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The singer joins an all-Bicolano cast to retell the story of the 1972 Colgante Bridge Tragedy in Naga for filmmaker Jenn Romano’s ‘Padamlágan (Night Light)’
MANILA, Philippines – From shaping generations of OPM music to founding his own label, former Eraserheads lead vocalist and guitarist Ely Buendia is now embarking on a new career journey as he leads the 2025 Cinemalaya period drama feature Padamlágan (Night Light).
The singer takes on his first lead role for the film, which is a blend of narrative fiction and experimental documentary depicting the 1972 Colgante Bridge Tragedy in Naga River, where 138 devotees perished during the Peñafrancia Fluvial Procession after the wooden bridge they had gathered on collapsed. The declaration of Martial Law soon followed this event.
Directed by Bikolano filmmaker Jenn Romano and produced by internationally renowned 901 Studios and Katalog films, it follows the character of Doring, portrayed by Buendia, as he frantically searches for his missing son in the aftermath of the tragedy, with a silence imposed by a dictatorial regime.
Set entirely in the Bicol region and spoken in the Bicol language, Romano said in a media statement that he aims to reclaim national history from the footnotes of national memory by providing archival footage, survivor interviews, and poetic imagery that collides with themes of forgetting and remembrance.
“Padamlágan is a film born from silence. The bridge fell. The regime followed. And for decades, this region’s trauma was left in the dark. This film is my search… for the voices, the memories, the truths we lost,” Romano shared.
Joining Buendia in the film is an all-Bicolano cast of both awarded artists, including Esteban Mara, Floyd Tena, and Sue Prado, as well as Bicol’s budding talents, such as Ivan Gioceff Papa and Kaye Casiles.
“It’s an honor to be part of an all-Bicolano production that brings to life such a significant moment in Naga City’s history. Telling this story feels like a return to my roots, and I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute,” Buendia said.
According to Romano, their efforts to cast artists for the film are a deep collaborative effort and “inspired by Naga’s spirit of dynamism and openness.”
“Through the process, we remained open to various actors, and what naturally emerged were those with deep ties to Bikol. From Ely Buendia of Naga to Sue Prado of Libmanan, Floyd Teña of Albay, Esteban Mara of Sorsogon, and emerging talents across Bikol, this connection brought authenticity and a sense of home to the film,” she shared.
Padamlágan (Night Light) is set to premiere as an official selection of the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival in October 2025. – with reports by Kevin Ian Lampayan/Rappler.com
Kevin Ian Lampayan is a Rappler intern studying Bachelor of Arts in Literary and Cultural Studies at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
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