Eric Quizon ‘Positive’ about new serye

Rappler.com

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For actor-director, new TV5 show is a big step in behalf of AIDS awareness

THE AIM OF 'POSITIVE.' The show's director, Eric Quizon, and lead, Mart Escudero. Photo: Paul Mata 

MANILA, Philippines – “I liked the concept of the show when it was presented to me,” Eric Quizon said about the offer of TV5’s Creative Team to direct the network’s new teleserye, “Positive.”

The new series is groundbreaking in its subject, and the 46-year-old actor-director saw right away the significance of presenting such socially relevant entertainment.

“A lot of people still don’t have adequate information about HIV and AIDS,” Eric said. “It is timely that TV5 thought of this drama series, so the public may know about it more, and we hope they will find useful the information about HIV and AIDS that they can get from watching the series.”

Going by the video presentation at the show’s news conference on Thursday, October 10, AIDS has become an increasingly serious concern in the Philippines, partly because of the public’s aversion to this disease and the continuing prejudice against those afflicted by it.

It is the show’s aim to promote an open-mindedness about this disease, to prod the health sector to devote its resources to AIDS research, and to urge people who are directly at risk of contracting HIV to avail themselves of medical assistance.

‘It pays to have knowledge’

“When a person gets sick, he is not the only one who gets affected but also the people around him like his family and his friends,” Eric said.

“I am speaking from experience because when my dad [Dolphy] got sick, we were all concerned about him. Since day one that my dad became ill with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, I wanted to learn about it. I wanted to find out if there would be a cure to it. Gagaling ba ang daddy ko? [Will my daddy recover?] We wanted to be aware kung ano ang dapat gawin [what had to be done], so that his immune system would not go down. It pays to have knowledge of a disease, so you would know how to deal with it.”

This is precisely the aim of “Positive” – to make people confront and deal with its theme, as it affects real lives.

“There has been an alarming increase of HIV and AIDS cases in the last 5 years,” Eric said. “Matagal na talaga ang virus na ito pero hindi pa lahat ng tao ay [This virus has been around but people are not too] aware what it is really like to be infected by the HIV virus which [leads to] AIDS.

“It’s a very difficult show. We really want to be edgy and controversial but up to what extent can we do that? This is television and, unlike in the United States, ang pagpapakita ng [the depiction of] sex or anything provocative ay hindi natin basta pwede gawin [is not something we can just endeavor].

‘Trauma, pain’

“Our main concern is to educate people. What we can assure you is that lahat ng gagawin namin [everything we will present] will be based on facts.

“Kailangan din naman natin ipakita ang pinagdadaanan ng tao, yung drama sa buhay niya, yung trauma, yung pain.” (We have to present what a person goes through, his life, the trauma and pain.)

“Mahirap lang para sa mga tao na may HIV kung hindi nila alam na mayroon sila nito.” (It’s very complicated for people with HIV if they don’t know they’re positive.)

“We hope to create [this] awareness sa mga tao [among the public], so they would know how to deal with the disease. Yung iba kasi, pag sinabing HIV or AIDS, natatakot na sila magpagamot or mag-consult sa doctor.” (Because for some, the mere mention of HIV or AIDS already intimidates them from seeking treatment or consulting a doctor.)

“Mas mabuti na yung may alam ka [It’s best that you have knowledge] about your illness, if you have it, so you would know how to combat the disease.

“We know this is a very delicate matter, so, as much as possible, we consulted the right persons who can give us the right information about it.”

“Positive” has the partnership and support of the AIDS Society of the Philippines. The serye stars Mart Escudero, Bianca Manalo, Bing Loyzaga, Felix Roco, Rufa Mae Quinto, Mercedes Cabral, Helga Krapf, and Malak So Shdifat. – Rappler.com

 

The TV5 serye premieres on October 17.

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