The film is very, very loosely based on the life of Arturo Porcuna (Jeorge Estregan). Once upon a time, he was known as Boy Anino, notorious leader of the Bahala Na gang. But rival gangster Tony Razon (John Estrada) attacked him in his home, leaving his entire gang and his family dead in the ruins. But Porcuna survived, and now he returns under a new alias, Boy Golden, and he seeks revenge against those that did him wrong. Along the way, he meets Marla D (KC Concepcion), a dancer who also has a bone to pick with Razon. Together, the two carry out a dangerous plan to take on Manila’s toughest gangsters.
Pandanggo has three stories with parallel themes converging in one event, the Kasilonawan Festival in Obando: a career woman learning to dance tango who is torn between her dance partner and live-in partner has to choose the man who will satisfy her dream of raising a family; a wife whose wish to conceive a baby boy to make her husband happy brings her feet to the festival, but fate has other plans of bringing the child into her life; and a modern woman who, amidst her medical condition that might render her childless for the rest of her life, finds connection with an ancient lore about fertility.
On the eve of his 25th birthday, the day he’s set to receive money from his trust fund, Rocco parties, gets drunk and loses all his money on a poker match. His dilemma: He has to produce the amount, otherwise he will lose the client he needs to defeat his father’s TV commercial production company. Meanwhile, Rocky also needs money to pay the rent, otherwise her family will be homeless. There’s only one way for Rocco to be able to get money from his trust fund: Fulfill the conditions set by his grandmother and that is to get married. Rocky agrees to act as Rocco’s pseudo wife in exchange for a “talent fee.” They seal the deal. As they live like a married couple, Rocco and Rocky face one problem after another, forcing them with no alternative but to reconcile their differences and work with each other. Complication arises when they start to feel for each other, with their bond getting closer.
Set in Inner Mongolia, a physical setback causes a young woman to choose a suitor who can take care of her, as well as her disabled husband.
Ken, a WWII GI, returns home after he's paralyzed in battle. Residing in the paraplegic ward of a veteran's hospital and embittered by his condition, he refuses to see his fiancée and sinks into a solitary world of hatred and hostility. Head physician, Dr. Brock cajoles the withdrawn Ken into the life of the ward, where fellow patients Norm, Leo and Angel begin to pull him out of his spiritual dilemma.
Jewel is a mysterious woman who lives alone in the city. She has a secret which has led her to settle into a lonely existence. That is, until she meets Nico, a broken-hearted, down-and-out guy who also feels unlovable like she does. Jewel is torn between wanting to love him and wanting to save him from herself.
Mikey, a young, discreet, gay man from the affluent class, spends five years in a city jail while hearing his case for drug pushing. Inside prison, Mikey holds back to adapt to the culture and stratification among inmates. Eventually, Mikey becomes a ‘Mayor’ (ring leader) to a group of gay inmates called “Gang-da”. Together, they thrive to survive the dangers of several gang riots, the mundane, and the decay of human dignity.
A woman returns to the village of Kagbunga in the Bikol region carrying the ashes of her only son via the old train that circles her universe like the tandayag, the primordial serpent. In a filial act of mourning, she will reckon and reconcile the thin line that exists between tragedy and transcendence and prove and that even the most broken life can be restored to its moments.
Two women in a remote Muslim community confront an escalating blood feud and reach deep into themselves in hopes to undo the feud stretching back generations.
A story of Ilyong, recently-dead man killed by the police, after he was caught stealing. This is the beginning of his story, his death. Soon after, he was brought into a sleazy funeral home, run by Violet, a greedy homosexual who has learned to survive by renting out the dead bodies in his funeral home to Simon. Along for the ride is Jojo, a police officer who is under the payroll of Simon and who supplies the dead bodies for Violet to take care of and make money from. Violet has two workers, On-on and Dyograd.