Ways of the Sea

SetinthesouthernmostandarguablythemostmarginalizedportionsofthePhilippinearchipelago,SheronDayoc'sHalaw(WaysoftheSea)documentstheattemptsofseveralofitscitizenstosecureabetterlifebycrossingbordersviatheseathatseparatesthehopelessnessinMindanaoandthepromisesofSabah.Thefirsthalfofthefilm,setonland,givestheaudiencesaglimpseofthelivessoughttobechanged,fromtherecruiter(JohnArcilla)whomanagesthegoodshehastobringtoMalaysiaintactanduntaintedtotheBadjaosiblingswhoseektobereunitedwiththeirmissingmother.Thelatterhalf,setprimarilyonsea,mapsthejourneyanddefinestherelationships,untiltheyreachtheirdestination.<br/>　　Duringthefilm'sfirsthalf,Dayoc,giftedwiththeabilitytotellstoriesthroughgesturesinsteadofthegiveawayexpositorypowersofwords,compilesanarrayofemotionsfromhissubjects,emotionslikeangerandfrustrationfromArcilla'spersistentrecruiter,resignationandsorrowfromMariaIsabelLopez'sseasonedcross-borderpassenger,andlongingfromArnalynIsmael'sBadjaolass.<br/>　　Hethereforeunmasksfromthebrokenlandscapedefinedbymakeshiftshacksonricketystiltsandmilitarymeninincessantpatrolapeopleofconfusedidentities,towhomnationalityisanon-issue,andlanguageisnotabarrier.Theonlyconstantamongthemasidefromthefactthatinthemotorboattheyareallequalinthesensethattheyallhavepaidthesameexpensivefare,isasharedhumanity,asdefinedbytheirdecisiontoforegorisksanduncertaintiesallintheserviceoffillinganeed.ThisisDayoc'sstrongestsuit,theabilitytohumanize,tohintathistoriesandpastsofhisselectedcharacterswithonlyofferingsofglimpsesofwhatcouldbeamoretroublinganddevastatingwhole.Themotorboat,carryingitspaidandhopefulpassengers,leaveport.Alullabyguidesthemtosea,creatingafalseimpressionofpeaceandcomfort.<br/>　　However,thejourneyshouldbeanythingbutpeacefulandcomfortable.Dayocmissesthetediumandboredomofseatravel.Healsomissesthepossibledangers,theprobableescalatingdramas,andthebuddingconnectionsbetweenthecharacters.ItseemsthatDayocenvisionstheseaasrefugefromtheillscausedbythedeficienciesandexcessesofsociety.Thus,whenthemotorboatendsupinMamanokIsland,thefinalstationwheretheboatreplenishesitssuppliesbeforearrivingattheirsupposeddestination,thepassengers,morespecificallytherecruiterandhissingleward,areagainexposedtothesamedangerstheyaretryingtoescapefrom.Itseemsthataslongascorruptedman-madesocialstructures,therecanbenohope,nohope.Thefilm'smostpoignantmoment,ascenewheretherecruiterandhiswardareinequaltermsintermsofbeinghopelessandhelpless,involvesapredicamentwherethesesocialstructureshavebrokendowntorevealhumanityinitsbasestandmostrepugnant.<br/>　　Halawisadmittedlynotafaultlessfilm.Theending,whoseabruptnesscanbereadasambiguityorametaphorforthesupposedendlessnessofthesecross-bordertragedies,isultimatelyabetrayalofDayoc'ssincereappreciationofthepassengers'disparateyetconnectedconditions.However,amidstthesetechnicalandnarrativeissues,thefilmmostimportantlyexistsasanindictmentofthefailuresoftheseman-madeinstitutions,ofthesuffocatingimplicationsofpoverty,intolerance,corruptionandotherby-productsofabusedandmisusedsocialstructures,andborders,boundaries,andotherinstrumentsthatprimarilyseektoprotectthesesocialstructuresbutintruth,onlypropagateexploitationwhereverandwheneversuchissuesexist.