Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay

Despite contentions from historians, legend has it that in ancient times, an Ati chieftain traded their land to Bornean datus for a necklace and a wide-brimmed hat made of gold. The mountains were left to the Atis, while the plains and rivers went to the Malays. Today, even the mountains are under threat, sometimes violently taken from the Atis.

For 11 years, Maricar waited for her fiancé, Tody who mysteriously disappeared, until one day, he came back as a mannequin.

Makoy, Kaloy, and Buknoy wake up to an announcement about going back to school. Parents who do not want or are unable to opt for online classes must take an exam to determine if they are fit to teach their children. Unfortunately, most parents in this small town are not as privileged as their children who've had formal education.

Toto and his father lives in an island where the primary source of their livelihood is the ocean. He loves diving with his father because he wants to learn how to fish, dive and be one with the ocean. One afternoon as Toto and his father were diving, a group of fishermen throw dynamites around them. They hurriedly go home. Curious toto asks his father why they have to arise from the water if there are dynamite fishers. His father explains that some dynamite fishers are careless and that fishes swim away because of the noise so they have to arise because they have nothing to catch and they were in danger. Toto still continues to go with his father in the middle of the ocean. As Toto’s father dives, he notices that the ocean was too noisy and when he arises too early Toto asks him why. His father explains that perhaps the ocean was too noisy because it is either angry or happy.

The chalks of a teacher mysteriously disappear. As she discovers who the culprit is, her life and perception changes.