Dear Friends and Family,

A copy of my speech delivered before the screening of our films regarding the censorship of my film by ABC 5.

trying to stay true
with love,

JP

October 13, 2006

Speech Regarding Censorship Of Guimaras Film "Bunker 0: Sumirib"
Given at Premiere of GUIMARAS: Short films from the Oil Spill
Robinson's Galleria Cinema 1 THX
7:30 pm

Mayong gab-i sa inyo tanan. Good evening to you all.

My name is JP V. Carpio. I am a proud Ilonggo from Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. I am one of a group of filmmakers who were invited by the newly formed Independent Filmmakers' Cooperative to go to Guimaras last September and shoot short films in connection with what happened there, what is STILL happening there, and possibly, may continue there for a long time: the sad and harsh reality of the oil spill.

I don't want to take any or too much time and focus away from Guimaras, its environment, its people, the oil spill, and the screening of our films tonight, so I'll get right to the point.

My film that was broadcasted on network television last Sunday, October 8 was CENSORED. Specific and certain key portions of the film involving the residents of Guimaras expressing their HONEST feelings about the oil company and the shipping company, who as we all know are involved in this TRAGEDY, were CLEARLY EDITED OUT, OMITTED, CENSORED.

Some other filmmakers involved also suffered a similar TREATMENT.

PUTTING ASIDE MY VERY STRONG PERSONAL FEELINGS regarding this, what this censorship did was not only compromise the film, MORE IMPORTANTLY, it COMPROMISED the HONEST _expression of feelings of these RESIDENTS OF GUIMARAS regarding the matter which as we all know, but it can't be emphasized enough, affects them LITERALLY ON A LIFE-AND-DEATH LEVEL.

This censorship DESTROYS the very reasons all the films were made: TO HELP give Guimaras and its people more of a VOICE. To help show their perspectives, because MORE than anyone else, Guimaras – the island and its people – know FIRST HAND what's going on there and how IT AFFECTS THEM second-by-second.

This was sadly DENIED to them last Sunday, October 8, 2006.

If you want to know more of the details, I will be open for questions AFTER THE SCREENINGS, because what we are here for today is Guimaras, its environment, its people, the oil spill, and the screening of the films.

Thank you all for LISTENING.

Welcome to "Guimaras: Short films from the Oil Spill". All the films are UNCENSORED this evening.

Mayong gab-I sa inyo tanan liwat. Good evening to you all again.