The Pain Shall Ease (Maglabay Ra In Sakit)

“Maglabay Ra In Sakit”—a Tausug phrase which roughly translates to “this pain shall pass”—showcases the spirit and resilience of RKJun(Khalid Hamid), a young musician in Zamboanga City who is determined to pursue rap music even as he is beset by the challenges of poverty, loss, and the effects of terrorism in Western Mindanao, Philippines. I met RKJun in March 2019 thru a mutual acquaintance and was fascinated by his talent and his story, much of which is also narrated in this documentary. He relates growing up and nurturing his musical talents even at a young age despite their poverty; and having all his house and his hard-earned musical instruments destroyed in an armed conflict in 2013. This was the crisis popularly known as the Zamboanga Siege that erupted on September 9, 2013 when the MNLF engaged the military in Zamboanga City. The barangay where RKJun lived was one of the hotspots in the conflict. Their house was pounded by bullets and ultimately razed in a fire. In this documentary, I wanted to let the viewers know how this young Zamboangueño preserved his determination to create powerful and original Tausug music. I wanted to show how his talent inspires and positively impacts his community. Even in the face of poverty and terrorism, hope has prevailed in the heart of this young Tausug who continues to pursue his musical dreams.

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