BY NEIL RAMOS
MORE often than not, as parents, we try and shield our children from anything relating to the dark, seedy underbelly of society and mainly because we fear exposure to such would damage their innocent minds.
There is nothing wrong with that, of course. We all want our children to grow up in a loving, nurturing environment where everything is pleasant and beautiful.
Sadly, sometimes, we go overboard to the point where gorgeous princesses and fantastic unicorns are reality, while illegal drugs, casual sex, among others, are nothing but mere fantastical fabrications.
Is it really for the best? Will it serve them well in the long run? Is wanton denial enough protection? And when is the right time to enlighten them about the reality of it all?
These are the questions confronted head-on in iWant’s newest series, “Mga Batang Poz.”
The word “Poz” here, of course, refers to a person who is HIV-positive.
As implied in the title, it’s about four young people from different walks of life, who, in one way or the other, are dealing with the consequences of being ill-informed about sex, having acquired the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
The six-part series, based on a novel of the same name written by Segundo Matias Jr., stars Awra Briguela, Mark Neuman, Fino Herrera, and Paolo Gumabao.
They were one in saying the series is something they willingly and eagerly participated in hoping to enlighten their ilk to the dangers inherent to casual sex.
“Your sexual inclination doesn’t matter, we are all vulnerable, it is high time people should know more about HIV and AIDS,” said Neuman.
“Ako sumali talaga ako sa production para ipakita sa mga katulad ko na parte ng LGBT community na kailangan at important talaga ang awareness pagdating sa usapin ng HIV,” added Briguela.
Show director Chris Martinez admitted they tried to be as graphic about the whole thing as much as iWant would allow them in an effort to actually jolt people.
“Yes, there’s sex,” he said, “Pero hindi malaswa, hindi gratuitous. We need to show this things dahil kailangan. We have to show how the disease was transmitted sexually. That HIV is a sexually transmitted disease. Mahalaga ‘yun. Kailangan maipakita ‘yun.”
But wouldn’t it be too much for children?
“Ako, personally, gusto ko mapanood ito ng mga kabataan,” said Martinez without flinching. “Alam ko medyo ilag tayo sa mga ganitong bagay kasi nga nakakatakot, natatakot tayo para sa mga anak natin pero I really do believe kapag patuloy tayong matatakot, it will not serve our cause.”
“Paano malalaman ng mga kabataan ang tungkol sa mga ganito kung patuloy natin silang pipiringan? This is for them. Ito ay kuwento na pangkabataan. Kailangan na nilang malaman ito. Buwagin natin ang mga supposed taboo na ‘yan, buwagin natin ang stigma.”
“Mga Batang Poz” will be available for streaming on iWant starting July 26.
