The Nonfictional 'Promdi'

Last year’s bar exam results caused a shock especially to people living in the Metro, because the topnotchers were all from provinces and none from Metro Manila. City people were surprised because most of them were expecting top passers from top and well-known universities. Such disparage to those who live in provinces is nothing but a mere ignorance to everyone’s ability—and I blame Filipino TV shows and movies for it.

From Filipino teleseryes to movies, “probinsyanos” and “probinsyanas” have always been depicted as: having darker skin tone (depicting people who have a lighter skin tone to be more beautiful and handsome), slow-witted, using outdated technologies, and wearing dusters (particularly the mothers). It seems like they have the same formula for these characters in every movie or show.

There was this instance that when my family and I visited our extended family in Ilocos Norte, my cousins told me that I am lucky to have lighter skin tone than them and that I was beautiful because of it. That was when I realized that this is how Filipino movies and teleseryes affect those who are living in provinces; they begin to feel inferior to people who live in the cities and have lower self-esteem.

I have also noticed that a lot of Filipino shows and movies always make fun of “probinsyanos” who have a different accent in speaking in Filipino. Some of the main victims of such portrayals are the Visayans. This leads to other people thinking that Visayans are dumb people who always mistakenly pronounce “i”, “e”, “o”, and “u”. There is also this notion that when someone’s clothing is “jologs” (often referred to people who belong to the lower class of society) or “baduy” (mismatched/funky), he or she is automatically a Visayan. People ridicule and make a mockery out of it.

I have friends in college who grew up in provinces, but they are far from what the portrayals set out by movies and shows. They are the same as those who were born and raised in the city. Moreover, my aunts in Ilocos do not even wear dusters anymore. Where do they get this perception that women who live in the province always wear this kind of clothing?

It is time for public figures such as actors to promote and advocate the proper portrayal and representation of those who live in the countryside. It is time for movies and teleseryes to stop depicting people living in the city as someone higher than those who live in provinces, because this affects the Filipino culture in general.

Such misconception may lead to unlikely possibilities such as continuous thinking that they are dumb and have no match to city people. This can also cause unequal opportunities for future jobs. The truth is they can keep up and compete with others in any aspect such as education, fashion, and intelligence.

If we could get rid of this thinking and misconception, people who live in provinces will be seen with respect and be seen not as an inferior, but rather as human beings who are as intelligent and worthy of opportunities as those who live in the city.