“Precious Hearts Romances is local Mills and Boon”
Last monday, March 1, the taping for the episode “Lumang Piso Para Sa Puso” of the “Precious Hearts Romances” series started with the municipality of Pila, Laguna used as location. However, I did not have a call slip since the role of Mayor Gasti does not have scenes yet in the script for the first week.
I reported for work that day. While I was inside the elevator, my officemates asked me the magical question: “What is your next project?”. I had a quick answer: “Lumang Piso Para sa Puso”- an episode of “Precious Hearts Romances” series which is aired every day from Monday to Friday, 5:30 pm, ABS-CBN.
Rose, the elevator girl joined the conversation and told me that she knew the story of “Lumang Piso Para Sa Puso”. She narrated that it is about a girl who sold an old coin owned by her dead grandmother to a hobby shop. Curious, I asked Rose how come she knew the story. She told me that she had read the the story in a “Precious Hearts Romances” pocketbook.
“Attending Precious Hearts Romances Story Conference”
It was already 12:15 pm last saturday (27 February 2010) when Exor texted me that the original schedule of 2:00 pm for the story conference of the Precious Hearts Romances was moved 30 minutes earlier. I made my own adjustments and was already at the basement parking of ABS-CBN at 1:20 pm.
When I reached the ground floor, I told the guard that I was attending the story conference of the Precious Hearts Romances. I was politely told by the guard that an event marshall was going to escort me to the venue. A few seconds later, I saw Direk Rechie del Carmen with the event marshall. I greeted Direk Rechie and asked her if she will be the one who would be our director. She answered in the affirmative and quickly complemented me that I looked younger! She asked what is my secret. I told her, ''peace of mind lang po!” Direk Rechie was my director in several projects in the past, most notably in Maria Flordeluna and in Ligaw na Bulaklak. In the latter, she directed me in raping Ara Mina!
“Paano Sasagutin ang Tanong na: Ano Ang Next Project Mo?”
Even before the final episode of “May Bukas Pa” was aired, I already received messages through my Facebook account and even personally from friends and office mates I met in the corridors and even inside the elevator asking that magical question that one usually gets after the end of a project: “Ano ang next project mo?”
On a personal note, such simple question is actually not that simple. After hearing it many times, I began to ask myself what could have motivated the person to ask me that question. Is he concerned with my “acting career (?)” and wanted to be updated with the latest (ha ha ha ha ha)? But, I am not a superstar, not even popular actor but a simple character actor, or to be more precise, an employee who moonlights in his spare time as a character actor. As such, it does not really matter much what would be my next project since I consider acting primarily and simply a sideline. An additional source of income to augment my salary. That acting is one of my passions is a known fact. But it does not mean that I need to have that next project as soon as possible! To further deal on the issue, I am more inclined to believe that the motivation or the reason why some persons ask me that question is simply this: it is token question, para lang may ma-itanong.
“The May Bukas Pa Cast Party”
The text of Ms. Hazel Parfan, our Associate Producer said that the May Bukas Pa cast party will start at 6:00 p.m. Last friday, 05 February 2010. The party will start with mass, after which the cast will watch the final episode, then dinner was set to follow.
As the habitual early bird, I left my office immediately after I swiped time out at 5:00 p.m., and drove to Il Terrazo on Tomas Morato Avenue, the venue of the Party. When I entered the penthouse, I saw Irene and Tita Mae Santos giving instructions to the staff for final arrangements of the venue. It was 5:15 p.m, and since it was still early, Irene suggested that I roam around the mall first. I followed Irene's suggestion. Anyway, I came early on purpose so as to get a parking space in anticipation that if I would come late, I will be parking my car perhaps three blocks away from the venue.
“An Early Morning Drive to Candaba Swamps and Bacolor, Pampanga”
Two years ago, the migratory birds in the Candaba swamps made it to the headlines of the national newspapers for being suspects in transmitting the dreaded bird flu virus which affected the local poultry industry. The avian visitors believed to be coming from Mainland China seek refuge in the Candaba swamps during winter. They could not survive the below 0 degrees Centigrade temperature in China and have to fly all the way to the Candaba swamps making it their temporary habitat. The local government has declared the swamps as bird sanctuary. I was curious about these avian visitors and had promised my wife and my daughters that we will go on bird watching in Candaba swamps. That was two years ago. I was not able fulfill my promise and was afraid I will never fulfill it until last weekend.