18/08/2026
GOLD AND MUD
1. Solene – simple, kind, helps her family tend the school garden - JEZELI
2. Aling Selya – Solene’s mom - AIZA
3. Aling Tanya – Gardener - CHRISTELLE
4. Troy – Solene’s brother, very protective –MARK DARYL
5. Debs – Solene’s little sister - LINSELLE
6. Mang Berto – gardeners’ leader (Solene’s Uncle) -NORIEL
7. Aling Martha – garden helper -VENUS
8. Harvin – classmate, helps in the garden -SEFRYL
9. Chin – Solene’s best friend (Mang Berto’s Daughter) -FREDA
10. Lola Ising – Tanya’s Mother -CHEZRILYN
11. Mark – runs errands -JENNY
12. Duke – polite rich boy, new to the province - FELIX
13. Mr. Sanders – Duke’s dad, owns big resorts -ELGIN
14. Diana– Duke’s mom -LYN
15. Dylan – Duke’s cousin, likes to show off -DOLLY
16. Dado – Duke’s driver -EDISON
17. Aling Nena – Duke’s house helper -RONALYN
18. Leon – Duke’s classmate from the city -MARIEN
19. Amari – Duke’s classmate -NICOLE
20. Kapitan Silvestre – barangay Captain - ALEX
21. Ms. Reyes –Barangay secretary -DIVINE
22. Ms. Ramos – Mr. Sanders’ business partner – CAROLINA
23. Guard 1- MARGIE
24. Guard 2- JESSA
25. Guard 3- MARIANE
26. Guard 4 - ROSEMARIE
27. Guard 5- LARRAINE
28. Farmer1- APRILYN
29. Farmer 2-RHEAN
SCENE 1:
A low wall (chairs would serve as wall) splits the space between a small garden and a mansion. Solene weeds small vegetable plots on the side while her family is planting and watering vegetables.
People started murmuring when they saw the Sanders family. Duke walks in, wearing clothes that screams richness with his family.
“Look at this dirty place! Why do we have to stay here?” Dylan said, looking disgusted.
“This place is good. But we will turn this garden into something worthy.” Mr. Sanders said, pointing at the garden where people were working.
*On the other side of the wall. *
“This garden feeds students. We grow food here, not just pretty flowers.” Aling Tanya said, crossing his arms.
“Rich people only care about looks! They will ruin our plants!” Troy said, clearly not happy with the arrival of the new family.
Solene accidentally dropped her towel so she crouched down to pick it up. Duke walks closer to the wall. Since Solene was close to the wall, she can’t do anything but to talk to the guy.
“Excuse me… is this your tool?” Duke asked, showing a serrated sickle (kumpay)
“Yes. Thank you. “Solene Said, shyly looking down.
“These vegetables look healthy. Do you grow them?” Duke asked again.
“I help. We give extra to the canteen for students who do not have lunch.” Solene answered, still not looking up.
Debs arrived and pulled Solene away from the wall.
“Ate! Kuya said, let’s not talk to them! They are rich! They won’t understand us!” Debs said once they were meter away from the guy.
Duke stands there, confused.
“Why does money make us so different?” Duke asked to himself. He slowly walked away.
SCENE 2:
Next afternoon.
Solene was drawing a plant in an old notebook then Duke walked behind her.
“’How to grow tomatoes for free?’” Duke read aloud “You wrote all that?” He asked in astonishment.
Solene gets shy so she bowed down. “Yes. I learned it from my uncle.” She said as she stand-up.
“My family buys everything. I never knew how to grow plants. Can you…… teach me?” He asked uncertainly.
Solene slowly looked up, smiling, she asked, “Really? You want to learn this?”
“Yes. I want to do something useful, not just buy things.” Duke answered.
“Okay, let’s meet here tomorrow” They bid their goodbye after that small talk.
*Next day, they met quietly by the broken part of the wall*
Solene smiled as soon as she saw Duke walking towards her.
“Hey” Duke greeted, smiling.
“Hi” Solene greeted back.
“Are you sure you want to learn this? You’d get dirty.” She asked.
Duke just shrugged his shoulder, still smiling.
Solene shows how to dig soil gently. Duke gets mud on his nice shoes and laughs. After taking their time laughing like an idiot with every little thing. Duke brought out a new notebook out of his bag and gave it to Solene. Her smile faded.
“I bought it with my own allowance, not my dad’s money.” Duke said in assurance.
Solene looked at him directly in the eye and murmured “Thank you”
Troy sees them talking.
“SOLENE! COME HOME NOW!” He shouted.
SCENE 3:
“That rich boy is just playing with you! He will forget you when he goes back to the city!” Troy said, frustrated.
“Listen to your brother, anak. Rich and poor don’t match!” Aling Selya said.
“But…… he’s not like that. He really cares.” Solene murmured
*On the other side*
“Why were you talking to that poor girl? She’s nothing!” Dylan mockingly said.
“Duke! Stay away from that garden! We will pave it for a new resort!” Mr. Sanders said, clearly not happy with what his son had done.
“Dad! That garden helps people!” Duke answered.
“We just want to keep you safe, son.” Aling Diana soothingly said.
Aling Tanya and Lola Ising happen to pass by. “Gold and mud are both from the earth. Rich or poor, we all need food, water, and friends. Why look down on others?” She said and continued walking like nothing had happened.
SCENE 4:
One morning, as Harvin was walking to the target (grocery store), he happened to hear Dado and Aling Nena talking about Mr. Sanders plan of turning the garden into a resort.
“Is Mr. Sanders really gonna continue his plan?” Aling Nena asked.
“I’m not sure but you know him. He gets what he wants.” Dado answered shrugging his shoulder.
Harvin ran with a plan of telling the gardener about what he heard when he bumped into Chin.
“Hey, what happened?” Chin asked.
“I need to talk to Mang Berto.” He said, almost breathless.
“Why?” Chin asked again
“I’ll just explain it to you later.” He hurriedly left
SCENE 5:
Harvin told Mang Berto what he heard.
“Mang Berto, I heard the two helpers talking, according to them, Mr. Sanders plan on turning our garden into a resort.” He said
The people working there murmured.
Mang Berto left and went to Kapitan Silvestre.
“Captain! Captain!” He shouted
“Oh, Mang Berto why are you in a hurry?” Cap Silvestre asked
“The Sanders are planning to turn the garden into a resort, we can’t let it happen.” Berto said, hysterically.
“Don’t worry, we’ll try to talk it out.” Cap Assured. They started walking towards the Sanders’ mansion.
SCENE 6
Cap. Silvestre, Mang Berto, and two more gardener reach the mansion gates, only to be blocked by guards.
“Can we talk to Mr. Sanders?” Cap. Silvestre asked
“Apologies. Mr. Sanders is unavailable right now.” Guard 1 strictly said
“This is urgent, we can’t wait.” Farmer 1 said
“Please step back and leave. He cannot see anyone today.” Guard 2
“But we really need to talk to him.” Farmer 2
“He’s not here right now” Guard 3
Mang Berto glances up, and his eyes widen. On the second-floor balcony, Mr. Sanders stands with a glass of w**e in his hand.
“He’s right there! You’re lying!” Mang Berto shouted, pointing upward.
Frustrated and angry, he lunges forward to push past the guards.
“Stop! Do not force your way through!” Guard 4 blocking their way because Berto was really persistent.
“You don’t even have scheduled appointment.” Guard 5
Cap. Silvestre sighs, realizing there is no way past them. He grabs Mang Berto by the arm and pulls him back toward the road with the two farmer following behind.
SCENE 7:
The people continued talking about what they heard.
“We don’t have money to fight against them.” Aling Martha sighed.
“Well, money does the talk.” Mark said.
Duke came with Leon and Amari.
“We can help.” Duke said.
“No, we don’t need your money.” Solene said, believing rich people are not meant to be trusted.
Duke was hurt by Solene’s attitude, but he could not bring himself to say or do anything because deep down, he knew they were the ones at fault. He turned and walked away, with Leon and Mari following close behind. Solene felt a strong urge to go after him too, but right now, she could not turn her back on the people she had always considered her family.
SCENE 8
*At the Sanders Family Mansion*
“Hey dude, are you okay?” Amari asked gently.
Duke said nothing.
Leon tapped him on the shoulder. “You could try talking to your father,” he said. “Maybe he’ll listen to you.”
Encouraged, Duke made his way to his father’s office.
He knocked three times, then asked, “Dad? Can we talk for a minute?”
“I’m busy right now. Maybe later,” his father replied from behind the door.
Duke stands with his forehead resting against the closed door. No answer comes from inside.
“Please?”
Silence. He speaks again, voice softer, shaking a little
“You’ve never once asked how I feel. Not once, in all my life. This is the first time I’m asking you for something… and I’m begging you to say yes. Dad, please….. Don’t push through with the resort. Even If it’s just for me. Do it for your son, dad.
Still no reply. Duke lets out a quiet breath, turns, and walks slowly away. Behind the closed door, Mr. Sanders picks up his phone and dials.
“Hello, Ms. Ramos? Can we meet tomorrow?”
SCENE 9
*The next day*
Workers tend to crops across the wall. Ms. Ramos looks around, then turns to Mr. Sanders.
“Is this the land you were going to turn into a resort?”
“That was the original plan, yes.” Mr. Sanders answered
“What changed?” Ramos
“I’ve decided to give these farmers everything they need to keep this garden.” Mr. Sanders
“What changed your mind?”
Mr. Sanders did not answer and just smiled.
SCENE 10:
Mr. Sanders went to the garden with his family. No ones’ talking, even Leon and Amari who usually tease one another were silent. Duke does not know his dad’s plan. Farmers murmured when they saw them.
Mr. Sanders walks over to Mang Berto, Kapitan Silvestre, and Ms. Reyes who stand watching quietly. He nods respectfully.
“Kapitan, Mang Berto, I owe you both an apology.” Mr. Sanders
“We’re listening, Mr. Sanders.” Cap. Silvestre
“I only saw land to build on. I didn’t see what this place means to you, to all the people who eat from it. My son opened my eyes to that.” Mr. Sanders
“We’ve tended this soil for years. It’s not just work; it’s how we survive.” Mang Berto
“I understand now. The resort plan is cancelled. Instead, I’ll help you keep this garden.” Mr. Sanders
“As the secretary of this Barangay, I also want to say thank you Mr. Sanders for considering these people that will be affected if you continue to build the resort.” Ms. Reyes said smiling.
They shake hands.
SCENE 11:
Sanders family left, but Duke stayed to talk to Solene.
“Hey…” Duke
“Hi…” Solene