Article from Manila Bulletin
by: Anya Santos
MANILA, Philippines – The year 2011 has been good to Pokwang.
On spending New Year’s day with her family in her new house, Pokwang told host Toni Gonzaga, “Napakasaya. ‘Di ba kinukwento ko naman sa inyo araw-araw sa dressing room ng HYY, excited ako dun sa bagong bahay ko kasi first new year [namin doon], lahat? Masaya. Bongga!”
The year that was
Aside from a new home, 2011 also brought Pokwang back to TV via the noontime show “Happy Yipee Yehey” (HYY), and gave her a sitcom, “Toda Max,” with Robin Padilla, Vhong Navarro and Angel Locsin before it ended.
But aside from those highlights, Pokwang said she is most thankful for what her healthy career has afforded her.
“Natupad ‘yung mga pangarap ko. Nabigyan ng disenteng tahanan ‘yung mga mahal ko sa buhay. I mean, ‘yun lang naman talaga ‘yung importante, ‘di ba, ‘yung mga mahal natin, walang masamang mangyayari sa kanila.”
Asked for her New Year’s resolution, she replied, “Dun nga ako nagtataka. Bakit kailangan new year lang natin ginagawa? Pwede namang gawing araw araw ‘yan, ‘di ba?”
The year that will be
This early, Pokwang welcomes 2012 with a stunning milestone—a movie that sees her in her first-ever lead role, Star Cinema and The Filipino Channel’s “A Mother’s Story.”
A tale of an overseas Filipina worker who sacrificed everything for her family, it is something that is close to Pokwang’s heart.
While it wasn’t really based on her personal journey, she nevertheless said, “Nagkataon na ‘yung storya nung pelikula eh talagang hindi nalalayo sa pagiging Marietta Subong [Pokwang’s real name] ko sa totoong buhay, nung OFW ako. Nagpapasalamat naman ako kasi ako talaga yung binigyan nila ng tiwala na gawin ‘tong pelikula”
While “A Mother’s Story” opens locally on Jan. 8, it has already screened abroad, namely in some areas in the US, Canada, London and Milan. “Magaganda talaga ang reaksiyon ng mga kababayan natin. Thank you, thank you,” Pokwang humbly noted.
Close to home
In the interview, Pokwang also shared how much working on the movie stirred deep-seated memories and emotions within her.
“Actually pagka nagbabasa na kami ng scritp dun sa set, talagang nagkakatitigan na kami ni direk na ganun eh. Tapos mamaya, iyak na… ‘Yung hugot nito talagang sobrang, ‘Direk, eto na po, sasabog na ako,’” Pokwang shared.
As such, she noted, “’Yung mga nanay na alam kong nagpapakasakit sa ibang bansa na kagaya ko rin, sila ‘yung naging inspirasyon ko dahil alam ko kung gaano kahirap kumita ng pera at gaano ka sakit ‘yung mawala at malayo ka sa mga mahal mo sa buhay.”
Aside from her own followers and the OFWs themselves, Pokwang said she hopes people with relatives working abroad would come and watch the movie. “Dahil mas lalo niyo silang mamahalain at bibigyan niyo ng halaga ‘yung mga pinagpapaguran nila.”
With a celebrity screening in Trinoma on Jan. 8—not to mention a screening in Singapore on the same day—Pokwang appealed to the viewers, “Magtira naman po kayo para sa ‘A Mother’s Story,’ alam kong talagang binonggahan niyo at talagang sinuportahan niyo ang Metro Manila Film Festival.”
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tags: Abscbn, pokwang