Project Pawai: An Adventure in the Far East

by Jose E.C. Aañozo

In 1986, a Filipino youth and an American girl discovered a dangerous secret that could destroy a nation. After many years of silence, their story is finally told here.

98 pages, Bookpaper

Published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Nick Klagge]

I went looking for this due to a mention in Victor Ocampo's "Short and Incomplete History of Philippine Science Fiction" (https://vrocampo.com/2014/05/05/a-sho...), where he wrote:

"Also published in 1995 was Project Pawaii by Jose E.C. Añozo (New Day Publishers). This very rare volume was billed as “the first Filipino Cyberpunk novel” (Note: As with Jose Ma. Espino’s works, I have not read this book and I am still trying to secure a copy)."

I was able to secure a copy through the magic of interlibrary loan. It's very short--about 90 pages but reads faster than that. I would say I am glad I read it, but don't really think it's worth going to great lengths to track down a copy. Main thoughts:
-It's not science fiction. It does have a "cyberpunk aesthetic" in the sense of "little guys fighting against big shadowy corporations with tech," but while the scenario is imaginary (a plan to dump nuclear waste in the Philippine Sea), the tech is all stuff that really existed ca. 1986 when the action is set. I would put it more in the category of a thriller maybe.
-The writing felt very amateur, like the 1995 equivalent of someone posting a story on Tumblr. The protagonist is a clear self-insert and it's kind of just a lighthearted wish fulfillment story.
-That said, I really liked the fact that the story centered around the 1986 EDSA protests in Manila--compare to the stories in Jose Espino's "Orbit 21" which are mostly not specifically Filipino in any way. And, the protagonist expresses a lot of critical views of the American-Philippine relationship (although he does end up with a white American girl at the end...).

[joms · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hindi ko alam anong tinira nito ni Jose para sabihin na "Pinoy Cyberpunk" itong gawa niya. Ang layo tol, di man lang kasing bantot ng mga korning punkista sa Pinas.

Pero sa ngayon ito ang pinaka nabasa kong nerd shit na gawa ng Pinoy. Nakakatuwa lang na lumipas ang dekada at nahukay ulit sa pagkakalimot itong 90s techno-thriller na ito. Parang hirap pa ngang sabihing techno sa totoo lang, dahil parang pinilit ng may-akda na hindi magnerd-out ng ilang pages para ikwento yung technical specs ng Apple noon, na sana tinuloy nalang niyang mag info-dump dahil mas tamad naman siyang magkwento talaga. Mas pinili niyang gumawa ng pantasya na siya mismo kunwari ang magliligtas ng bansa kaysa makilahok sa aktwal na pagkilos sa EDSA, at sa sobrang makasarili niya ay isinulat niya ito sa pinakaboring na paraan.

Duda rin talaga akong nakasalamuha na siya ng totoong babae sa panahon na nasulat niya to.

[Julius · Rating 1 out of 5]

may hawak lang na keyboard sa ransom scene, cyberpunk na agad? tama na hindi to scifi at mas akmang tawaging thriller. mas naging cringe lang to dahil halatado pagiging self-insert ng kwento. idagdag ko na mas akma tong fantasy.

flat pagkakasulat sa mga karakter. maaring importante yung libro dahil alternative history to. pero di ko ramdam na may panganib talaga yung problema sa kwento. may malabnaw na feminismo, at pwede na na anti-imperyalista at climate change agenda na itinutulak yung awtor, pero nagmumukha lang tong brownie points dahil nakakaurat yung pilit na scifi aspect nito at paawang monologue ng nerdong bida. yung mga ganitong kwento ang peak at concrete example ng pagpapantasya ng mga bonjing sa sarili nila.

napapangitan din ako sa mga drawing. kulang sa effort. fangit.