‘Sa bashers, hindi lang nila alam kung gaano kalaki ang pagtanaw ko ng utang na loob sa ABS. — Pokwang’
POKWANG was officially presented by GMA Artists Center as a Kapuso.
“Actually, ako ‘yung lumapit sa GMA,” she says. “Since 2019 pa kami nag-uusap. Nagpapasalamat ako they opened their arms for me. Kasi bilang artista, marami pa akong gustong gawin at i-share sa viewers and thankful ako that they’re now giving me the chance to do it.”
What prompted her to apply at GMA?
“Kasi, sa dami ng artista sa ABS, hindi naman na ako bumabata, so kailangan kong gawin ang gusto ko habang malakas pa ang katawan ko. May inilatag naman ang ABS sa’kin, pero hindi nila agad maibibigay kasi sa dami nga namin. Alam nyo naman ‘yan, madami talaga ang artista nila, so sabi ko, maghahanap na lang ako kunsaan ko puedeng gawin ito. Kaya nag-uumapaw ako sa pagsasalamat sa GMA at tinanggap nila akong bukas ang kanilang mga braso. Parang panaginip, pero answered prayer ito. Iba talaga kapag ipinagdarasal mo.”
Does she foresee any difficulty in her transition from ABS-CBN to GMA?
“Wala naman, kasi marami rin akong friends working dito sa GMA. May directors, writers, kapwa artista, so ang feeling ko, kilala na nila ako, kung ano ang capacity ko bilang artista at magiging madali o smooth ang lahat. Sobrang excited na nga akong gawin lahat ng projects nila for me. I will be a guest daw muna sa ‘Tekla & Boobay Show,’ na dati ko ng kasama sa comedy bar. Then sa ‘All Out Sundays,’ ‘Dear Uge,’ ‘Wish Ko Lang,’ and ‘yung prequel ng ‘Pepito Manaloto’ with Michael V.”
In the time of the pandemic, Pokwang became a businesswoman.
“Yes, we’re in the food business and direct online selling. Si Papang (Lee O’Brien, her partner) helps me. So tuloy-tuloy lang ‘yan kasi hindi puedeng umasa ka lang sa pagiging artista. Full time ako sa showbiz, pero basta hindi mabibitin ang mga suki namin, like ‘yung roasted chicken na napakalakas kung weekend.”
What can she say to bashers who’ll accuse her of being “walang utang na loob” since ABS-CBN gave her the big break and it’s also with a Star Cinema movie that she met her partner?
“Hindi naman natin maaalis na ma-bash ka, kasi opinyon nila ‘yun. Pero ‘di rin nila maalis ang pagnanais kong magtrabaho para sa pamilya ko. Sa bashers, hindi lang nila alam kung gaano kalaki ang pagtanaw ko ng utang na loob sa ABS. Nagpaalam naman ako sa kanila nang maayos at sinuportahan naman nila ako. Alam nilang working mom ako and I need to do this for my family.”
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Herbert Bautista reprises his film role as Puto in the new TV5-Cignal fantasy-comedy series, “Puto,” in collaboration with Viva TV. The movie “Puto” was a blockbuster hit in 1987, with Herbert in the lead role. How does he feel reprising his role as “Puto” in the present time?
“So happy as very memorable ang ‘Puto’ for me since it’s my first solo movie,” says the former QC mayor. “After ‘Puto’ became a big hit, sunod-sunod na ang projects ko like ‘Captain Barbell’ at ‘Kumander Bawang’.”
How different is “Puto” then and now?
“Direk Leroy Salvador did ‘Puto’ then at ‘80s pa ang comedy namin. Now at 53, ako na ang pinakamatandang member ng cast and crew sa show namin at iba naman ang flair and off beat comic timing ng director namin, si Direk Raynier Brizuela. At ang special effects noon sa movie, very ‘80s, now, mas maganda na. But the story about bullying remains very relevant up to now in this era of bashing.”
His character now has a son, Uno, played by McCoy de Leon.
“Puto is now both nanay and tatay, a single parent to his son, at ang hanapbuhay niya, puto pa rin. Pero hindi na siya naglalako ng puto like before kundi may factory na siya ng puto at may mga kasama na siya, ‘yung Beks Battallion.”
Working with McCoy was a breeze because they shared a lot of similarities.
“It helps na ang personality namin ni McCoy, hindi nagkakalayo, pareho kaming masayahin, may good sense of humor. I saw myself in him, although at his age, iba ang naging karanasan ko kaysa kanya kasi I started as a child star sa Regal.”
After being QC mayor, what are his plans for next year’s elections? “As of now, nothing definite. Malayo pa naman ‘yan. Malalaman na lang natin kung ano mangyayari within the next few months. As of now, focus muna tayo rito sa ‘Puto’ na siyang priority ko ngayon.
I’m just so thankful na kahit may pandemic, busy ako. Marami akong kasamahang naghahanap ng trabaho. I consider this as a blessing na binigay ng Panginoon kasi after my term, nakabalik agad ako sa pag-aartista. ABS-CBN got me and I did shows with their young love teams like LizQuen, KathNiel and Kycine ng Gold Squad. Now, sa TV5 naman ako.”
“Puto” airs Saturdays, on TV5 at 6 p.m., and on Sari-Sari Channel. It’s also available on Cignal Channel 3.
