I can't believe I'm doing this, but here I am, about to share my thoughts on the Filipino primetime series that is about to end in a few days. I'm talking about Wag Kang Mangamba of Dreamscape aired on A2Z. It is one of the few Filipino series that I am much invested in because of the story. 

I am not a TV buff but because of the pandemic restrictions, I became acquainted with the show. The plot is pretty straightforward - two half-siblings, Mira and Joy, doing their best to bring back the people's faith to the one true God. Antagonizing them is Deborah, a cult leader who rose from the grassroots until she begins to claim she is a god.

It was a battle between good and evil, as portrayed through systemic corruption, greed, envy, and abuse of power. There was even a season in the show when evil was so rampant that I could no longer stomach the flow of the story. But of course, it's part of their storytelling.

Let me share some of my takeaways from the show:

Do good, even if everyone else is against you.

Almost everyone in the community turned to be devout followers of Deborah. They turn a blind eye to how Deborah forces everyone to follow her bidding. She threatens people, exploits resources, steals every authority she encounters.  

But the protagonists continue to do good to people even if they treat them evil. They prayed for people, served them, and tried to rekindle their hopes in the true God. Most of the time they were faced with opposition but they persisted. And their faith produced results. Little by little, they won back the hearts of the people. 

On a side note, I can't help but think how some people can't see the deception behind Deborah's actions. But the show is a social commentary, deriving parallels in real-life situations. It just mirrors reality. 

Doing good seems illogical when you are the only one who gives it utmost importance. But being good is not dependent on how many people see it done. We must continue to do good and be good even when everyone else is not. It's not foolishness to go against the flow and be different, especially when it involves your morality and convictions.

Evil is evil, no matter how people present it.

Deborah deceives people to worship her in exchange for material things to the less fortunate and influence and authority to those well-off. By hook or by crook, she gets everything her heart desires. Those who work with Mira and Joy, who longs for justice and community restoration, seem to be fighting a losing battle. Many times they faced exhaustion and point of no return. They were tortured physically, emotionally, and economically. 

But in the end, good and justice have their way of overturning events. There are still good people who are willing to help make things right. Every evil action has a corresponding consequence. It may not happen in. an instant, but eventually, it will. 

Evil will never win. That's what I believe, and most of us believe to be true. It may seem to be winning, but time will happen when the tables will turn. Good always prevail. Light overcomes darkness. Even a speck of light, no matter how faint, is visible when put in a dark room.

Closing thoughts

Free TV offers a plethora of shows with the same recipe: adultery, immorality, and violence. Wag Kang Mangamba offers different. I see it more than a social commentary but as a reminder of hope that is available to us even in our darkest times. The show is also a testament that Filipinos are still capable of creating sensible shows not centered on love stories or intimacy. I just wish this will not be the end. 

By the way, kudos to Sylvia Sanchez for such an amazing performance as Mama B!