STORYLINE:

Moral: Everyone struggles, gives lessons, understands, and helps each other.
Theme: Christmas
Student’s problem: The student is constantly pressured from his family about academic
achievements. He doesn’t have much confidence about himself so he became
troublesome and only wanted to have some fun in school as a coping strategy. The
teacher helped the student to get better and it showed the parents that he’s trying his
best to achieve their expectations and felt guilty.
Teacher’s problem: The teacher is overworked and has low pay. This causes the
teacher to stress out from her family’s continuous complaints about their financial
income. The teacher only thinks that his/her family is only after his/her money.
Ending: After the teacher realized the student’s struggle. The teacher tried to get the student
open up and help him. The student still barely passes his score goal as he’s still troubled about
his parent’s restless bickering at home. When distribution of the card came, the teacher
observed the negative vibes coming from the student’s family. The teacher approached the
parents to talk to them privately. The teacher shared what the student has been trying to do and
how to cope with their family problem. The parents felt sorry for their kid. Time passed and it’s
already Christmas break. After getting a salary, the teacher went straight home. The house is
dark and it seems no one is at home. This left the teacher confused but then the lights turned on
and her/his family showed up and surprised her/him with a merry christmas. The teacher is
flabbergasted and confused. The teacher’s siblings then explained that they, of course, see
her/him struggle with their problems and finances. They wanted to show that they still cared
about the teacher.
Ending scene: small shot of both student’s family and teacher’s family having a nice Christmas.

Characters:
Student - Carl
Student’s parents - Diaz, Santos
Student’s friends - Justin, JM, Magpantay
Teacher - Danica
Teacher’s Siblings - PJ, Himzon, Acosta, Obien

SCRIPT:

INT - Student’s House - Day

Title of the film then cut
Phone alarming at 6:00 am. Student woke up annoyed and lazily picked up the phone.
He then realized it’s already late and rushed to the bathroom. (The door is only in the
frame showing the student coming in with a towel and coming out with a messy
uniform). Student came to the kitchen only to find out his parents had already left for
work and left some food at the table. Student only picked the bread and rushed out of
the house.
EXT - Street - Day
Student looked at his watch and it's already 6:30am.

Student: *Nako! Malelate na ko.* Kuya! Pasakay, rizal high po!

EXT - School hallway - Day

Student is currently walking fast towards the building and then his phone rings.

Friend: Hello, Jabagat! San ka na? Magtatime na oh, walang sasalo sa report mo kay
ma’am!
Student: Ito na, ito na. Naghahabol na yung tao oh.

Student checked his phone and saw it was already 6:58am.

Continuous and alternate frames of student walking fast in hallway and teacher walking
slowly towards the classroom.
7:00am, the two met at the doorway of the classroom. The student looked at the teacher
guilty and the teacher looked back mad.

Student: Good morning, Ma’am, I’m sorry i’m late-

Teacher: Pasok na bago pa ko magalit.
Student: Ok po ma'am, thank you po!

INT - Classroom - Day

Teacher walked in and everyone settled on their seats.

Teacher: Good morning, class.

All students: Good morning, Ma’am Danica. It’s nice to see you again. Mabuhay!
Teacher: Take your seat.
Teacher: Yesterday, we had an overview about the current educational system in the
Philippines-
Student and his friends are secretly laughing and minding their own business.

Teacher: Jabagat! Nagpapatawa ka nanaman! Nalate ka na nga tapos ayan pa una

mong ginagawa sa class ko. Please explain what we had discussed in our last meeting!
Student: Uhh, the current educational system in our country.
Teacher: What about it?
Silence followed through the class for a couple of seconds.
Student: (on the verge of laughing) Um, call a friend, ma’am.
The whole class laughed a little.
The teacher facepalmed.

Voiceover: Ako nga pala si Jabagat. Pasaway, ang tingin sakin ng mga aking guro
Teacher: Jabagat, you’re late again! Tas hindi ka pa nakatucked-in!
Voiceover: Pero para sa akin isa lang talaga akong makulit at masayahin na
estudyante.
Teacher: (Students laughing) Quiet!
Voiceover: Sa kabila ng aking mga ngiti, siyempre may mabigat din akong dinadamdam
pero buti nalang handa akong tulungan ni ma’am.

The class ended. Other students are seen going out of the classroom.

Friends: Jabagat, ano pa ginagawa mo dyan? Tara na!

Student: Mauna na kayo. May aasikasuhin lang ako.
Friends: Geh, babye!

The friends are seen happily leaving discussing their high score while the student at the
back is sad listening to his friends leaving.

Teacher: Jabagat, here is your score. As usual, ang baba pa rin. Nahihirapan ka ba
mag-excel? May mga problema ba? Ano?
Student: Wala naman, ma’am. Tinatry ko rin ang best ko.
Teacher: Sige, paano kung magbigay ako ng reviewer sa buong class at if nahihirapan
kayo sa isang lesson, pwede naman akong mag-stay after class para magconduct ng
remedial.
Student: Sige po, ma’am, salamat po!
Teacher: Required ka umattend, Jabagat, ha.

The next day

Teacher: Ok class, magkakaroon na tayo ng remedial. You may stay after class and ask
me about the lessons you couldn’t understand and I may give you a reviewer before you
come home.

Another fast frame of teacher teaching and the student studying hard.

Teacher: Ok, let’s start our remedial.

Teacher: Do you understand?
Teacher: Bukas na ang periodical exam, makinig mabuti!.
Teacher: Ok, class dismissed.
Other students: Yon! Salamat ma’am!

All students are ready to leave and the last to leave is Jabagat.

Voiceover: Malaki ang pasasalamat ko sa tulong ni ma’am pero

Teacher: Goodluck sa exam bukas!
Student: Thank you po, ma’am! Mauna na po ako.
Teacher: Sige, mag-ingat ka.

Teacher noticed the student was a bit gloomy.

Voiceover: Hindi ko maiwasang kalimutan ang pinagdadaanan ko sa bahay.

The worried teacher came out and stood at the doorway watching the student walk
away.

INT - Student’s house - Night

The student sits and tries to review at the kitchen for the exam. Mother walks in.

Mother: Oh, himala! Nag-aaral ka na. Mabuti sana kung maaga ka pa nagseryoso sa
pag-aaral mo. Matagal ko na sinasabi sayo na gayahin mo yung pinsan mo!

The student feeling sad and mad, closing his fist are seen in the frame.

Mother: Masipag, matalino, lagi mataas ang grades!

Father: Ma, tama na yan. Pinagkukumpara mo nanaman si Jabagat.
Mother: Hay nako, walang mararating yan kung palagi mong pinapaubaya!
Father: Anak, makinig ka na sa mama mo para naman-

The student quickly stands up and storms off.

Mother: Oh tignan mo! Wala na siyang respeto sa mga magulang niya!

INT - Classroom - Day

The student getting anxious while taking the test are seen in the frame. Intense time
ticking is played in the background. Fast forward, it’s already the day of distribution of
cards. Students laughing are heard from the surrounding. Teacher hands out the card to
the parent of the student. Disappoint is seen in their faces and they immediately leave.
The teacher is having second thoughts and finally stands up and follows the parent.

Teacher: Excuse me po!

The parent face the teacher.
Mother: Ano po yon, ma’am? May kalokohan nanaman pong nagawa si Jabagat?
Teacher: Ay, wala po! Kabaliktaran nga po. Nag-aaral po nang mabuti si Jabagat sa
school at nagiging active na po siya kahit papaano. Ito po oh.
Shows the score record of the student.
Teacher: As you can see naman po, medyo mataas naman po ang scores ni Jabagat sa
ibang test. Nahatak lang po ng mababang score niya sa exam. Hindi po sa nanghihinala
pero baka po may problemang hinaharap ang anak ninyo sa bahay. Ginagawa po
talaga ni Jabagat ang best niya dito sa school para magkaroon ng mataas na marka.

Frames of the mother scolding the student are seen while the teacher is talking.

Mother: Ok po, ma’am. Salamat po sa pag-inform sa akin.

The mother left and guilt is seen from her face.

INT - Student’s house - Day

Voiceover of teacher: Ito ang isa sa mga paborito ko bilang isang guro.

Frame of mother comforting the student for trying his best.

Voiceover of the teacher: Ang matulungan at masubaybayan ko ang aking mga

estudyante sa kabila ng mga pagsubok aking dinadaan.

EXT - Street and Home - Day

The teacher is walking home while looking at her wallet. She came home.

Sibling 1: Ate! May bagong labas yung paborito kong brand ng sapatos. Baka naman,
ate.
Teacher: Jusko, kakauwi ko lang. Wala man lang Welcome home, ate! Kumain ka na
ba? Magpahinga ka muna oh.
Father: Bago muna yan, dumating na ang babayarin sa bills.
The father hands out the bills to the teacher.
Teacher: 7k??
Sibling 2: Ayan lagot ka, andami mo kasi sinasaksak tas lagi ka pa naka-aircon.
Sibling 1: Luh, ako lang ba ang tao dito??
The teacher walks out and the father notices and facepalms.
Voiceover of the teacher: Ito ang ilan sa mga pagsubok na kailangan ko harapin bilang
guro. (Sitting down and opening laptop) Sa kabila rin ng pagtatalo sa aking pamilya,
hindi ko pwedeng pabayaan ang trabaho ko kahit na di ko nakukuha ang sapat na
sweldo kahit na maraming oras akong naglalaan sa trabaho (Flashback:The teacher is
piling up many papers in the school and seen dozing off unintentionally). Anong
magagawa ko? Ako lang ang inaasahan ng aking pamilya at bawal ako sumuko. Sa
kaka-overtime ko rin, nawawalan ako ng oras para sa aking pamilya, ang tanging
magagawa ko lang ay mag-abot ng pera (The teacher is counting money and putting it
in separate envelopes).

INT - Bank & Home - Night

Time passes and it's already the teachers’ Christmas break. After withdrawing some
money at the bank, the teacher immediately went home.
The teacher is seen walking towards her home and opening the door. The teacher
expects her family to wait for her to ask for money but the room is pitch black.

Teacher: Pa? PJ?

The teacher turned on the light and she was suddenly surprised by her family.

Family: Surprised! Merry Christmas, ate!

Teacher: (Happy) Pa? Ano toh? Kailan nyo pa ito plinano?
Father: Nako, anak, pagpasensiyahan mo na kami ah. Matagal ko na napapansin na
masyado ka na naiistress sa amin.
Sibling 1: Huwag mo kakalimutan, ate, na parte ka rin ng pamilyang ito.
Sibling 2: Hindi namin malilimutan ang sobra-sobra mong pagtulong at syempre hindi
rin namin pababayaan na mamroblema lagi dahil sa amin.
Teacher: Maraming salamat.
Then they hugged.

Ending frames
Both families of the teacher and the student celebrated Christmas happily.