Chavit (film)
Encyclopedia
Chavit, also known as Chavit Singson Story and Chavit: Blood Son of Ilocos, is a 2003 Filipino
biographical adventure film
drama produced and directed by Carlo J. Caparas
starring Filipino
actors Cesar Montano
, Eddie Garcia
and Dina Bonnevie
.
, and the Governor
of the Ilocos Sur
province in the Philippines
. Singson is known to have started EDSA II in October 2000 when he alleged he gave Philippine President Joseph Estrada
400 million pesos
as payoff from illegal gambling profits.
Estrada was put under investigation, but on 16 January 2001, a key piece of evidence was blocked in court, leading to protests in Manila
and other major cities backing then vice president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
resulting in the ouster of Joseph Estrada
.
Then came the burning in Ora Este and Ora Centro in Bantay, Ilocos Sur. It was perpetrated by Biboy. Then, on October 18, 1970, Congressman Claro was assassinated at the Vigan Cathedral. Chavit challenged Milagring for the governorship and won. Until Martial Law came. Biboy was convicted for arson and sentenced to life imprisonment. While behind bars, Biboy suddenly had a change of heart through bible studies. Afterwards, Biboy was released. During the People Power, Chavit was ousted, but due to his charisma, he was elected to Congress, and returned to his former post. Then came the controversy of Joseph Estrada, that led to the Second People Power.
Ferdinand Marcos
and the other is Joseph Estrada
, one of his popular roles.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
biographical adventure film
Biographical film
A biographical film, or biopic , is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or people. They differ from films “based on a true story” or “historical films” in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a person’s life story or at least the most historically important years of their...
drama produced and directed by Carlo J. Caparas
Carlo J. Caparas
Magno "Carlo" Jose Caparas , widely known as Carlo J. Caparas, is a Filipino comic strip creator/writer-turned director and producer, who is best known for creating Filipino superheroes and comic book characters such as Panday, Bakekang, Totoy Bato, Joaquin Bordado, Kamagong, Kamandag, Elias...
starring Filipino
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
actors Cesar Montano
César Montano
Cesar Manhilot, known by his screen name Cesar Montano, is a multi-awarded Filipino actor and film director.He started in show business as a stuntman. He played roles in numerous B movies...
, Eddie Garcia
Eddie García
Eddie Garcia popularly known as Manoy is a Filipino film actor and film director.- Biography :...
and Dina Bonnevie
Dina Bonnevie
Geraldine Schaer Bonnevie known as Dina Bonnevie is an actress in the Philippines.-Early Life and background:...
.
Plot
This movie is about the story of Luis "Chavit" Singson (born 1941), a Philippine politicianPolitician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, and the Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of the Ilocos Sur
Ilocos Sur
Ilocos Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Vigan City, located on the mouth of the Mestizo River is the provincial capital...
province in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Singson is known to have started EDSA II in October 2000 when he alleged he gave Philippine President Joseph Estrada
Joseph Estrada
Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
400 million pesos
Philippine peso
The peso is the currency of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 100 centavos . Before 1967, the language used on the banknotes and coins was English and so "peso" was the name used...
as payoff from illegal gambling profits.
Estrada was put under investigation, but on 16 January 2001, a key piece of evidence was blocked in court, leading to protests in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
and other major cities backing then vice president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
resulting in the ouster of Joseph Estrada
Joseph Estrada
Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
.
Synopsis
The movie starts with the origin of the Singsons of Ilocos Sur. Then came the birth of Jose and Caridad's second son Luis. Then came a series of killings within the province. It came as no surprise, that the Crisostomos were responsible for the killings especially during the wedding of Luis and Evelyn Verzosa. Then, Representative Claro Crisostomo endorses his wife Milagring for the governorship of the province in 1963. This became the start of the "Operation Withdraw" where all mayors of Ilocos Sur are threatened to withdrew their candidacy. Chavit became the chief of police in Vigan. Then the barangays want him to run for mayor of Vigan. But, his father decided to run and Chavit ran for councilor. Chavit became the champion of the Ilocanos especially those victims of the Crisostomos, most especially Biboy. This became the start of the rivalry between the Singsons and the Crisostomos. Chavit sought the help of Ninoy Aquino.Then came the burning in Ora Este and Ora Centro in Bantay, Ilocos Sur. It was perpetrated by Biboy. Then, on October 18, 1970, Congressman Claro was assassinated at the Vigan Cathedral. Chavit challenged Milagring for the governorship and won. Until Martial Law came. Biboy was convicted for arson and sentenced to life imprisonment. While behind bars, Biboy suddenly had a change of heart through bible studies. Afterwards, Biboy was released. During the People Power, Chavit was ousted, but due to his charisma, he was elected to Congress, and returned to his former post. Then came the controversy of Joseph Estrada, that led to the Second People Power.
Cast
Some of the characters were changed and their real names are enclosed in parenthesis.- Cesar MontanoCésar MontanoCesar Manhilot, known by his screen name Cesar Montano, is a multi-awarded Filipino actor and film director.He started in show business as a stuntman. He played roles in numerous B movies...
as Chavit SingsonChavit SingsonLuis Crisologo Singson , better known as Chavit Singson, is a Filipino politician. He was a former Governor of the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines since 1998. He ran for the Senate in the 2007 Elections in the Philippines but he lost greatly... - Eddie GarciaEddie GarcíaEddie Garcia popularly known as Manoy is a Filipino film actor and film director.- Biography :...
as Congressman Claro Crisostomo (Floro Crisologo) - Dina BonnevieDina BonnevieGeraldine Schaer Bonnevie known as Dina Bonnevie is an actress in the Philippines.-Early Life and background:...
as Evelyn Verzosa - Tommy Abuel as Jose Singson (father of Chavit Singson)
- Tirso Cruz IIITirso Cruz IIITirso Cruz III is a Filipino actor and singer. He is one of the famous actors in Philippine show business.-Biography and career:...
as Biboy Crisostomo (Vincent "Bingbong" Crisologo) - Pinky de Leon as Governor Milagring Crisostomo (Governor Carmeling Crisologo) (wife of Congressman Crisologo and mother of Biboy)
- Clavel Vendaña - Imelda MarcosImelda MarcosImelda R. Marcos is a Filipino politician and widow of 10th Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. Upon the ascension of her husband to political power, she held various positions to the government until 1986...
- Marita ZobelMarita ZóbelMary Ann Blanch Respall is a Filipina actress. She was an LVN Pictures contract star.-Biography:She was born to parents Joseph B. Blanch and Remedios Respall from Iloilo City, Both of whom are of Spanish descent...
as Caridad Crisologo (mother of Chavit Singson) - Rommel Montano as Chavit's driver
- Ricardo Cepeda as Governor Evaristo "Titong" Singson (Chavit's brother)
- Danita PanerDanita PanerDanita Paner is a Filipino pop-rock singer and actress. She is the daughter of former basketball player Manny Paner and actress Daisy Romualdez, and sister of Kristina Paner...
as Anita - Jose Emmanuel CarlosJose Emmanuel CarlosJose Emmanuel Lozada Carlos also known as Bobbit Carlos is the former Representative of the First District of Valenzuela City to House of Representatives of the Philippines and is the former Mayor and Vice Mayor of the same city.-Education:Congressman Carlos finished his elementary education at...
as Benigno Aquino, Jr.Benigno Aquino, Jr.Benigno Simeon "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. was a Filipino Senator and a former Governor of Tarlac. Aquino, together with Gerry Roxas and Jovito Salonga, formed the leadership of the opposition to the Marcos regime in the years leading to the imposition of martial law in the Philippines... - Tess Villarama as President Corazon AquinoCorazon AquinoMaria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...
- Willie Nepomuceno as President Ferdinand MarcosFerdinand MarcosFerdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
/Joseph EstradaJoseph EstradaJoseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in... - Joel Torre as Sotero
Production
The role played by Dina Bonnevie was originally intended for Snooky Serna. In the scene where Singson was shown crying following his brother's death, the former governor was played by his real son, Christopher. Impersonator Willie Nepomuceno played two roles in the movie, first was for Philippine PresidentPresident of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
and the other is Joseph Estrada
Joseph Estrada
Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
, one of his popular roles.