Mila

Mila Cabangon is a dedicated public school teacher who deeply cares for her students. She lives with an abusive husband who gambles away their income, creating constant tension at home. Her commitment to education defines her daily life and resilience.

Facing repeated abuse and financial strain, Mila ultimately leaves Nato and begins rebuilding her life. She remains devoted to her students, continuing to teach despite personal turmoil.

At a Metro Manila teachers' convention, educators decide to go on strike to demand better working conditions. Principal Miss Pangan threatens to terminate strikers, but the teachers press on with their protest.

During the strike Mila meets Primo, a young waiter, and they begin living together. Their relationship offers companionship but introduces new challenges as Primo's behavior becomes problematic.

Primo reveals an addiction to shabu, saying he uses it whenever he faces problems. The couple's home life deteriorates as his habit grows stronger.

The Department of Education orders teachers to return to their duties, triggering a hunger strike among Metro Manila educators. The standoff strains the group and some participants begin to fall ill.

Mila discovers Primo has been selling their appliances to fund his drug use, confronts him, and destroys the stereo before ending the relationship. She resolves to pursue a healthier path for herself.

Agreeing to reconcile only if he seeks rehab, Mila leaves and roams the city until she reaches Ermita's red-light district. There, she encounters Winona, Rona, Leni, and Peklat, and begins teaching on the streets and in GROs in Ermita.

In Ermita, Mila becomes a teacher not only on the street but also in GROs around Ermita, applying her care to the city’s vulnerable youth. She forms bonds with Winona and the other street friends as she teaches where needed.

With Fidel Ramos taking office, some hunger-strike teachers fall ill, and Mila reconnects with her fellow teachers at a gathering. The group supports each other amid the shifting political climate.

Mila witnesses Rona escorting Leni toward an American pedophile in Ermita. She confronts the man, warning him he could be imprisoned or deported. Kalbo is arrested for exploiting minor women, and Winona’s fear grows for her own safety.

Rona and Leni relocate to Carmona, Cavite to start anew, and Rona reconciles with Mila. Mila also visits her ailing mother, and their bond is repaired as they share a difficult history.

Mila's health deteriorates and she passes away with her body found along Manila Bay. She is given a hero's funeral by fellow teachers and Ermita's community, and the teachers who joined the hunger strike are reinstated to their duties.