The following was published in 'The News Today', which serves Panay Island. It was also picked up nationally by GMA-7. To save the questions later, I mentioned holding a mini-aswang festival, and no, I did not say I was a TV host - I guess they just assumed that because of my devilishly handsome looks :P

It came about as I was interviewing two local news correspondents, Joel E. Capundun and Felipe Celino, regarding the Aswang festival being shut-down.

2 days ago I had the pleasure of interviewing acclaimed horror director Peque Gallaga for the new documentary. He has directed films like, 'Shake, Rattle & Roll 1-4', 'Aswang' and 'Sa Piling Ng Aswang'. He has also directed the award winning Filipino cinematic masterpieces 'Oro, Plata, Mata', and 'Scorpio Nights'.

Anyways, more on that later. Here is the article:

Canadian filmmaker to bring Aswang Festival to Canada
BY JOEL E. CAPUNDAN


TNT Capiz correspondent Joel Capundan
with Canadian Film Maker Jordan Clark
of High Banks Entertainment, Ltd,
Victoria, British, Columbia, Canada. Right,
Capundan being interviewed by Clark
regarding the Aswang Festival.

ROXAS CITY – A Canadian filmmaker and international T.V. host wanted to adapt this city's controversial Aswang Festival and hold it in their country.

The project would be for the benefit of Destonia victims and the Save Olotayan project.

Olotayan is an island barangay, about 30 minutes travel from the city, with white sand beaches.

Jordan Clark, 36, told The News Today (TNT) that he also is not a believer of the existence of witches but he wanted to make a documentary on the subject of which this writer was one of his sources.

"I love Roxas City, the cleanest and friendliest place to go. It's now my fifth time to visit here that's why I thought of making a documentary regarding the Aswang forklore," Clark said.

He said, he has also interviewed actress Maricel Soriano who plays a role in Sa Piling Ng Aswang in Filipino movies.

Clark's interview with this writer show that there is no such things as Aswang in Capiz and it's only in the mind of the people and has spread through gossips and stories from other people.


Clark's interview with this writer and colleague Felipe Celino was facilitated by Mrs. Cheche Lastimoso, wife of Board Member Rommel Lastimoso, at their residence in Brgy. Mongpong this city.

It can be recalled that Dugo Capiznon, Inc., a private organization, organized Aswang Festival here for three consecutive years but it stopped after several public officials and religious sectors particularly the Catholic church opposed it in 2006.


Public officials opposed it because they said that holding Aswang Festival has negative effect to the economy of Capiz considering that this province is a Seafood Capital of the Philippines exporting marine products.

Religious sector also said that holding Aswang Festival is an act of adoring the devil spirit which is against the stand of the church.

Indignation rallies were held against the holding of Aswang Festival and when City Mayor Vicente Bermejo assumed office, the controversial festival was scrapped.

Dugo Capiznon Inc, on the other hand, claim that holding Aswang Festival does not mean adoring evil spirits, but to promote tourism in Roxas City and Capiz.

They said that the Aswang Festival intend to manifest that Capiz is not haven of Aswang as branded in Manila and instead, it's only stories and in the mind of the people that never existed. They instead said that Aswang are those people who are corrupt public officials, drug lords and addicts, and other bad elements of the society.

Aswang festival is usually held last week of October before the Halloween celebrations.