The text that I got last sunday, March 7 advised me that my call time was at 3:00 pm on the set in Pila, Laguna. Another text came in, this time it was from Raffy Rosal, the Program Liaison asking me if he could deliver my script at my office on monday. I told him, I might not have enough time to study my lines and requested that it be delivered to my Bulacan home.

I was so happy of my call time. I thanked God for arranging my schedule for the first taping day, I could still come to office in the morning and go half day to report for my taping.

I arrived at the office at 5:30 am and I went through my regular schedule after May Bukas Pa ended which is to do brisk walking three rounds of our SSS Building for 15 minutes. While walking, I made a mental calculation: if I would immediate leave for Pila, Laguna after I swipe out at 12:00 noon, I would be on the set before 3 pm.

As soon as I swiped out, I immediately left for Pila, Laguna. Having been used to travel northward to Bacolor, Pampanga for one whole year, three times a week during our tapings for May Bukas Pa, travelling to the south passing through the newly widened South Luzon Expressway seemed to be something new. Even the fact that I used to travel same road during the past two years when I was a board member of my fraternity's alumni association ( the UPSILON SIGMA PHI) to attend our monthly board meetings in UP Los Banos does not erase my feeling of starting a new show, the excitement of going to my next project!

I arrived at the red municipal hall of Pila, Laguna at 2:15 pm, 45 minutes earlier of the 3:00 pm call time. I texted Kat, the show's Associate Producer that I parked beside the municipal hall. She texted back that she will send a staff to fetch me. The set was only some 50 meters from the municipal hall. The staff led me to the parking space. I requested another staff to carry my folding bed to the air conditioned tent.

When I went inside the tent, Nina Dolina greeted me. She plays the role of Joan, the kooky and daring character and Sandra's (Kristine Hermosa) best friend. Nina was busy applying make up on her face. A few minutes later, Amante Pulido and Chiqui del Carmen who came from a take joined us in the tent.

Chiqui who plays the role of Ka Saling the wife of Mang Bustre (Amante Pulido) the carpenter neighbor of Sandra, just had her last scene while Amante had two more scenes.

At 5:00 pm, Chiqui and Amante were finally done for the day while I have not started working yet! The set transferred to the municipal hall. The crew moved the tents and the equipments to the municipal hall.

We had an early dinner. Direk Rechie del Carmen offered me to sit beside her. Oyo Boy Sotto and Kristine Hermosa joined us on the table. Our Assistant Director Raymond who was also our Assistant Director in May Bukas Pa was joking when he saw me getting my food from the buffet table, “dalian nyo na, dito na ang mga fathers, baka maubusan tayo!”. The joke was “in” during our tapings since we were 12 fathers (priests) in the cast, a big number to reckon with during chow time! Marielle of the last Pinoy Big Brother was also with us during dinner.

If during our tapings for May Bukas Pa I had for regular tent mates the 11 fathers, Santino, Ton Ton Gutierrez, Rayver Cruz and Ogie Diaz, this time for Precious Hearts Romance beautiful girls surrounded me as my tent mates! Nina Jose, who plays the role of Erika my daughter, Nina Dolina, Marielle of PBB and her chaperon aunt were my tent mates. While waiting for my takes, I slept soundly knowing that I was in safe company that I am sure my former co-actors would surely envy! Or shall I presume that the girls felt that they were in safe company with me!

Please watch Precious Hearts Romance Quikilig episode “Lumang Piso Para Sa Puso”. The two weeks and three days short series will air March 15 to 31, 5:30 pm before Tanging Yaman, ABS-CBN Channel 2 and TFC.

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