Presents the politics, economics, and modern history of the Philippines, with emphasis on the period from the ascension of Ferdinand Marcos to the installment of Corazon Aquino as new president.
In the days before Christmas, a mute ten-year-old sells his exquisite paper lanterns on the streets of Manila, where he rescues an American tourist from a brutal attack and believes he sees an angel fall from the sky, leading to a series of events that show the boy and his mother the true meaning of Christmas.
Recounts the history of General MacArthur's obsession with retaking the Philippines from the Japanese, from the Clark Field bombings of 1941 until the destruction of Manila in 1945.
