‘Aswang’ catches interest
of Canadian filmmaker

By FELIPE V. CELINO

ROXAS City – To raise funds for the poor island of Olotayan here and patients of dystonia parkinsonism in Capiz, a young filmmaker from Canada is doing a documentary on the “aswang” myth.

High Banks Entertainment Ltd. filmmaker Jordan Clark hopes to make his documentary a definitive material on the myth that has put Capiz in a bad light for decades.

Olotayan is 30 minutes by boat from this city. Eighty percent of its 985 inhabitants are poor. Their main source of livelihood is fishing, but the catch has not been good due to years of destructive fishing methods.

On the other hand, dystonia parkinsonism is a progressive movement disorder endemic to Panay Island, particularly in Capiz.

The 36-year-old Clark is now in the thick of his research. This is his fifth visit to Roxas City and Capiz.

“Roxas is the cleanest and safest city in the Philippines. The hospitality of its people is second to none,” Clark said.

No, he said, he does not believe in “aswang.” But he wants to know how the myth started and how it had affected the province’s way of life.

Clark said he had also consulted with acclaimed Filipino director Peque Gallaga of Bacolod City.

Gallaga had directed successful horror flicks such as “Shake, Rattle and Roll” (Part 1-4), “Aswang” and “Sa Piling ng Aswang.”/PN