The ‘most special’ Christmas for Shaina

MANILA, Philippines - Shaina Magdayao considers this Christmas as the most special one after family members based in Tacloban, Leyte survived Supertyphoon Yolanda when it devastated Eastern Visayas a month ago.

At the time, a distraught Shaina took to social media to ask for prayers from fans that they would be able to rescue her close relatives with whom they had lost communication.

The 24-year-old actress looked back, “Mahirap yung ganung experience, when you don’t know what’s already happening to them, if they’re alive or dead, or alive but suffering. It’s tough both ways — for them and for us who are far from them. We are very, very grateful, our whole family is, because nothing terrible happened to my lola and my uncles and my pamangkin. God is good! They’re home with us now. Mas masaya po ang Pasko. I really treasure this year.”

Shaina is equally grateful for a fruitful 2013 career-wise. She’s ending it on a high note as part of the lead cast of the Star Cinema-Regal Films entry Pagpag: Siyam Na Buhay to the 39th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) this month. Directed by Frasco Mortiz and written by Joel Mercado, Pagpag — the only horror film in the MMFF roster — is inspired by Filipino superstitious beliefs surrounding deaths and funerals. The film also features the popular loveteam of Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo.

Shaina found the experience working alongside a younger generation of stars as “refreshing.” She is also paired with Paulo Avelino for the first time in the film. She related that they plunged into their characters as husband and wife with “no prior workshop or bonding session. And we had heavy scenes right away. I was expecting to find it difficult to act and that we would have an adjustment period but we never had the luxury to do that” as they were pressed for time to finish the film in between tapings for their respective soap operas. (Paulo is starring in Honesto, while Shaina is shooting for the upcoming soap You’re My Home with Dawn Zulueta and Richard Gomez.) “So, I’m very thankful because this is the first time I experienced working with someone I didn’t have to adjust to.”

For his part, Paulo described Shaina as very easy to work with. “I had a lot of heavy scenes here — emotionally heavy — and I can say, Shaina is a big part (why I was able to deliver them).  I also admire Shaina for her patience. Because there are scenes that I found hard to motivate for, sometimes it would take me 30 minutes to an hour, but she’s not the type who gets irritated, she’s just there, waiting and willing to help if you need help.”

The coming year is shaping up to be as busy as 2013 as her new teleserye You’re My Home is scheduled to premiere during the first quarter. Asked what her 2014 priorities are, she said, “Work, work, self, family, work.”

Love life? “I’m praying that it will not happen yet. After Four Sisters and A Wedding (last June), tuloy tuloy na siya (career). It has been such a great year and I’m praying for bigger things in 2014. Actually, for the first time, I want to give importance to my career, myself and I’ll just wait for the right person.”

When questions about her ex cropped up, Shaina begged, “Move on na po tayo, ilang years na rin. We’re not close but we’re civil, we say ‘hi’ to each other, because the industry is so small.”

Asked about Piolo Pascual who is being linked to her, Shaina said, “We’re just friends. Honest! He’s not courting me. If there’s anything really going on, you won’t deny someone like Piolo Pascual. He’s a very good person. And if ever I’ll enter a new relationship, di siya dapat ka deny-deny. But I don’t want to assume whatever goodness and kindness Piolo is showing me.”

Also in the cast of Pagpag: Siyam Na Buhay are Clarence Delgado, Matet de Leon, Dominic Roque, Miles Ocampo, CJ Navato, Michelle Vito, Janus del Prado and Marvin Yap. The film opens on Christmas Day, Dec. 25.