Indie film makers adopted as “Children” of Mt. province capital

October 5, 2020 Provincial

BAGUIO CITY (September 30, 2020) – Indie film makers Mark Lester Menor Valle and Carla Samantha Pulido Ocampo were adopted “children” of Bontoc, Mt. Province’s capital town.

Valle who traces his roots in San Carlos City, Pangasinan and Bauang, La Union and Ocampo, who traces her roots in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija and Sanchez Mira, Cagayan have made Bontoc their home for almost six years now.

The documentary film “Walang Rape sa Bontoc” was directed by Valle and was written by Ocampo in 2014. It garnered international and national awards, and has be recognized by numerous government agencies, private and public institutions, and academes in their advocacy towards Gender and Development (GAD).

Among the notable awards conferred to the documentary film include Special Jury Mention in the CineTotoo Philippine International Documentary Film Festival 2014, Finalist Certificate in the New York Festivals Best TV and Films 2015, Special Citation in the Gender- fair Documentary – GADTimpala Awards 2015, Best Documentary in the 38th Gawad Urian 2015, Breakthrough Film Award in the 9th Pandayang Lino Brocka 2017, and Inner Wheel’s Choice in the 9th Pandayang Lino Brock 2017.

Meanwhile, the short film Tokwifi directed by Ocampo in 2019 is the Best Film and NETPAC (National Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) Award in the 2020 Cinemalaya, a major film festival in the Philippines.

The short film was co-produced by the Bontoc LGU and was shot in locations within the town. It features artists and members of the community. As adopted children of Bontoc, Valle was given the name “Ngawit” while Ocampo was named “ Khayapon”.

Their adoption was witnessed by municipal officials and employees of the Bontoc Local Government Unit (LGU) during the regular Monday Flag Raising Ceremony on September 28, 2020, at the Bontoc Municipal Capitol grounds.

Mayor Franklin Odsey said the adopted son and daughter of Bontoc have embraced and respected the culture and traditions of the community. He added that their talents and skills in the production of the documentary film “ Walang Rape sa Bontoc” ( Bontok, Rapeless) and short film “Tokwifi” have garnered international and national prestigious awards that brought recognition and have put the municipality and the Ifontoks in the spotlight.

Thus, it is proper and fitting to adopt Valle and Ocampo as Ifontok. Odsey immediately approved the resolution passed by the Sangguniang Bayan affirming that Valle and Ocampo have shown “remarkable and admirable character worthy of emulation by the Bontoc community and have unselfishly shared their talents and skill to young people of Bontoc.”

Aside from their talents and skills, Valle and Ocampo have displayed the innate character of “Ifontok” (people of Bontoc) the spirit of “Og-ogfu” (Bayanihan) in times of need and crisis. Valle and Ocampo were instrumental in accessing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from the Office of Vice President Leni Robredo to the Municipality of Bontoc.

The PPEs were used by frontliners in the Corona virus disease – 2019 (COVID-19) response and operations.

Artemio A. Dumlao/ABN