EDSA WOOLWORTH: A movie that defines the very meaning of LOVE

Pokwang in one of her scenes in the movie


By: Lottie Salarda

I love reading books and watching movies. These are my favorite things to do when I am not busy. To relax my mind after the deadliest exams, I decided to buy downloaded movies in downtown Tacloban for twenty pesos each. Since I love watching comedy movies, especially local movies, I picked up Pokwang’s movie entitled “Edsa Woolworth”.

For me, Pokwang is one of the best comedians in our Philippine cinema. I have watched her movies in the past and she never fails to amaze me in her talent to make people laugh. But when I started watching the movie, I realized that it is not a comedy, but a beautiful drama.

Pokwang played as Edsa Woolworth who resides in California together with her siblings Bonifacio, and Paco their youngest. All of them nursed their stepfather Frank, who is an American citizen. Their mother Mercedes married Frank whey they were still in their young age. Mercedes died seven years ago. Frank suffered Alzheimer’s disease after.

The death of her beloved wife brought tears in his eyes every time he remembered her. Bonifacio has a small flower shop and Edsa works as a massage therapist. Their brother Paco works in a department store for a part time job. Edsa hid the truth to Paco that he is just an adopted child.

Sometime in Edsa’s service as a massage therapist, she met Patrick, a Filipino lawyer who worked in California. Bonifacio, her gay sister, confessed to Edsa one time that he will propose a marriage to his American boyfriend since it’s been 5 years of being together. But to his surprise, when he is about to give the ring in his surprise visit to his boyfriend, he saw two gays having sex with his boyfriend.

The guy attempted to explain, but Boni never didn't give him a chance instead, he immediately walk away in tears. He was hurt. He drank all night. The pain inside him made him believe that gays like him don't deserve true love. He devoted his time in attending his business and nursing their father. 

Meanwhile, Edsa visited a shop where she really wanted to buy a mattress that comforts her every time she rests after a stressful day. There she first met Chad, the store owner. Chad is a man of every woman’s dream guy. He’s at his early 40’s and single. He manages their family business through the direction of his father.

He invited Edsa for a dinner to discuss the specification of the mattress that she likes to buy. And because of Edsa’s attraction towards Chad, she immediately gave her calling card to him. She shared this happy moment in her life to Boni. They giggled together because at last Edsa will have a partner in life soon. But she was warned by Boni not to hurry things up.

The two had dinner and found themselves falling in love with each other. At first, there were trials that they face like when she was degraded by Chad’s father during their meet up. Edsa defended herself towards Chad’s father’s actuation. Meanwhile, Boni and Patrick found also themselves that they are falling in love to each other unconsciously. Frank died when almost everything seems right to his family. Paco went back to his foster family after he realized that his real father never had a concern on him. Boni and Patrick got married and live happily. Edsa and Chad were very happy having each other.

At first, I really thought that it was a comedy movie. But it was not. It was a beautiful story about the definition of love. In this movie, I learned that love knows no age, culture, race, and gender. It’s all about how you accept the feelings that you have for that person. It’s a signal that you are ready to be hurt. Love knows no reason.

Pure love is about everything. There are no pretensions and hesitations. It’s just being happy together and enjoying each other’s company. It might be just all about waiting for the right person to come. I know many women believe in fantasy. Like the prince charming, the perfect wedding and the magical night and day.


Unfortunately, there’s none. All we have are realities, just a sickening one that kills me in every way. I must admit that I never saw and experience a real love. I believed that it’s just all in the books and movies created by sober minds. And yes, this movie moved me a little that LOVE is a beautiful thing that could be felt in this lonely world. 

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