A busy day in the life of Wally as Lola Nidora

It was 2:30 in the afternoon last Friday, Oct. 30, when we caught Wally Bayola at the end of a crowded street in Pamplona 1 in Alabang-Zapote a few minutes after the day’s cliffhanger ending of the Eat, Bulaga! kalyeserye. The day’s location for the show’s Juan For All/All For Juan segment was, unlike previous sets, unannounced to avoid attracting what could be uncontrollable crowd from neighboring barangays.

Together with the “live” audience of the kalyeserye that has been trending worldwide (even BBC has featured the
Pabebe Wave recently, with diplomats and action star Vin Diesel shown doing “it”), we were soaked in sweat in the humid late-October heat. In her Lola Nidora make-up/get-up, Wally was the only “coolest” creature around, thanks to Maine Mendoza/Yaya Dub who was as usual constantly waving the world’s widest black fan around her. Jose Manalo/Tinidora had begged off for the day. Paolo Ballesteros/Tidora was rushing out maybe for another appointment.

On TV, the set did look big but actually the kalyeserye actors were confined to a corner at the back of the house, under what looked like an improvised awning. As we walked into the house, AlDub Nationals scrambled over one another to get a “selfie” chance with Wally. Working since earlier that day, Wally showed no sign of weariness and obliged with everybody, unmindful of the security guards who tried to control the crowd. Wally with a girl holding up a sketch of Lola Nidora, click! Wally smiling with an excited fan here, there and everywhere…click, click!! Wally, spotting an old woman on a wheelchair, posed for another shot with her…click, click, click!!!

We were told that Wally had a shoot for a commercial in White Plains, Quezon City, at 4 o’clock. At the sala, we did a fast-break chat with Wally, still wrapped in his Lola Nidora persona, still in his element, with energy levels still high, with a ready (not “forced”) smile as he waved at more fans at the SRO sala, waiting for yet more “selfie” moments with him. Part of our interview was aired the next day on the new GMA show CelebriTV (replacement for the 20-year-old Startalk). For the benefit of those who were not tuned in, Funfare is printing slightly-edited excerpts (with Lola Nidora quoted as he spoke in Filipino, for effect).

In real life, do you have grandchildren?

“Yes, I have two.”

Do you also teach them the same values you’re teaching Yaya Dub? 

“Lahat ‘yan, lahat ‘yan! Respeto sa nakatatanda at maghintay sa tamang panahon. Huwag magmadali. Lagi kong ipinapaalala sa kanila kasi mahirap makipagkumpetensya ngayon sa bagong henerasyon.” 

Lola, marami ka raw manliligaw…including Ferdinand Magellan, si Heneral Luna and Albert Einstein. Nakapag-antay ba sila ng tamang panahon? 

“Hindi nila naabot ang tamang panahon. Kasi nga may mga bagay-bagay at uga-ugali na sa simula pa lang ay hindi kami nararapat sa isa’t isa.”

Sinong pinaka-sweet sa kanila? 

“I had another suitor, si Miguel de Explorer, at siya ang pinaka-sweet sa lahat. Pinagkasundo kami ng aming mga magulang after mag-break kami ni Anselmo (Alden Richards lookalike). Pero si Anselmo naman kasi ang natipuhan ko talaga. Na parang akala ko ka-match ko talaga siya pero feeling lang ‘yun, feeling lang. Kaso ayaw ng mga magulang ko. Sinunod ko siyempre ang mga magulang ko. Bilang anak dapat susunod ka sa mga magulang. Pinaghiwalay kami.”

By the way, what’s your beauty secret at mukhang bata ka pa?

“Exercise, tamang pagkain, bawal sa akin ‘yung mga kung anu-anong substitute na pagkain. Kailangan talaga lutong bahay, gulay, masustansya, ayoko ng mga substitute para mabusog ka lang. And water.”

You are super busy. Monday to Saturday, Eat, Bulaga! On Sundays, Sunday PINASaya. Every now and then, sa Klownz (owned by Allan K). May time ka pa bang matulog?

“Ang tulog ko ay yung tapos ng trabaho kapag may medyo konting chance para matulog. Doon ako natutulog. Wala nang chika-chika, wala nang tambay-tambay, diretso pahinga.” 

Lola, bakit napapayag kang sina Alden at Yaya na magkita? Nagyakapan pa, nag-iyakan pa.

“Kaya kung bakit naibigay ko ang tamang panahon, sa totoo niyan hirap na hirap na rin ako sa Aldub Nation. Marami ang nagagalit sa akin. Kumbaga binigyan ko sila ng chance, tama na ang mga one-foot, one foot; tama na ang plywood. Dapat magkakilanlan muna sila. Makilala nila ang isa’t-isa, maging magkaibigan para mas malakas ang pundasyon ng pag-iibigan.” 

Ano bang traits ni Alden ang gusto mo?

“Mabait. Matiisin talaga at walang reklamo. Yan ang nagustuhan ko sa bata. Si Alden nakita ko sa kanya kahit anong iutos mo, all the way. Very down-to-earth ang bata. Ganun din si Maine.”

Mapadalas na kaya ang pag-akyat ng ligaw ni Alden?

“Tinanong ko nga si Maine kasi sabi ko sobrang kilig naman nitong dalawa. Sinubukan ko si Maine. Sabi ko Maine, paano kung hingin ni Alden ang matamis na oo? Mabuti na lang maganda ang sagot ng bata. Ang sabi niya sa akin, siyempre lola, manligaw muna.”

Lola, sa tingin mo gaano kamahal nina Maine at Alden ang isa’t-isa?

“Mahal na mahal nila ang isa’t isa katulad ng pagmamahal nila sa kanilang mga sarili, at katulad ng pagmamahal sa mga supporters nila.”

Paano ‘yung first kiss nila?

“Wala, wala.”

Ano ang kondisyon sa first kiss?

“Kung ibibigay na muna ang matamis na oo. Kina Alden at kay Maine, kayong dalawa, alam kong bata pa kayo kahit sabihing nasa tamang edad na kayo, ang bilin ko nga ‘yan na shut up na ako sa inyo, gawin nyo na ang parte nyo, kilalanin nyo ang bawat isa nang maayos nang mula sa puso n’yo. Yun lang.”

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)