Belinda Aquino (University of Hawaii at Manoa) tried to convince other members of the selection committee to ban the film from being screened at the Hawaii International Film festival because she felt it was derogatory to Filipino society. Despite writing letters of protest to each, she was overruled 23 to 1.
Despite having no prior experience in either film or theater, Madeline Ortaliz was chosen by the director over more than 200 actors vying for the role of Dalisay.
Endorsed by the Philippine Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) in recognition of the crucial Philippine realities and social consciousness that the film brings to society on the issue of poverty.
In the time it took to bring Madeline Ortaliz over to USA to complete her New York scenes, she and members of her family were involved in a near-fatal car accident on the North Expressway in the Philippines.