There are several local films, like The Caregiver (2008) and Sunday Beauty Queen (2016), that have put the spotlight on the lives of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). Director Chito S. Roño’s Signal Rock, on the other hand, focuses on how life goes on for those who stay behind as their loved ones go abroad. This narrative is told from the perspective of Intoy Abakan (Christian Bables) an errand boy from a small town on the island of Biri in Samar.
Many of the island’s women subscribe to the common Filipino notion of going abroad to earn a living, and hopefully, marrying rich. This includes Victoria (Judy Ann-Santos), Intoy’s older sister. Despite their distance, Intoy is able to keep in touch with her through the titular “signal rock,” a captivating stone formation right on the edge of the island where cellular signal is high. Unrest reaches their peaceful shores when Victoria calls with troubling news about her Finnish husband.
The slice-of-life feature is detailed, to say the least. And while this is normally an asset, it spelled Signal Rock’s downfall. The story explores one too many facets of the community’s mechanisms and fails to tether itself to a central story. For instance, it begins discussing the complexities of Intoy’s relationship with Rachel (Elora Españo) then jumps to tackling issues regarding local politics with little to no coherent train of thought. The filmmakers’ effort to create an immersive experience by exploring several of the characters lives is commendable, but far too ambitious. By the time the film ends, audiences are left with more questions than answers.
The actors’ commendable performances make it easier to sit through the 130-minute runtime. Bables does a complete-180 from his Gawad Urian award-winning role in Die Beautiful (2017) as Barbs, a transgender woman with a talent for beauty pageants. In Signal Rock, he wears Intoy’s boyish charm like second skin and establishes a natural rapport with Espano’s demure, yet strong-willed Rachel. Their palpable chemistry makes it too easy to root for their star-crossed characters even with the disapproval of Rachel’s uncompromising father Mario (Archie Adamos).
However, what sticks with audiences long after the film is the constant bayanihan (i.e. unity) among its characters. The community is a family in its own right—those who leave to search for income are never forgotten, and those who stay make the best of what little comforts their island can provide.
Photo retrieved from the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino Facebook page.
