MANILA, Philippines - The production team behind Pedro Calungsod, Batang Martir — now showing in theaters nationwide as part of the 39th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) — is happy to announce that the film is officially endorsed by the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP).
In his recent letter addressed to CEAP-accredited schools and universities in the country, its president Narciso Erquiza Jr., FSC, mentioned that he is personally endorsing the film, especially to the students or youth of today.
Executive producer Ida Tiongson also announced that MMFF Playdate Committee has agreed to continue showing the movie in “additional cinemas†starting today until Jan. 7 to accommodate requests from different schools, which will then resume classes from Christmas break.
Here’s the letter of Erquiza:
On behalf of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), I would like to endorse the movie Pedro Calungsod, Batang Martir which will be shown during the Metro Manila Film Festival this holiday season.
CEAP fully supports spreading the message of Pedro Calungsod’s life to the youth of today.
Last Oct. 21, 2012, the second Filipino saint, Pedro Calungsod was canonized. He was an exceptional young man who started as an ordinary boy with extraordinary faith and died a martyr proclaiming his faith.
Saint Pedro Calungsod has many more attributes that the young Filipinos can emulate and values that they can live out courageously today.
We would like to ask for your cooperation and partnership in promoting Pedro Calungsod, Batang Martir to the youth and Filipinos by sharing his life story and faith through this movie depicting his life.
We hope that Saint Pedro Calungsod will be an inspiration for the Filipino people, with the message that we can reach sainthood through our everyday lives, especially since all of us can relate to him for he was a youth, a Filipino, an OFW, a catechist, a missionary and a faithful friend.
We hope to bring Saint Pedro Calungsod closer to the students through new media evangelization such as this film.
With all our collaborative efforts, we can inspire more children and young students to be heroes and saints today.
The film, topbilled by Rocco Nacino and Christian Vazquez, is being shown in SM Megamall, SM North Edsa, SM Manila, SM Cebu, SM Davao, SM Centerpoint, Robinsons Galleria, Shangri-la Mall, Ever Gotesco Commonwealth, Gateway Mall, Gaisano Mall Cebu, Gaisano Mall Davao, Gateway Mall, Lianas Calamba and Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall.
Pedro Calungsod, Batang Martir is written and directed by Francis Villacorta.