There is a raw confidence and a purposeful approach behind 2 Valid IDs that makes it impossible to look away, no matter how painful the film becomes. Director Ma-an Asuncion-Dagnalan’s second Cinemalaya entry following explosive, politically charged Blue Room finds her returning to social issues alongside screenwriter Abet Pagdagdagan Raz. This time, however, they deploy a quiet restraints that steadily mounts, perfectly mirroring what it feels like when one is caught in the bureaucratic hell that is the labyrinthine systems of this country. By placing the sheer inanity of filing for many government forms front-and-center in this film, and we can only watch this with grim familiarity but not with the same sense of urgency that it has for its characters.
We follow Sylvia (Marietta “Pokwang” Subong), an Ilocano farmer, who has brought her husband Ramon (Joey Marquez) to a public hospital in Manila to treat his worsening respiratory illness. With their provincial hospital ill-equipped to handle with his condition, medical expenses quickly mount, even at a public hospital, driving the couple into quiet desperation.
A family relative working abroad has sent money through a remittance center, only for Sylvia to hit an immediate wall at the remittance center: they won’t accept her PhilHealth ID, and as a first-time customer, she is required to produce the eponymous two valid IDs. Forced to navigate the maze of government agencies to secure them, Sylvia must now apply for two valid IDs but the system, as we are all aware, is not an easy one to take or follow.
The premise is elegant in its simplicity because Asuncion-Dagnalan and Raz make full use of the film’s setting and milieu to show us the horrific state of healthcare in our country. How much it is lacking for those who cannot afford even the basic necessities, capturing the indignities we rarely consider, like patient guardians have to stay in what looks like a parking lot turned dorm during the evening – things we take for granted when we go and visit the hospital. As Sylvia goes from one bureaucratic window to the next, clearing one absurd hurdle only to run straight into another, the camera patiently documents the excruciating waste of time and human energy, the inaccessibility of things we need to survive.
2 Valid IDs is so unapologetically upfront about its social commentary that it commands your complete attention. The lens zero in on all the cracks in the system and how it fails people like Sylvia and all the other patients and the countless families crammed into that hospital. Ultimately, this is a film about how our systems have failed to meet the needs of its most vulnerable citizens and, through its shocking finale, it highlights how the citizenry chooses to react.
Heavy as the film is, its weight is tempered by a deep, compassionate understanding of the Filipino’s sense of family. Beneath the bleakness, there is still warmth and tenderness here. Asuncion-Dagnalan and Raz purposefully carve out room to celebrate what can be celebrated and can find some measure of humor despite the burden these characters carry. 2 Valid IDs is as cynical as it is furious, yet it never reduces its characters to mere mouthpieces or tragic caricatures.
Subong is a powerhouse, carrying the full emotional and thematic weight of the film’s message on her shoulders. She makes Sylvia intensely relatable. She’s fierce but also out of her depth. Subong’s performance is rooted in such great humanity that she juggles the character as both a fully formed person but also a stark symbol of those left behind by this country’s inability to get its act together. Marquez is always a solid performer, giving Subong so much to work with and to ensure that her mission is evident. While dependable Meryl Soriano shines as the Manila-based relative guiding Sylvia through the city’s ins-and-outs, it is Zaijian Jaranilla who truly stands out. Playing Denver, a young guardian tending to his grandfather in the same ward as Ramon, Jaranilla injects a hopeful warm energy into the film. A kind heart, Denver is a breath of fresh air and a sign that the Filipino resilience has pervaded among the youth. The way he navigates his scenes, especially in one dramatic moment near the end, creates such a profound effect that helps underscore the film’s message even further.
2 Valid IDs is as unapologetic as it is bold. There are so many ways for it to shift to satire but this one holds its ground to say its point loud and clear. And it demands that we should not just watch. but listen and demand the change we deserve.
My Rating: 5 Stars
A searing look at bureaucratic hell you cannot afford to miss, 2 Valid IDs is now showing on the big screen. Check showtimes and grab your tickets today.
Don’t miss Cinemalaya 22: Reel Reflections, running August 6 to 18 at Red Carpet Cinemas (Shangri-La Plaza), Gateway Cineplex 18, and Ayala Malls Cinemas. Witness a stellar lineup of stories that will move you and showcase the brilliance of local filmmaking. Follow the Cultural Center of the Philippines and Cinemalaya for official updates.
