They Call Me Joy: Philippine Protestantism
as Local Culture

By Anthony dela Fuente

Group Notes

1. Joel David, The National Pastime: Contemporary Cinema, (Pasig City, Philippines: Anvil Publishing Inc., 1990). It is said that the Guinness Book of World Record once listed the Philippines as the country where people watch the most number of movies in a year. A longer, earlier version of this paper included two films from that year, the other being Muro-Ami (“The Reef Fisher”) which dealt with similar themes.

2. (Maher 1997) 40-41

3. Initially banned from exhibition in the Philippines because of its adult theme and graphic sex scenes, this film has caught the attention of critics and film enthusiasts because of its sensitive portrayal of the life of a prostitute. Exhibited in various international film festivals, it has received favorable reviews.

4. (Maggay 1999) , p. 24

5. (Trinidad 2002) 205ff

6. Many scholars have pointed out the importance of conversion narrative in the lives of protestant communities. In anthropology see (Harding 1987; Kipp 1995; Stromberg 1993) ; history includes many such as (Douglas 2001) ; (Viswanathan 1998)

7. This, like all subsequent passages, was translated from “Taglish,” the common mixture of Tagalog and English used by a majority of Filipinos in everyday life.

8. See Howell, 2003)