Playing Dina Bonnevie’s Dad

 I was hesitant when Ces Aldaba texted me that I will play dad of Dina Bonnevie, because that would mean that I would have made my wife pregnant when I was five years old to have a daughter with Dina Bonnevie’s age. But he insisted that the Production Staff of GMA Network had indeed sought for me to play the role for its latest telenovela  the remake for television of a Sharon Cuneta movie titled “BABANGON AKO’T DUDURUGIN KITA".

The Production people according to Ces told him that Dina Bonnevie would be made to look 20 years younger! So, off I went to the first taping day of this Joel Lamangan project last 21 January 2008. The location was the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Hospital in Sta. Mesa. I was on call at 8:00 p.m. but I was only made to go to the location at 10:00 p.m.

Playing my wife is another character actress  – Jesseth Prospero who I had worked before for a Japanese movie. I arrived ahead of Jesseth on the set. We were told to proceed to the standby area – a hospital room on the 4^th floor. When we arrived at the designated stand by area, Jennica Garcia and Mart Escudero were already inside the room together with the make up artist. Soon, Ton Ton Guttierez, Robert Ortega, Emilio Garcia and the Production Staff filled up the stand by area. After a production assistant had given me the script and the wardrobe had selected what I am suppose to wear for my scenes, I joined the group in a small talk. Jennica was the center of the attention, now at 18 years old, the daughter of Jean Garcia and Jigo Garcia is taller than her mother but I would say she is a look-alike of her mother. I told her to tell her mom – Jean that I was her lawyer seven years ago in “Pangako Sa ‘Yo” which Ton Ton remarked, “oo, nga seven years na yun!”. Jennica talked back, “ I was only 11 years then!”. Robert Ortega – Manila ex-councilor joined us and told Jennica that both her parents were his batch mates in Kuya Germs’ “That’s Entertainment”.

 Our conversation was interrupted when a production staff told us to proceed to the set. Director Joel Lamangan gave us the instructions and smoothly finished our scenes which showed Dina on the hospital bed, with us her parents visiting her.

 Finally, before the taping was packed up, we had a very creepy scene:   Emilio Garcia –playing Dina Bonnevie’s murdered husband was lying dead on the stainless table of the UERM Hospital morgue as Dina accompanied by Ton ton, and her parents (Jesseth and myself)! Dina was hesitant to do the scene when Direk Joel told us about it. But  Direk Joel prevailed!  It was my first time to enter a morgue and same with Dina Bonnevie who was afraid that she will not be able to sleep after the take!