Home Along Da Riles

Based on a sitcom that aired for about a decade from 1992 to 2003, Home Along da Riles: The Movie, is a satirical film on the real life poverty of Filipinos living in the Philippines. Translated into English as, The House Along the Railroad Tracks, this comedic family sitcom turned to film explores the depths of the third world experience that many Filipinos go through either once in their lives, or throughout their entire lives. As dangerous as it already sounds, Home Along da Riles, is a portrayal of what Filipinos must endure every day—living in unsafe conditions under unsanitary circumstances. The sitcom/film revolves around an impoverished Filipino family known as the Kosmes.

Leading the family, Kevin Kosme, played by Dolphy, works as a janitor in a placement agency patiently waiting for his opportunity to be sent overseas as a cook. Dubbed as the ‘King of Philippine Comedy’, Dolphy, who’s formal name is Rodolfo Vera Quizon, made his name as a comedian-actor in both the Filipino and Filipino-American entertainment and performance communities. Dolphy’s character Kevin, makes his mark on the show/film as the main caregiver of the family who tries to hold his wife and kids together in the only house he could afford; one along the railroad tracks. The house, which is set to look as if it is almost going to collapse every time a train comes by, is one that is almost identical to the types of makeshift houses many people living in the Philippines find themselves calling a home.

Home Along da Riles reveals a tragedies that have been constant recurring problems in the Philippines. From poverty to homelessness to starvation, this sitcom/film showcases a first-hand point of view of the real everyday Filipino struggle—the struggle to survive. Although it relies on its comedic tone to relay all of this information about the Filipino struggle, it is a reminder of what the Philippines is actually like. The comedic tone only helps to set a bit of light heartedness in the audience viewing this sitcom/film so that the show can bring across their message of this raw lifestyle. Home Along da Riles not only helps to show what it’s like to make the best of what one has, but it shows the Filipino’s ability to be crafty, to use whatever they have to survive, and still through all of the struggle, be able to laugh and enjoy life with one another.

As a kid, I grew up watching this show with my father, and I can’t ever remember watching an episode and not asking “why are they doing that” or “why don’t they just get a better house” or “why don’t they just eat ifthey’re hungry,” and as naïve as it may sound, I was a kid and didn’t really understand what poverty was. As years passed, and I still continued to watch this show that later turned into a film, I began to understand the struggles that they go through in the Philippines and it helped me to appreciate everything that I had at home. I believe this show does so much more than entertain and be comedic, it helped to instill a small sense of humility in my mind,because if they could appreciate something as small as a blanket, then I shouldn’t be complaining about myhouse being cold at night, when all they had was a blanket.