TITLE: EVERLASTING PATHWAY

SCREENPLAY BY: Marian Claire C. Enero

SCENE 1: INT. - HOME - DAY

On a sunny day, ELIANA (24, love seeker) hurriedly gets ready for another date of the day.
ELIANA (V.O) Life is all about finding purpose and achieving eudaimonia… I guess finding true
love incorporates in it.

ELIANA (panics as she struggles to find the other pair of her footwear)
Ate Esme. Asa man ako sandal na imo gihuwam?? (while running around the house)

ESMERALDA (busy in the kitchen)

Naa ra to diha uy, just find it! (she shouted para madunggan)

ELIANA (frustrated)
Ma late nako te! Di na taka pahugmon sunod ba.

ESMERALDA (smiles)
Galit na galit, gusto manakit?! (laughs to her sister's panicky state)

ELIANA (rolls eyes)

ESMERALDA (hands the other pair of her missing footwear)

Dia ra beh, chill-llll! Paila ka man na tense kaykas imo date ron! Mura sad kag first time nakig
date dah!

ELIANA (pikon face)

Ambot nimo te. Gotta go! (she hurriedly gets her shoulder bag and ran outside their house)

ESMERALDA (sighs and shakes her head)

You didn't even eat!! My goshhhh!! (she shouted again para madunggan although the receiver
is already outside)

SCENE 2: EXT. - RESTORIA CAFE - DAY

Shooting of different city view around Restoria Cafe. The city bustles with life as people hurry
along the sidewalks. Eliana stops at the entrance of the cafe, while head is facing upward.
ELIANA (V.O) Here I go again. Ready to meet my true love! (smiles wide before entering)

SCENE 3: INT. - RESTORIA CAFE - DAY

First date: UNKNOWN (OUTSOURCE) (Issue: Bayot, Baklita)

U (smiles shyly then sits down opposite to Eliana)
Hi, sorry I came late. I'm ____.

ELIANA (smiles excitedly)

It's okayy! Let's order na.
ELIANA (V.O) This guy infront of me looks so charming, he knows what a girl likes. Kuhang-
kuha pud ang humor! Very sensitive and sweet! Feminine pud og lihok pero mao diay kay…

U (acts shock)
Wow! What's the shade of your lip color?

ELIANA
Uhh, shade PK02 ng focallure.

U (amazed)
Infair– I mean, that's good! Bagay kaayo nimo.

ELIANA (flattered smile)

Thanks. (looks at him)
Suddenly naay niagi na gwapo. Eliana noticed na imbes siya maoy kiligon kay murag iya
kaatbang may nag sinunod og tan-aw with amazed eyes. May pa lip bite pa.

ELIANA (V.O) Ayy barbie mani… (naglingo-lingo)

Second date: JOVEN (OUTSOURCE) (Issue: Mr. Genius)

ELIANA (V.O) Aw kani tinuod gyud ni nga laki! This guy looks so smart with his glasses and his
book. Very studious and smells good. Hilomon lang siya, unya murag nasobraan pagka…

ELIANA (smiles wide)

Uy, Joven okay raka?

JOVEN (wala nitan-aw pero nitando)

ELIANA (starts to feel awkward)

Mathematics na lagi na?! Uhh diba, science book paman to ganina imo gibasa?

JOVEN (nods)
Humana ko atong Periodic Table of Elements.

ELIANA (nisiga ang mata)

Wews. (laughs awkwardly) (tapos niubo slight)
Hoo, gimingaw naman kog taho uy!

JOVEN
Ohh, the soft silken tofu with tapioca pearls and caramel syrup.

ELIANA
Oh kana! Hasta pud indian mango na medjo hilaw.

JOVEN
The Mangifera indica sprinkled with Sodium Chloride?

ELIANA
Di nalang diay ko mokaon…
(V.O) Sobraan ra pud ni ka bright, Lord huhu…
Change angle. Focus on her frustrated face.
(V.O) Since men doesn't work out for me lately, I've decided to try and date some girls. Basin
naa ra diay sa same gender?

Third date: ABIAH (Issue: Bossy)

ELIANA (V.O) This is my first ever girl date, I can sense in one glance na she has a strong
character and professional og dating. Infairness expensive og datingan pero…

ABIAH (fierce face and serious greetings)

My name is Abiah Tulipan. Marketing agent and fashion enthusiast.

ELIANA (smiles widely)

Hello! I'm Eliana Faith Ascarez. Pleasure to meet you.

ABIAH (smile then gipangita ang waiter)

Waiter!! (wala dayon niduol)
Waiter!! Goodness! The service is poor. (gets tissue tas gi trapuhan ang iya forehead)

ELIANA (trying to ease the tension)

Kalma lang dae, they're just busy.

ABIAH
Grr. It's their job! Anyway, give us two plate of calamares and a sparkling lemon water.

ELIANA (laughs awkwardly)

Uhh- I don't eat calamares dae, allergy kog squid.

ABIAH
Tss, as if walay tambal? C’mon one plate raman.

ELIANA (sarcastic)
Mamugos lagi kas tao dae? Ikaw nalay pag akooo.

Fourth date: JULIET MAE (Issue: Cheater, naa na diay girlfriend, gihimo pa siyang other girl)

ELIANA (V.O) Grabe tong nahitabo last time kang Abiah uy, ka controlling og bossy. Juskooo!
Hope this one will be the one I'm looking for kay gikapoy nako…

JULIET (smile with full blast make-up)

Halooo, hi bebb!! Sorry na traffic lang.

ELIANA
Di pa man sad ko dugay naabot.

JULIET
Maayo na! I'm Juliet Mae Vitug diay. You can call me yetyet. That's my nickname.

ELIANA
Eliana Faith Ascarez (shakes hand)
JULIET
Ayy wait! I have a gift for you diay. Hope you like it.

ELIANA (smiles wide)

Thank you yet!

JULIET
Oh dali order nata beb. Choose anything you like. Kung unsa imo gusto, mao ato paliton! (pina
hambog pagka ingon ni ha)

Change scene. Solo shot of Eliana na nakig chat² with her smartphone while smiling.

ELIANA (V.O) After that cafe date sa restoria, we chat and chat ni Juliet. She is a good
communicator. I feel like I just gained another sister sa iyaha presence, but what you expect to
be a smooth-sailing ship turns out to be a too good to be true facade.

SCENE 4: INT. - RESTORIA CAFE - DAY

ELIANA (V.O) Today is the day I will answer yetyet sa iya pagpanguyab. Siguro angay na
butngan og label. (smiles excitedly with her head facing upward sa entering sa Restoria Cafe)

JULIET
You're finally here. (gibirahan og chair para makalingkod si Eliana)

ELIANA
Thank you. Did you wait long?

JULIET
No, naa pa man pud koy giagi. (sits on the opposite)

ELIANA
Mag order sa tag Landang.

JULIET
Sige, order what you want. Mag picture sa ko.

After ordering…
ELIANA
Uyy, paapila pud ko. Selfie ta duha.

JULIET (cold sweating and nang luspad)

Unya nalang beb. Phone storage pa ko. (palusot)

ELIANA
Batian man guru kag nawng nako.

JULIET (laughs awkwardly)

OA ra, OA ra pud ka beb.
While busy nag TikTok si Juliet, and nag scroll² si Eliana sa iya smartphone, a message
suddenly popped sa iya notifications. Message from PERLAH POLICARPIO.

Message content.
Hi. I know you don't know me pero ako ang girlfriend ni Juliet Mae Vitug. Two years,
three months, and 18 days nami ana niya. You are thick-faced if you try to ruin that
relationship, just so you know.

Sent a picture.

Reply content.
Excuse me. But I don't even know that she has a girlfriend. If only I knew, mo dili ko. I
wouldn't want to be the other girl. Kung kahibaw ka lang unsa ka boriton imo uyab. May
gani wa pa nako sugta. Kuhaa diris restoria.

Message content.
No need, I am already here sa place.

Reply content.
Show yourself then.

ELIANA (lain og tinan-awan)

Basin naa kay gusto iingon nako?

JULIET (turns to her while gagunit cellphone kay nag TikTok)

Wala man beb. Ngano diay?

ELIANA
Naa koy surprise nimo… (nihunong tas ni istorya nasad)
Lingi sa likod sa.

JULIET (nilingi og hinay² tas nangluspad)

PERLAH
Abi ko bag naghatod kas imo manghud sa eskwelahan?

JULIET
B-babe. Business client rani n-nako. (Nitindog og kalit)

PERLAH
Boriton gyud ka, nimala ka uy. Duol ra gud diri.

JULIET
B-babe, siya man jud naay sala ato!

ELIANA (rolls eyes)

Have some kauwaw pud girl. Makasasala na kayka.

PERLAH
Di nako gusto makita pa og usab imo nawng! Cheater! (fuming in rage)
Ni walk out si Perlah.

JULIET (ni gukod)

Babe-wait!

Nabilin si Eliana sa table pero imbes na maguol, nag ngisi pa siya.

ELIANA (V.O) Lord, sign naba ni nimo na mobalik kog date sa mga lalaki?

And nibalik jud siyag date og lalaki.

SCENE 5: INT. - RESTORIA CAFE - DAY

Fifth date: GREGORIO “GREG” (Issue: Hanginon ra kaayo, boastful)

ELIANA (V.O) After days of filtering someone who matches me on dating apps, there's this one
guy na mostly same nami’g hobby and interests. Ang pangutana, tinuod ba kaha ni…

As Eliana is standing near the window sa second floor, naay nagkuhit niya sa likod. Paglingi
niya nakita niya ang usa ka lalaki na naay paak-paak na red rose sa baba.

GREGORIO
Are you lost bbgurl?

ELIANA (confused)
Err. No.

GREGORIO
LOST in my thoughts. Keep living in my mind, can't get you out.

ELIANA (awkward laugh)

Uh, you are?

GREGORIO
Tssss. Gregorio “Greg” for short. (winks and lip bite)

ELIANA (speechless)

Nakig shake hands nalang.

GREGORIO (ni attempt og akbay)

Let's take a seat, bbgurl. (drags Eliana padung table)

ELIANA
So, you play piano?

GREGORIO
Yeah, ever since I was a little boy. I've been to Hollywood, you know they personally request.

ELIANA
Ooh, that's great.

GREGORIO (smiles wide)

Yeah, I know. My future wife is very lucky. You are lucky. (winks)

ELIANA (hilaw na katawa)

Di mo sure…

GREGORIO
I-sure na nato bbgurl.

ELIANA
Ay ko tawga’g bbgurl kol. Di pata close.

GREGORIO
Grabe sa angkol! Pero kahibaw ba ka? Naa koy 12 famas nominations, 10 grammy
nominations, 8 music awards tas recording contracts nga di maihap.

ELIANA
Eviction pinaka prestigious. Eviction, naa ka ana?

ELIANA (V.O) Juskooo Lord, maka burnout man diay makig istorya og hanginon. I give up Lord,
I give up. Ahhhhhh (about to cry in frustration)

SCENE 6: EXT. - FATIMA CHURCH - DAY

Shooting angle na nipara og tricycle padung church.

Niabot…
Nagbaktas padung entrance.

Head slowly raises upwards, gitan-aw ang kinatibuk-an nga interior.

Nibalik og duko tas nigunit og ayo sa shoulder bag.

SCENE 7: INT. - FATIMA CHURCH - DAY

Nilunod. Nag pray.

Nag start og hilak.

ELIANA (V.O) Dear Lord, I am ashamed na mo atubang nimo karon because of my failed dating
relationships. I could not look directly at you. For I know I have been disobedient for the past
few weeks. Wala ko naghuwat sa imo plano sa akoa kinabuhi especially sa lovelife. Ang ako
hinuon gibuhat kay I searched, I seek, gipangunahan nako imo gusto mahitabo sa ako kinabuhi.

ELIANA (V)
But Lord, (cries in between words) kanus-a man nako siya makaila? (voice broke because of
sobs)
My heart had been through many battles in life. I beg you Lord, bless me true love anytime
soon. Need nako og someone I can lean on when I face difficulties. I had been longing to meet
him through you. (cry)

ELIANA (V.O)
Please Lord. (sobs hard)

ELIANA (V)
I beg you, lord.