anong balance?
DON SEVERINO
One life for the house. One name for the tree. Your Nanang hid you. The tree starved. Now it wants two names.
He points at Nanang.
DON SEVERINO (CONT’D)
Luding Monteverde.
AMIHAN
Hindi siya Monteverde!
DON SEVERINO
Her sister was. Lourdes Monteverde. Became Revenar to hide. Worked at St. Martha’s to pick the next one.
Flash: 1972. LOURDES MONTEVERDE becomes LOURDES REVENAR. Enters St. Martha’s. Reports to Don Severino every six years. Until 2008, when she saves a girl instead.
NANANG LUDING
Wala akong alam diyan.
DON SEVERINO
But you share blood. And blood pays.
He steps toward Nanang.
Amihan steps between them.
AMIHAN
Ako na lang.
DON SEVERINO
I already have you. You gave me Maria.
AMIHAN
Hindi. Kinuha mo yun. Hindi ko binigay.
She remembers the bus. The flood. The key she threw.
AMIHAN (CONT’D)
Pero sinira ko yung sumpa. Wala nang bahay. Wala nang pangalan.
Don Severino smiles. Too many teeth.
DON SEVERINO
Then I’ll make a new house.
He touches the nipa wall.
It TURNS TO STONE. Wet. Cold.
ROOM 6.
Six cots. Five empty. One with a GIRL. Six. White dress. Asleep.
The girl from the bus.
GIRL
(eyes closed)
You’re late, angel.
INT. ROOM 6 / NANANG’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
The house is both. Nipa and stone. Kawali and cot. Jollibee calendar and CLOCK.
CLOCK: 3:03.
DON SEVERINO
Choose, Amihan. Your name or hers.
Nanang is on her knees.
NANANG LUDING
Wag, anak. Kunin mo na ako. Matanda na ako.
AMIHAN
Hindi.
She looks at the girl. The girl is her. 2037. Nyx. Mireille. Lilia. Maria.
She looks at Nanang. Who tore up Maria and wrote Amihan with her mouth.
Amihan pulls a SANTOL LEAF from her pocket. From the market mud.
Nanang uses santol leaves for empanada when paper runs out. “Biyaya ng lupa,” she says. “Libre.”
AMIHAN
New bargain.
She throws the leaf at Don Severino. It hits his chest.
DON SEVERINO
What is this?
AMIHAN
Bahay ko. Pangalan ko. Hindi galing sa’yo.
She takes Nanang’s hand.
AMIHAN (CONT’D)
One life for the house. Fine. Buhay ko, bahay namin. One name for the tree. Fine. Amihan. Hindi Monteverde. Hindi Revenar. Amihan na anak ni Luding.
The CLOCK TICKS. 3:04.
Stone CRACKS. Nipa shows underneath.
Cots become bangkito.
The GIRL opens her eyes.
GIRL
You did it.
She’s not six. She’s 19. She’s Amihan.
Two Amihans.
The second one SMILES. TURNS TO DUST.
Four KEYS left in Don Severino’s hand.
DON SEVERINO
You can’t—
AMIHAN
Hindi mo ako pag-aari. Hindi mo siya pag-aari.
She points at Nanang.
AMIHAN (CONT’D)
Panagsubli. Pero hindi para sa’yo. Para sa amin.
Don Severino steps back. Mud touches his shoes. They get dirty.
DON SEVERINO
The tree will die.
AMIHAN
E ‘di mamatay. Magtanim kami ng bago.
The ROOM 6 door APPEARS. White wood.
Amihan opens it.
Outside: DINGRAS. 8:44 AM. Sun. Nanang’s stall. Dry.
Don Severino doesn’t follow. He can’t. Not invited.
Door CLOSES.
House is nipa again.
Nanang cries. Not sad.
NANANG LUDING
Ang tapang mo.
AMIHAN
Nagmana sa’yo.
EXT. DINGRAS - LATER
Amihan mops the market. The envelope is ash. The jade is in the Cagayan.
Her chin doesn’t hurt.
A TOURIST shows her a photo.
TOURIST
Is this the famous black tree?
By the river, a SAPLING. Santol. One leaf. Green.
No swans. No names.
AMIHAN
Hindi. Bago yan.
Nanang calls:
NANANG LUDING
Amihan! Kain na!
Amihan goes.
AMIHAN
Nanang, anong apelyido mo?
Nanang hands her empanada.
NANANG LUDING
Luding. Lang. Tapos na tayo sa mga apelyido.
Amihan eats. Vigan style. Hot.
Wind is amihan. Cold. Clean.
No more 3:03.
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