Introduction: Who is Alina Co?

A year ago, I would have drawn up a blank if I was asked to introduce myself this way. Who am I? Sino nga ba?

I’d always answer, “I’m a film grad. who changed my medium to television and video production.” But of course, the question wasn’t “what’s your occupation?”

Does your job really define you as a person? I mean, I have friends who work in call centers, but they’re actually very good writers. But they’re forced to work in BPOs cause they need a bigger salary to support their families. An acquaintance of mine slaves day in and day out in an ad agency because he wants to earn enough money to study film abroad. Corny as it might sound, I guess what defines us is the goodness and passion inside our hearts. What makes us a better person? What makes us help people and find compassion? Find it, do it and that defines you.

For me, these are three things: video production, writing, and women and children’s rights.

A year ago, I didn’t have any idea that this was what I was meant to do. A year ago, I was weighing either shifting to law or business administration. That’s how confused I was.

But God is good, and He led me to this. Since I’ve found these three things, I wake up every day with a spring on my step and joy in my heart. It’s like I found a connect-the-dots to everything that has happened in my life and I finally feel whole…

If I were a movie, I’d be Amelie. I’m colorful like its cinematography. I like narrative films and strong quirky female protagonists. And yes, I like light-hearted plots, especially happy endings.

If I were food, I’d be yogurt – sometimes sweet, sometimes sour, but always healthy for digestion!

If I were a book, hmmm… I can be a lot of books. I can be Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wu Dunn’s Half the Sky. Or Alice Walker’s The Color Purple. Or Ann Tyler’s Back When We Were Grownups. My pages would be crisp and off-white, the texts bold and clear, font size 12. I smell good, the way all books do. I can have some highlights and arrows and notes on the side, I don't mind.

If I were a multi-billionaire, I would have my own TV channel foundation.

If I can be anything that is not a living thing, I would be a signal, or a radio wave.

If I can be anything that is not a non-living thing, I would be an eskimo or a panda, anywhere it’s wintry cold. I hate the heat, except when I’m at a beach.

If I can be anything again that is not a living thing, I would be ‘poetic justice’ or ‘state of the country’.

If I will be blessed with kids someday, I’d call them Luna, or Diwa, or Makisig, Ala-ala, I find those names cute.

My mother is my hero and my idol. I have two sweet pamangkins --Andeng and Alfie, whom I adore. They are my inspiration and sources of strength.