Aired (February 3, 2024): Kaya pa nga ba sumulat ng kasaysayan ang mga makinilya sa panahon ng makabagong teknolohiya?
Samahan natin si Howie Severino na libutin ang Metro Manila para hanapin ang halaga ng makinilya sa panahon ngayon.
#TypeKita
#IWitness
Samahan natin si Howie Severino na libutin ang Metro Manila para hanapin ang halaga ng makinilya sa panahon ngayon.
#TypeKita
#IWitness
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FunTranscript
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00:50 [CHATTER]
00:53 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
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01:08 Hi.
01:08 How are you?
01:09 Severino.
01:10 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
01:13 OK.
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01:25 There's a problem with it, sir.
01:26 Yeah, yeah.
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01:29 The louder the sound, the darker the print.
01:33 Mm.
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01:35 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
01:39 Mm.
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01:52 [LAUGHTER]
01:54 Amazing.
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02:38 Bachelor of Science in Office Administration.
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02:48 [ENGINE RUMBLING]
02:51 [BIRDS CHIRPING]
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05:10 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
05:17 Gerald.
05:18 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
05:19 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
05:22 How are you, Severino?
05:23 So eyewitness.
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05:27 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
05:28 1916.
05:29 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
05:31 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
05:32 Oh, OK.
05:33 So [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
05:37 No, he really wants to use it.
05:40 He really wants to use it.
05:41 Wow, really.
05:42 So does his owner is old?
05:45 No, 24 years old.
05:47 24 years old, wow.
05:50 Did he take care of it?
05:52 No, he had a passion for typewriters.
05:57 Oh, like that.
05:58 So at that age, he has a passion for it?
06:01 Yes, yes.
06:02 Like vinyl, right?
06:05 He has a passion for old things, like kids.
06:09 So how long have you been doing this?
06:11 Since 1998?
06:13 1998.
06:14 I became a technician at my former boss,
06:17 maybe 2000 years ago.
06:18 So you were an employee there,
06:20 and now you're doing this yourself.
06:22 In 2011.
06:23 That's a long time.
06:25 Yes, I closed down, I didn't have a job.
06:28 I just worked hard because I didn't have a job.
06:31 Before, he was on a different list,
06:33 he was almost all over the place.
06:35 Now?
06:36 Now, he's gone.
06:37 He says that not only does he repair,
06:41 but he also brings in new people.
06:43 Some even have their colors changed.
06:46 Because of his life,
06:51 Gerald ended up with his two children.
06:54 What is the oldest typewriter you've seen?
06:58 The oldest typewriter?
07:01 1896.
07:02 1886.
07:03 It was restored by me.
07:05 That was during Rizal's time, right?
07:07 Yes, it was restored by me from the US.
07:10 It was brought here?
07:11 Yes.
07:12 From the US?
07:13 Yes.
07:14 Even the one on his arm is antique.
07:17 What typewriter is on your tattoo?
07:19 Royal P, model Royal P 1930s.
07:22 Royal P?
07:23 P model.
07:26 Gerald became more famous after his story went out to the public and online.
07:31 He was written by the famous manuelalat,
07:34 and also the typewriter's collector, Butch Dalisay.
07:38 It's good that there are people like him.
07:41 Because if not,
07:43 a lot of these artifacts will just rot.
07:55 Butch grew up as a typewriter enthusiast.
07:59 He was the first to write a book using a typewriter.
08:07 But when I learned how to use a computer,
08:10 like a lot of people,
08:11 I forgot all my typewriters.
08:14 Until recently,
08:16 I brought them back and I discovered that
08:21 there's a romance in using a typewriter.
08:26 In a sense, it's a much more intimate thing.
08:36 You're not connected to anything.
08:38 You're disconnected from the world.
08:40 Even though he's a digital migrant now,
08:47 Butch still uses his typewriter from time to time.
08:51 He makes sure that each one of them works properly.
08:56 It's just the sheer delight of
09:00 working or using something that has been there for a hundred years
09:08 and making it work again.
09:13 That's my mission in life,
09:15 to take care of these artifacts
09:18 so that the next generation can see them
09:22 and remember what technology was to them.
09:26 Butch showed me some of his favorite typewriters.
09:33 This is my oldest typewriter.
09:35 It's from 1896.
09:37 This was still the time of Rizal.
09:39 But I'm sure Rizal being the kind of guy on the edge that he was,
09:44 he would have at least seen typewriters being used in Europe.
09:48 This is from 1929, Royal.
09:53 I should tell you that this has the most sought-after keys.
09:59 This is the Vogue typeface
10:01 that many collectors are looking for.
10:08 Just like laptops and computers today,
10:10 Butch also has a portable typewriter.
10:14 This is a Macbook Air from 1911.
10:17 It's light.
10:19 It's aluminum.
10:20 It's entirely made of aluminum.
10:23 He's already known for using a typewriter.
10:32 He's a co-composer.
10:37 He has an office.
10:38 He has students who learn to type.
10:41 And he's a collector of this old typewriter.
10:47 I thought to myself,
10:50 "What if there are still people who sell typewriters today?"
10:54 We found one of the oldest typewriter stores in Manila.
11:05 [train passing]
11:07 This is V. Avena & Sons,
11:13 which is still alive today.
11:16 They own the whole building,
11:22 but the family rented a place for the typewriters.
11:26 Their first business.
11:29 Your store is beautiful.
11:30 It's like, it's old, but the typewriters are mixed.
11:36 Every decade, you have a typewriter sample.
11:40 No, because these are old typewriters.
11:42 These are old typewriters that I still maintain
11:47 because of their sentimental value.
11:49 Ramon Avena is the one who continues his father's business.
11:57 He's 90 years old,
11:59 and he has seen several generations of typewriters.
12:02 This Underwood typewriter
12:09 is one of the oldest in their collection.
12:12 So, sir, all the offices used to have this,
12:17 and you could hear the typewriter.
12:20 During the war,
12:21 you would usually use this.
12:23 The modern typewriters, like this Underwood,
12:27 the latest typewriters,
12:29 try to hold it.
12:31 Oh my gosh, it's like I'm working out.
12:36 Any day, whenever they sell a machine, anything,
12:42 during those times,
12:43 even cars, anything that you buy,
12:45 it's for a lifetime.
12:47 This is more than a lifetime.
12:49 I'm telling you,
12:51 if someone is repairing an old typewriter,
12:53 we don't have a life, sir.
12:55 This Olympia typewriter
12:58 is being promoted on television by Bob Stewart,
13:03 the founder of the GMA Network.
13:06 It's made in Germany.
13:08 Gosh, it's like cement.
13:15 [music]
13:21 The father of basketball and volleyball,
13:25 Ramon,
13:26 Vicente Abena,
13:27 was a famous player.
13:29 He was also a member of the Far Eastern Games,
13:35 or the ancient Asian Games.
13:37 In 1936,
13:42 they opened a store for sporting goods
13:45 in Ascaraga, Manila,
13:47 or better known as Recto Avenue.
13:50 But when the typewriter became popular,
14:02 this became Vicente's business
14:05 until it went bankrupt.
14:07 During those times,
14:09 it was mostly handwritten.
14:11 All the things that you do,
14:12 you write it down,
14:13 and then explain it.
14:15 But with the typewriter,
14:17 it helped a lot,
14:19 even with the government offices.
14:21 So that's when they started buying typewriters.
14:25 Because there's that inspiration
14:30 and memorable moments of your life.
14:32 During the time when I was with my parents.
14:35 And this is where they stayed.
14:38 (typewriter sounds)
14:41 They had a lot of technicians back then,
14:45 but now,
14:46 Nemi is the only one
14:47 since the 1970s.
14:49 He started at the Abena
14:52 when he was 22 years old.
14:54 He's 71 now.
14:56 Now, we're just making things a bit slower.
14:59 We're just continuing
15:02 what Mr. Abena was doing.
15:05 Who are the people
15:06 who usually make typewriters?
15:09 Most of them are antique collectors.
15:14 That's what we make here.
15:16 What do you call this?
15:26 A keyboard.
15:27 When it gets old,
15:28 you can remove it.
15:29 You stick it on.
15:31 And these are the type bars.
15:35 Type bars.
15:36 There.
15:37 This is the one with the letters.
15:40 So, each brand has its own type bars
15:43 that don't fit with other brands?
15:45 Yes.
15:46 This is from the Olympics.
15:50 This is from the Olympics.
15:56 But are these brand new?
15:59 Yes, these are brand new.
16:00 That's why it's been around for a long time.
16:05 These are not available in the market anymore.
16:08 So, they can only repair limited amounts.
16:11 So, are these still available?
16:14 Are these still made?
16:16 No, they're not.
16:18 You just stocked them?
16:19 Yes.
16:20 That's good.
16:21 You were able to stock them before they were sold out.
16:24 His father stocked all of these.
16:26 They were all from the state.
16:28 So, he bought a lot of them?
16:30 Yes.
16:31 Okay.
16:32 So, if these are sold out,
16:35 because they're not made anymore,
16:39 can they be repaired?
16:40 No.
16:41 Aside from typewriters,
16:43 the Avena family has another hidden collection.
16:47 This is a dial-up monitor.
16:51 That's a brick.
16:58 My father left all of these.
17:03 So, this was your family car?
17:07 Yes.
17:08 This is where I learned how to drive.
17:11 This?
17:12 Yes.
17:13 We used to drive a Luneta.
17:15 Oh, my.
17:16 So, you're keeping it for sentimental reasons?
17:19 That's it.
17:20 So, are you tempted to restore it?
17:23 If I had the money.
17:25 Would it cost a lot to restore?
17:27 It would cost a lot.
17:29 Throughout our stay here,
17:34 no one has visited or bought anything.
17:37 You have prime real estate.
17:40 Your motivation here is not profit,
17:44 not business.
17:45 It's more, what is your motivation?
17:48 It's a promise.
17:49 My dad requested me at that time.
17:52 He asked me, "Mon,
17:54 who will take care of my mom?
17:57 Who?
18:01 Not the office,
18:04 who will take care of this?"
18:06 It's not money.
18:08 Because sometimes,
18:13 when you love something,
18:17 you can't let it go.
18:21 It's not a problem.
18:23 Meanwhile, we met the owner of the typewriter
18:29 that Gerald is fixing.
18:31 Hi, sir.
18:33 How's the typewriter?
18:35 Christian Azadon is 23 years old.
18:38 He's from Cavite.
18:40 He bought this 1916 Underwood model from Kiyapo.
18:45 I went through a lot
18:48 to find that exact model.
18:51 Christian dreams of being a writer
18:55 and hopes that this will help his ambition.
19:00 Personally,
19:02 it's distraction-free for me.
19:06 Because when I work on my laptop,
19:10 I write,
19:11 it provides other distractions.
19:15 I can watch YouTube,
19:16 play games,
19:17 chat with my friends.
19:18 It's a different tactile feeling
19:21 when you type,
19:23 you hear the sound of the type bars.
19:25 And also,
19:26 the fact that what you're thinking
19:28 instantly becomes a physical form
19:31 in a paper.
19:32 You have physical copies of your work.
19:35 It's more gratifying for me
19:37 when I'm holding the paper
19:39 and it's getting thicker.
19:42 I remind myself that
19:45 I can do this.
19:46 This is what I do.
19:47 This is mine.
19:48 It's like
19:50 an added benefit compared to MS Word.
19:53 He'll order this for his girlfriend.
19:57 Then he'll put a message
19:59 on what he ordered.
20:00 He said, "Happy Secondary Anniversary."
20:02 There's a younger Gen Z
20:05 who uses typewriters
20:07 in a different way.
20:09 So I said, "Of course, yes."
20:12 Of course, it's gratifying
20:13 that he'll give his girlfriend
20:14 a birthday present.
20:16 In this part of their home,
20:25 Giselle writes love letters.
20:28 But not to her.
20:31 Using her typewriter,
20:35 Giselle pays to type
20:37 the love letters of other people.
20:41 I happen to sell gifts.
20:44 So I thought,
20:46 why not use a typewriter
20:48 to make letters.
20:51 Because it's great
20:54 to give gifts to friends.
20:58 He'll put a message
20:59 on what he ordered.
21:00 He said, "Happy Secondary Anniversary."
21:03 She posted on TikTok
21:06 that her new racket is amazing.
21:09 Some people ask,
21:10 "What do you call the machine
21:12 you use?"
21:13 Because they don't know
21:15 the typewriter.
21:16 She spends P80
21:19 for every 150 words.
21:21 There's an OFW who,
21:23 every month,
21:24 types a monthly letter
21:26 for his lover in the Philippines.
21:28 It's expressing feelings.
21:31 And of course, they're LDR.
21:33 So it's like an assurance.
21:35 That's what the letter is about.
21:38 Why do you think
21:40 the typewriter
21:41 appeals to other people?
21:43 Maybe because it's a different way
21:45 when you receive a physical letter
21:48 compared to just through chats.
21:50 And with the typewriter,
21:52 it brings back old days.
21:56 And the result is also beautiful,
21:59 especially when it's enveloped.
22:02 [music]
22:07 It seems like there's forever
22:09 when it comes to typewriters.
22:10 This is proof of the scrapbook
22:13 that was in the care of Butch Dalisay,
22:15 the author and collector
22:17 of "Sari-Saring Bagay."
22:18 [Butch Dalisay's words in Filipino]
22:27 This compilation of love letters
22:30 from the P.E.T.A.N.
22:31 was written in the 1950s
22:34 from a Makata
22:35 who was imprisoned
22:37 for joining the Japanese in the war.
22:39 Magtang Gulasa
22:41 is the pen name of Aurelio S. Alvero.
22:47 He's a well-known writer.
22:49 He was imprisoned in the Philippines
22:52 after the war.
22:54 He would send letters
22:57 to his wife,
23:01 telling her the sadness of life inside.
23:06 He would send her greetings
23:08 and advice.
23:10 You can see the use of the typewriter
23:14 as a writer
23:20 in business or personal life.
23:25 Even back then,
23:27 when I was courting my wife,
23:29 I would still use the typewriter
23:30 and write with my hands.
23:32 I noticed something
23:34 in the letters.
23:35 A unique point.
23:37 It's a letter "G"
23:39 with a tilde or an upside-down "A."
23:42 The word "nga" is read in Filipino.
23:46 So this type was developed
23:48 for Filipino language?
23:50 Apparently, somebody took the trouble
23:53 to mold this particular type.
23:58 It's mass-produced.
24:00 Yes. That's my holy grail now
24:02 in terms of typewriters.
24:04 Look for a typewriter with that.
24:07 I told others
24:10 that now,
24:12 the only language in the world
24:16 that has that character
24:18 is the Guarani language
24:21 in a place in South America.
24:25 It's good that the Guarani have a typewriter
24:28 and I'll get one from there.
24:30 But I can't find one.
24:33 It might take a while
24:35 before Butch finds his holy grail
24:39 in the typewriter.
24:41 But the typewriter's discovery
24:45 is still ongoing
24:46 for the new generation.
24:48 It's flat, right?
24:50 Do you want to add more?
24:53 The difference with this computer
24:56 is that when you type,
24:58 it's directly on paper.
24:59 How does it work?
25:00 Gen Zs usually teach their uncles
25:04 about gadgets.
25:06 Now, the uncle has the experience.
25:10 Actually, it's my first time
25:14 to use a typewriter
25:16 and my dream is to have a typewriter before.
25:19 Is that your dream?
25:21 Okay, because what I was told
25:23 when I borrowed this,
25:24 it's for sale.
25:25 (laughs)
25:27 I don't know what to say.
25:29 So, who did you write this for?
25:35 It's for my younger self.
25:38 It's a reminder that everything that I do now
25:41 will all be worth it in the end.
25:43 Okay, good message to your younger self.
25:46 Okay.
25:47 For Grandpa Ramon,
25:50 his younger self's prayer
25:52 to his father is still fresh
25:54 in their last conversation.
25:57 He will continue his father's work
26:03 even though this business
26:05 has been in a slump for a long time.
26:07 Not everything can be bought.
26:09 But if you can share it with your friends,
26:12 what you've done,
26:14 that's what's good.
26:15 You've done a good job
26:17 to your fellowmen and to those who work here.
26:20 Maybe that's the root of the importance
26:25 to the strong Makinilya.
26:27 They remember that
26:30 even though there's no forever,
26:33 there's a possibility
26:35 to last.
26:38 From Manila and Quezon City,
26:40 I am Howie Severino
26:43 and this is "Eyewitness."
26:45 [applause]
26:47 [music]
26:50 [music]
26:52 [music]
26:54 [music]