● JMother/Aling Carla De Mesa

● Son/ Carson De Mesa

● Co-worker/ Jessie Reyes
● Ayuda Deliverer/Barangay Tanod

SCENE 1:

The news is flashing on the television. A nationwide lock down is about to take place in an hour.

A mother is watching the screen closely while talking to her son over the phone. You can hear
loud cars honking and people bustling from the other end.

Mother: Carson, nasaan ka na? Malapit na daw magsara ang NCR sa boundary.

Carson: Ma, parang nagsasara na nga po sila ng boundary eh. Andaming pulis, tapos
ayaw na nilang magpapasok ng mga sasakyan sa Munti.

Mother: Ano?! Eh wala pa namang alas otso ah? Pano ka na dyan anak?

Carson: Susubukan ko pa rin na tumuloy hangga't may oras pa, ma. Pero kung sakaling
di ako umabot, baka bumalik nalang ako sa apartment ko.

Mother: Pero, anak, paano ka namin makakamusta? Baka isang buwan pa daw itong lock
down dahil dun sa Covid.

Carson: Ako na po bahala, Ma. May pera pa ako dito para makabalik sa apartment. Tsaka,
Ma, isang buwan lang naman daw ang tagal nito. Kaya kong maghintay para bumisita
dyan sa bahay sa Abril.

The mother stands up to look at an old family picture and hanging memorabilia of her son's
medals and certificates on a wall. She stares at it as she hesitates to ask him.

Mother: Sigurado ka?

Carson: Opo, Ma. Konting tiis lang ng isang buwan at kapag nakauwi ako dyan, di na
kayo magiging mag-isa.

The mother clutches her phone tightly.

Mother: Oh, sige. Mag-iingat ka, anak. Balitaan mo ako kung ano nang nangyayari dyan
ah?
B
Carson: Opo, Ma.
Mother: I love you, ‘nak!

Carson: I love you, din, Ma!

The son ends the call. The mother looks at her phone screen, a crippling sense of worry on her
face. She exits her calling app and turns off her phone. She looks back at the television as the
news continues to share details about the 1-month lock down.

Mother: (whispers) One month. Isang buwan lang, Carla. Kaya mo ito. Hindi naman
siguro ganun katagal yun para maghintay sa anak mo.

The mother disappears off-screen to go eat dinner in the kitchen.

SCENE 2:

2 weeks later

The camera pans/transitions ahead of time, about two weeks after the lock down began. The
mother is washing her dishes in the kitchen. There's a radio playing on low volume, talking
about the news. Her phone is situated in front of her with her son's face and caller ID on display.
They're talking over a video call.

Mother: So ganun pala ang ginawa sa inyo ng kampanya ninyo?

Carson: Opo, Ma. Sagot na daw po nila lahat. Mapa-shuttle, pagkain, tsaka yung mga
medical supplies tulad ng mga face mask.

Mother: Aba, nakakatuwa naman! Mabuti at maayos ang pagtrato nila sa inyo.

Carson: Nakakagulat nga po, eh.

Mother: Ay hindi, dapat lang na sila ang magsagot ng mga yan. Hindi nyo naman
kasalanan na may Covid ang mundo.

The son gets called by someone off-screen. It's most likely a co worker that appears behind
them.

Jesse: Carson, may company meeting daw sa may lobby sabi ni O.M.

He turns to see Jesse already dressed up in formal clothes.

Carson: Hala, now na ba?

Jesse: Oo, kanina pa daw sila naghihintay.

Carson: Oh, sige sige. Bababa na rin ako. Ma!

The son turns to his phone, seeing his mother's slightest disappointment that their conversation
was cut short.

Carson: I have to go na po. May meeting daw po kami.

Mother: Oh, sya sige anak. Ok lang, mag-ayos ka na para makaabot ka sa meeting.

Carson: Pasensya na, Ma. Putol nanaman usapan natin—

Mother: Ay, ano ka ba? Ayos lang. Ibaba mo na yung call. Bukas nalang ulit.

Carson: Sige po, Ma! Bye, I love you!

Mother: Bye, nak! I love you, din, and I miss you!

The son ends the call, again, just as the mother finishes cleaning the dishes. She lingers over
the ended call card on her phone's screen while drying her hands. She turns the radio volume
up to listen to the updates about the lock down. Then, she picks up a near by marker to cross
out days on a paper calendar on the wall.

Mother: Ilang araw nalang, matatapos na din ito…

SCENE 3:

The camera focuses on the calendar. Several days pass by as more Xs are marked on the
calendar. By day 30, only one day is left unmarked. The voice of a woman from outside is heard
off-screen calling the mother.

Tanod: Tao po! Ayuda po para kay Aling Carla?! Tao po!

The mother runs in front of the camera that's focused on the calendar.

Mother: Andyan na! Sandali lang!

The camera follows her to the front door. A female tanod carrying food supplies is standing
outside.
Tanod: Aling Carla po?

Mother: Yes po! Ako po yun!

Tanod: (points to their face) Ah, ma'am, yung face mask nyo po.

Mother: Ay, oo nga pala. Pasensya ka na, nasanay ako na ako lang nandito sa bahay.

The mother pulls out a face mask from her pocket. She wears it and approaches the tanod.

Tanod: Ayos lang po. Eto na po yung pagkain po ninyo para sa isang linggo.

Mother: Salamat, salamat! Mabuti naman at huling araw na bukas ng lock down at pwede
nang makalabas.

Tanod: Ay, naku po, Ma'am. Hindi po tayo sigurado dyan.

Mother: Bakit? May bagong balita na ba sa radyo?

Tanod: Wala pa naman po, pero parang hindi pa rin bumababa bilang ng mga namamatay
dyan sa Covid na yan eh. Pero, abangan nyo nalang po sa tv yung balita.

Mother: Ah, sige sige. Salamat ulit ha!

Tanod: You're welcome po! I-sprayan nyo po ng alcohol yan bago po ninyo ipasok, ha?

Mother: Oo, sige. Salamat!

The tanod leaves, as the mother enters the house and sprays the bag inside. As she starts
going through her supplies, the radio breaks the silence.

Radio: Breaking News! Live po tayo ngayon sa press conference ng Department of

Health, kaakibat ang pag-aanunsyo ng balita mula sa Malacañang tungkol sa pagtatapos
ng isang buwan na lockdown. Ayon sa DOH Secretary at sa Spokesperson ng
Malacañang, i-eextend po ang nationwide lock down ng bansa hanggang sa katapusan
ng Mayo—

The mother interrupts the radio speaker. She sets down the rest of her food supplies that are
still not disinfected and scurries to find her phone. She dials her son's number and waits for him
to answer.

Mother: Anak?
Carson: Ma? Ano po yun?

Mother: Carson, eextend daw nila ang lock down hanggang Mayo.

Carson: Ha? Totoo po ba?

Mother: Oo, anak. Wala ba kayong tv o radyo dyan para sa balita?

Carson: Kakauwi ko lang po galing sa trabaho, wala pa po akong nababalitaan.

Mother: Ay naku, anak, paano ka na nyan? Sasagutin pa rin ba kayo ng kampanya ninyo?
Isang buwan na nakalipas eh.

Carson: Ma, wag kayong mag-alala. Ako na bahalang magbalita sa inyo mamaya.
Magpapahinga lang ako saglit, medyo masama pakiramdam ko ngayon eh.

Mother: Oh, napaano ka?

Carson: Pagod lang ito, Ma. Magiging ok lang ako.

Mother: Hmm, puro ka ok ng ok ah. Mamaya, hindi pala.

Carson: Sure po ako, Ma. Pramis.

Mother: Oh sya, sige. Magpahinga ka at mag biogesic para gumaling ka agad. Mahirap
ngayon ang magkasakit, lalo na at di kita mababantayan.

Carson: Kayo din po, Ma. Magpakabuti po kayo dyan.

Mother: Mhm. I love you, anak. Bye!

Carson: Bye, Ma. Love you.

SCENE 4:

The following scenes are sequences spanning 3-4 weeks between one another. As the different
scenarios play out, the calendar is always within view with varying Xs and months passing by.

In one scene, the mother and son are talking over the phone before bed. In the second scene,
they're chatting while the mother is prepping for a meal. In the third scene, the mother is staring
at the wall memorabilia again while reminiscing with her son about their past.
After the third scene, the mother tries to dial her son while watching tv. She waits for him to pick
up, but he doesn't. The next day, she tries again but to no avail, he doesn't answer. The third
day, she calls him as soon as she wakes up. It takes a while for him to pick up the phone, but
he answers it this time. His voice sounds a little hoarse and quieter than usual.

Carson: Ma?

Mother: Carson! Ay sa wakas, sumagot ka na rin.

Carson: Ano po yun, Ma?

Mother: Nung isang araw o makalawa pa kita tinatawagan pero hindi mo sinasagot ang
tawag ko. Napaano ka na ba dyan?

Carson: Ma, nagkaroon kami ng konting issue dito sa trabaho.

Mother: Anong issue?

Carson: Nagtatanggal na po sila ng mga trabahador. Nag-send sila kanina ng listahan sa

e-mail, and kasama pangalan ko.

Mother: ANO?! BAKIT?!

Carson: Kailangan na po nilang magbawas, eh. Kukulangin na po sila ng pang-invest sa

kampanya namin.

Mother: Eh, papano ka? Paano ka na dyan sa apartment mo?

Carson: Kaya ko naman po, Ma. Ako pa ba?

Mother: Hindi, alam mo anak, umuwi ka nalang dito sa bahay.

Carson: Ma, naman.

Mother: Kakakinig ko lang sa balita kahapon, and pwede na raw mag biyahe papasok ng
NCR. Eh kung dyan ka mag-iistay, paano mo bubuhayin sarili mo?

Carson: Eh mas magastos po biyahe papunta dyan keysa dito muna ako ng mga ilang
araw. At tsaka, may ibibigay pa sila samin na resignation pay after one week para may
extra pa ako na—

Mother: CARSON! Wag ka nang magpatagal dyan!

Carson: Ma, sayang pera. Ayun ang kailangan ko—

Mother: Hindi! Ayoko nang puro nalang ganito. Kailangan umuwi ka na dito bukas. Wala
namang pumipigil sayo na lumabas ng apartment mo, walang maninita sayo kung bi-
biyahe ka papuntang Munti, wala ka ring babalikan pa dyan kasi tinanggal ka na sa
trabaho. Ano pa ba ang hinihintay mo?

Carson: Hindi naman po ganun kadali yun, Ma. Mahal ang pamasahe papunta dyan sa
inyo.

Mother: So anong pinaparating ko sakin?! Na madali lang sakin ang maghintay sayo
simula pa noong Marso? Eh mukhang hindi naman na matatapos ‘yang Covid Covid na
yan. Kada magsasabi ka sakin na maghintay lang ako o konting tiis nalang, lagi nilang
pinapahaba yang bwisit na lockdown na yan.

Carson: Ma, hindi ko po kasalanan na may Covid pandemic tayo ngayon eh. Tsaka hindi
rin po madali sakin na dito nalang ako nang wala kayong kasama sa bahay. Ano po ba
gusto ninyong mangyayari?

Mother: Mag-empake ka ng mga gamit mo at umuwi ka dito bukas ng umaga.

Carson: Ma—!

Mother: Ni minsan nga pag natawag ako sayo hindi mo ako kinakamusta! Samantalang
pag ikaw ang kinakausap ko, wala na akong ginawa kundi magtanong “Anak, kamusta ka
na?” o kaya “Anak, ok ka lang ba dyan?”

Carson: Mama, kapag naman natawag kayo sakin puro kayo “Kailan ka ba uuwi dito?” Na
para bang kontrolado ko lahat.

Mother: Pwes, anong gusto mong gawin ko?!!

A moment of silence fills the other end of the line.

Mother: Hindi ako makalabas ng bahay, araw-araw akong nagigising na walang kasama o
katulong sa bahay! Wala na ang tatay mo bago pa nagkaroon nyang Covid at lockdown,
at alam mo na mag-isa lang ako dito! May edad na ako, at wala na akong ginawa kundi
magkulong sa bahay na ito at kaawaan sarili ko! Gusto ko lang makauwi ka na dito
ngayon na para hindi na ako nahihirapan ng ganito.

Carson: Kayo lang po ang nahihirapan? Ma—

Mother: Carson, nagmamakaawa ako sayo, umuwi ka na sa bahay. Please lang. Hindi ko
na ito kaya.
Carson: Ma…

Mother: Uuwi ka o uuwi ka bukas. Wala kang ibang pwedeng pagpilian. Ngayon, kung
ayaw mo talagang puntahan ang nanay mo, magpakasaya ka nalang dyan pag nakuha
mo na yang pera mo dyan sa kampanya ninyong walang kwenta!

Carson: MA—

The mother ends the call. She slams the phone down on her bed. Melancholy seeps into her
and she slowly succumbs to crying. She stays there, frozen, frustrated, and in sorrow.

SCENE 5:

The next day, the mother wakes up feeling horribly sick. She tries to pass it off as just a fever.
As the day goes on, she tries to cook some soup but she can't taste the flavor clearly. She tries
to add more salt and soy sauce, but every time she tastes the soup it's too bland. The mother
gives up and just eats the “bland” soup with rice for lunch.

By the afternoon, she tries to wash the dishes but she suddenly feels a chill all over her body.
She looks outside of the window and sees that it's a sunny day. As she finishes cleaning up,
she gets dizzy. The mother sits down at the table, looking for her meds and water. She takes
her meds and tries to go back to bed. Next to her bedside is her phone, still not ringing or
glowing with any text notifications from Carson. She feels guilty, remorseful, and yet justified in
a way with how lonely it's been.

Before laying in bed, she whispers a mumbled prayer. The camera barely picks up any words
from her. Then, she lays down, grabs her phone to hold it close to her, and closes her heavy
eyelids.

Carla never woke up the next morning. Only a few moments past sunrise, her phone started to
light up and ring with the caller ID of her child.

SCENE 6:

3 weeks later

Carson is walking through the streets of their neighborhood with a skip in their step, carrying the
bags and belongings they packed up from their apartment. Things actually turned out the way
they said it would. They got their resignation pay, they got to get ready with leaving their space,
and they've finally made it to Muntinlupa. They've been trying to contact their mothet for a week
now ever since they had an argument. Maybe she just needs more time to cool down, or maybe
she needs to actually see him in person to properly set things right between them. Just a few
steps away from their front yard, and they'll be able to surprise their mother as well. Many
passerbys greet him with quick hellos, here and there.

Carson stops in front of their house and knocks at the gate/door.

Carson: TAO PO! MA?! MA, TAO PO!

They wait for a reply or at least some sort of shuffling sounds from inside of the house, but there
was no response. Carson tries again.

Carson: MAMA?! TAO PO! MA, SI CARSON PO ITO! TAO PO?!

They begin to worry if anyone was even home. Carson tries to fiddle with the gate's lock but is
surprised to see that it's been chained up with two padlocks. A woman with her daughter pass
by wearing face masks.

Neighbor: Kuya, ano po kailangan nila?

Carson: Ale, bakit po nakasara na ng ganito yung gate ng bahay namin? Eh nakatira pa
po dito mama ko.

Neighbor: Bahay nyo? Ang alam ko nakatira dyan dati si Aling Carla.

Carson: Opo. Teka, dati? Dito po talaga nakatira mama ko, bahay po nila ito ni papa.

Neighbor's Daughter: Wala na po dyang tao, kuya.

Carson: Ha?

The woman scolds her daughter.

Neighbor: Shh! Nakikisali ka sa usapan ng mga matatanda! Pero oo, wala nang nakatira
dyan. Yun yung sabi ng tanod.

Carson: Paanong wala na pong tao sa loob?

Neighbor: Ay, hindi mo ba nabalitaan? Naku po. Nung isang linggo lang may malakas na
amoy mabaho dyan sa loob. Nung dumating na yung mga tanod at pinasok nila, ayun,
nakita nilang nanigas na si Aling Carla sa kama nya. Mukhang nakatulog na sya ng
derecho sa higaan, tas may nakita silang hawak-hawak nya na selpon pero di nila
mabuksan kasi may password daw na ilalagay.