Ang Babaeng Walang Pakiramdam

Anastacia “Tasha” Quingquing Kim Molina is a woman living with a rare condition called Congenital Insensitivity to Pain, which means she cannot feel physical pain or pleasure. She works at a pharmaceutical company and dreams of a proper break, asking her friends Eric and Au to join her on a vacation, only to be met with a string of excuses that keep them from committing. After a party with friends, she encounters a small, cluttered store run by a vendor known as Tindera Candy Pangilinan. At the shop, a man with a cleft palate named Ngongo Jerald Napoles tries to buy an item but cannot be easily understood. To bridge the gap, Ngongo sings the alphabet to spell out what he wants, a method the Tindera uses as their usual way of communicating when words fail.

Ngongo’s backstory fills in the gaps: his father died of cancer, he has a sister in Bohol who is sick, and his wish to visit his family in Bohol is complicated by a recent job loss from a call center because of his condition. Hearing their shared wish to reach Bohol, Tasha decides to invite Ngongo to accompany her on an all-expenses-paid vacation, with Bohol included in her itinerary. The trip takes them to Enchanted Kingdom in Laguna, then to Bohol and Pampanga, where they try a mix of high-adrenaline activities—thrill rides, bungee jumping, and ultralight flying. Throughout the vacation, Tasha remains emotionally detached and unfeeling, even when she sustains injuries along the way.

As they travel, the pair opens up about their lives. Tasha’s inability to feel physical pain or emotion stems from her upbringing; her mother taught her that showing emotion is a sign of weakness and forbade crying. She also learns about Ngongo’s family history and the painful memories he carries, including how bullying and exclusion shaped his sense of self. Ngongo’s openness helps Tasha understand that her mother’s protective love was, in a way, an effort to shield her from hurt—even if it meant suppressing her humanity.

Before the vacation ends, Ngongo confesses his feelings, trying to connect with her in the same intimate way they first met: by singing the alphabet to spell “I LOVE U.” Tasha rejects him, insisting that her condition prevents any genuine feeling from taking root. On the trip back, Ngongo tells her that her illness should not define what they could have together, but she remains distant, unable to respond. Then a sudden turn of events occurs when they stumble upon a house fire. Tasha rushes into the burning home to rescue a child, propelled by something beyond pain—the ability to act even without feeling it. She faints afterward, and a doctor warns that she requires immediate surgery, as her body is failing under the strain of living without pain as a warning system.

Facing the truth of her condition, Tasha decides to undergo the operation. She recounts memories with Ngongo and, with the support of Eric and Au, realizes she must pursue a chance at happiness. The group tracks down the Tindera to learn that Ngongo is planning to ride a train to Bicol and settle there. They sprint to the station to stop him, but the train pulls away. For the first time, Tasha screams Ngongo’s name and finally allows herself to feel—tears mixing with a flood of emotions as her suppressed feelings surge back. The moment is overwhelming, and she collapses from the emotional and physical overload.

Sometime later, Ngongo visits Tasha’s grave, overcome with tears. She had died as a result of her condition, but in a final, poignant moment she reveals that she was glad to feel like a person again. On her grave, she leaves a simple mark—a letter “U”—signaling her answer to Ngongo: she loves him too.

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 10:25