MANILA, Philippines — Faith Da Silva is flexing her muscles in hosting and acting, with her stint in TicktoClock and All-Out Sundays and Maging Sino Ka Man. Sometimes she also graces The Boobay and Tekla Show as a guest host.
Given the weekday, weeknight, and weekend timeslots of her shows, Faith is undeniably among the Sparkle GMA’s visible young stars these days. She shows her brand of versatility.
With that, she simply seizes the day or the opportunity that comes her way.
“I think the breakthrough (or the important turn) in my career started with Las Hermanas,” replied she when The STAR asked about the show that paved the way for her to have a busy career in a virtual one-on-one. “It was the show where I had my first lead role. My character (named Scarlet) in Las Hermanas is a brat.”
“In the TV series, we didn’t have an antagonist. It’s really about the struggles of a family or siblings. Sometimes they get along with each other and fight, but at the end of the day, they still have each other,” she added.
The GMA Afternoon Prime drama aired in the last quarter of 2021 and saw Faith hold her own in the presence of Yasmien Kurdi and Thea Tolentino as they played the Manansala sisters and represented the faces and facets of a woman.
Her way of entering GMA was via the reality talent show StarStruck Season 6 with TV actress-social media influencer Ivana Alawi as her batchmate.
“This was in 2015, and I didn’t make the cut for Top 14,” recalled she. “I’m grateful that GMA (the network and its Artist Center) gave all of us, those who belonged to the Top 28 or 30, a contract for a year.”
That set everything up for Faith to learn the ropes of the industry and the rudiments of the craft by playing bit and supporting roles.
Proof of her potential was when her Sahaya character, Farida, which was originally written to appear for the first or second week, got extended until the show’s finale. But it took six years for Faith to score her lead role in Las Hermanas, and she patiently waited for the right time to come.
After that, she became part of Unica Hija and Mga Lihim ni Urduja.
Now, Kapuso viewers also follow her performance as Betty, the former girlfriend of Carding, played by David Licauco, and the archrival of Monique (Barbie Forteza) in Maging Sino Ka Man, the TV adaptation.
The GMA Entertainment website describes her character as someone who has “learned how to fend for herself and can do anything for love.”
“Betty is an added character,” said she. “At first, I got a bit pressured (into playing her). I had no idea whether or not people would accept and love her (as part of the TV adaptation). Bilib din talaga ako sa mga writers and directors of the series (they have my respect) because they have given her kulay at buhay (a colorful life story).”
Her Betty forms part of the entertaining and engaging Maging Sino Ka Man dramatis personae that keep viewers invested in the narrative.
According to Faith, Betty will continue to love Carding and never give up trying to win him back.
At the rate her career is going, Faith is glad and grateful.
“I’m thankful to GMA because with them, I have tried many things, like hosting. I started doing it regularly in TicktoClock only this year,” said she. Through that, Faith has discovered and acquired another skill, which, she added, “I think it can still grow and flourish.”
As an actress, Faith has a dream role she hopes to fulfill soon.
“(Mine) is a bida-kontrabida either in a series or movie,” shared she. “(It is somewhat similar to the characters in) Rhodora X of Jennylyn Mercado or Rubi of Angelica Panganiban. I want to play a bida na palaban, bida na hindi nag-papaapi lang (I want to play a lead role that is strong and feisty).”
She would like to work with passionate and versatile actors Dennis Trillo and Zanjoe Marudo.
Away from the klieg lights, Faith is a senior high school student who completed Grade 11 with honors. She values education and commits to it.
In the future, she plans to take her time securing a college degree as she attends to work opportunities.
“I think the work ethic (I’ve learned from showbiz) is a big help. Naniniwala na ako na hindi naman (sa) lahat ng bagay ay kailangan talented ka, you need to work hard. You also need to give your time, your effort and your focus to it,” she reflected.
As her showbiz career shows, people need patience and some faith to change the fate of their lives.
“Every time I was asked about my dream job when I was young, wala akong masabi (I couldn’t think of an answer),” shared she. “As a kid, I knew that I was going to be successful in my career, but I didn’t know in what field.”
“What I believed then was that in whatever career I would foray into, I knew I would succeed, I would be able do it with excellence, and I would do my best,” added she, who has made strides by believing in herself and her skills.
Since Maging Sino Ka Man runs for a limited time, Faith will be seen in TicktoClock and All-Out Sundays and in another acting assignment.
“There’s a project that I will do, and it might be released next year. This is something that I have been praying for. Ito yung parang my answered prayer for me. I cannot disclose the title of the show for now, and (what I can say is that) it’s something very exciting,” concluded she.