Dannyka Manangan

‘Lakambini’ producer Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil hopes to inspire youth in Gregoria de Jesus’ life story

Article (news)

Nikka Avegail Sabio

Push Team

<p>Creative producer of the meta-docu-fiction film <em>Lakambini: Gregoria de Jesus</em>, Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil, shared how she hopes the younger generation will learn from the life and legacy of Ka Oriang, the Lakambini of the Katipunan.</p><p>In an interview with PUSH ABS-CBN, Ellen said she initially planned to create a project to introduce Gregoria de Jesus to today’s youth, but the story eventually evolved into a deeper exploration of integrity and patriotism.</p><p>“When I chose her, it was not to make a hero film. I was just interested in her na ‘bakit hindi siya kilala?’ But nashock ako na at 18 years old, noong ayaw ng parents niya kay Andres Bonifacio, she wrote to the gobernadorcillo. Isipin niyo at 18, she wrote at may paninindigan,” Ellen shared, explaining what drew her to the story of the Lakambini ng Katipunan.</p><div> </div><div><strong></strong><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1762159467210Lakambini producer Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil hopes to inspire youth through Gregoria de Jesus life story.png" style="width:600px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><strong></strong></div><div><strong> </strong></div><p>“At age 22, she was already revolutionary. She was not just a wife, but she was her own person. Sinamahan niya si Andres during the trial and in the trial, she made a complaint. Wala pang women suffrage, napakatapang. She is so ahead of her time and, most of all, she had integrity,” she added.</p><p>For Ellen, Gregoria de Jesus’s story of integrity and courage is something that today’s generation needs to see, especially given the current challenges the nation faces.</p><p>“Ito ‘yung isang magandang makita ng mga kabataan, kasi sometimes iniisip natin na ‘yung nakaraan na ang sama, na puro dayaan, lokohan etc, but there were people like her who endured and who have integrity until the end of her time,” she stated.</p><p>“I hope people will get to know her. We need models at this time, some pathways to get out. Iba-iba ang mapipick up ng mga tao rito,” she continued.</p><div> </div><div><strong></strong></div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQbuUvZD_Um/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQbuUvZD_Um/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"><br/></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:100px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:60px"><br/></div></div></div><div style="padding:19% 0"><br/></div><div style="display:block;height:50px;margin:0 auto 12px;width:50px"><br/></div><div style="padding-top:8px"><div style="color:#3897f0;line-height:18px">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding:12.5% 0"><br/></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;margin-bottom:14px;align-items:center"><div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(0px) translateY(7px)"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;height:12.5px;transform:rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"><br/></div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"><br/></div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"><br/></div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"><br/></div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"><br/></div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"><br/></div></div></a><div style="color:#c9c8cd;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQbuUvZD_Um/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by Lakambini, Gregoria de Jesus (@lakambinigregoriadejesus)</a></div></div></blockquote><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><strong></strong></div><div><br/></div><div> </div><p>Beyond her bravery and heroism, <em>Lakambini</em> also delves into Gregoria’s profound love, not only for her first husband, Andres Bonifacio, and her second husband, Julio Nakpil, but also for her country.</p><p>“This is actually a love story, except it’s a three-way love story: the love for Andres Bonifacio, the love for Julio Nakpil — which many people don’t know that she got married to another revolutionary — and her love for country. You will know that here kasi 1928, 30 years na namatay si Andres Bonifacio, nagsulat pa rin siya na punong puno ng pagmamahal sa bayan, amazingly. Of course, you will also see the pain. For me, it’s such a great love story,” she expressed.</p><p>She went on: “Marami rin magkakagusto rito kay Julio Nakpil. Kasi parang medyo second siya kasi syempre Andres is a big guy, and then there’s this guy who loved her and saved her also. That I think it is why she got back her sanity.”</p><div> </div><div><strong></strong></div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DNz_zWc5Mu0/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DNz_zWc5Mu0/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"><br/></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:100px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:60px"><br/></div></div></div><div style="padding:19% 0"><br/></div><div style="display:block;height:50px;margin:0 auto 12px;width:50px"><br/></div><div style="padding-top:8px"><div style="color:#3897f0;line-height:18px">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding:12.5% 0"><br/></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;margin-bottom:14px;align-items:center"><div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(0px) translateY(7px)"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;height:12.5px;transform:rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"><br/></div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"><br/></div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"><br/></div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"><br/></div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"><br/></div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"><br/></div></div></a><div style="color:#c9c8cd;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DNz_zWc5Mu0/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by Rocco Nacino (@nacinorocco)</a></div></div></blockquote><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><strong></strong></div><div><br/></div><div> </div><p>According to a press release, <em>Lakambini: Gregoria de Jesus</em> “blends herstory, interviews, anecdotes from descendants and historians, the voices of artists, and an unfinished biographical film narrative first shot in 2015 into a bold new cinematic format.”</p><p>The film reclaims Ka Oriang’s identity as a patriot, warrior, and woman leader, highlighting her indispensable role as custodian of the Katipunan’s secrets and weapons. The narrative also portrays her perseverance in confronting not only Spanish colonizers but also betrayal and political intrigue from her own countrymen.</p><p>Director Arjanmar H. Rebeta explained in the press release: “We wanted to answer why her voice was silenced for so long. Gregoria de Jesús, or Oriang, was a warrior whose courage didn&#x27;t fit the mold history set for women. By bringing her words — her poetry, her letters, and her ’Ten Pieces of Advice to the Youth’ to life, we are challenging every Filipino to see that true heroism is boundless. This film is a cultural reawakening.”</p><div> </div><div><strong></strong></div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DPoPPBAEwhi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DPoPPBAEwhi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"><br/></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:100px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:60px"><br/></div></div></div><div style="padding:19% 0"><br/></div><div style="display:block;height:50px;margin:0 auto 12px;width:50px"><br/></div><div style="padding-top:8px"><div style="color:#3897f0;line-height:18px">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding:12.5% 0"><br/></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;margin-bottom:14px;align-items:center"><div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(0px) translateY(7px)"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;height:12.5px;transform:rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"><br/></div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"><br/></div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"><br/></div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"><br/></div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"><br/></div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"><br/></div></div></a><div style="color:#c9c8cd;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DPoPPBAEwhi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by Lakambini, Gregoria de Jesus (@lakambinigregoriadejesus)</a></div></div></blockquote><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><strong></strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong> </strong></div><p><em>Lakambini: Gregoria de Jesus </em>stars Lovi Poe, Rocco Nacino, Gina Pareño, Paulo Avelino, and the late Spanky Manikan. The film premieres on November 5, 2025, in cinemas nationwide.</p>

<p><b>Meta-docu-fiction film ‘Lakambini: Gregoria de Jesus’ honors the revolutionary spirit of Ka Oryang.</b></p>

Meta-docu-fiction film ‘Lakambini: Gregoria de Jesus’ honors the revolutionary spirit of Ka Oryang.

‘Lakambini’ producer Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil hopes to inspire youth through Gregoria de Jesus’ life story

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‘Lakambini’ producer Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil hopes to inspire youth through Gregoria de Jesus’ life story

Nikka Sabio,

Push Team

Published Nov 03, 2025 04:46 PM PHT

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Updated Nov 03, 2025 04:57 PM PHT

Read More:

Lakambini

Gregoria de Jesus

movie

Lovi Poe

Paulo Avelino

Rocco Nacino

Gina Pareno

PUSH

Philippine history

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