MANILA, Philippines — The boatman Elias (Rocco Nacino) thought to have died as written in the last chapter of Dr. Jose Rizal's "Noli Me Tangere" is alive and kicking, literally, in the hit TV adaptation "Maria Clara at Ibarra."
Last night's episode opened with a bang and answered questions. After 13 years, Fidel (David Licauco) still longs for Klay (Barbie Forteza) who left him to go back to the real world at the end of the "Noli Me Tangere" arc of the show.
Instead of the crisp suit and clean-shaven look of a gentleman of his upbringing, Fidel is now a forest dweller and among the revolutionaries with his simple Indio (Filipino) clothes and salakot (native hat). He has also developed tan skin and a shoulder-length mane from living outside of comfort and a genteel lifestyle.
His soliloquy is interrupted when two guardia civils arrived to apprehend him. A scuffle ensues, with Fidel displaying his fighting skills until a figure leaps out of the shadows to help him.
Elias, presumed dead by viewers who have read the books (but not by those who have seen the spoilers of Rocco in costume again in one of their location shoots uploaded in social media), helps his friend. They subdue the guardia civil and end their opponents' lives.
The episode also sees Klay succeeding in getting back inside the sequel book "El Filibusterismo." She goes to the monastery hoping to see Maria Clara (Julie Anne San Jose) to no avail. Even Maria Clara's fiance, Crisostomo Ibarra (Dennis Trillo), who has returned in disguise as the cunning jeweler Simoun, was not even allowed to see her unless they obtain permission from Padre Salvi (Juancho Trivino).
Klay is also heartbroken to confirm that Maria Clara's adoptive father, Kapitan Tiago (Juan Rodrigo), has become an opium addict.
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The episode also introduces Elias and Fidel in their revolutionary code names, Taga-usig and Naliwanagan, respectively.
They were seen dealing with the Chinese businessman named Quiroga where Fidel, a Mestiza de Sangley or Chinese Mestizo, used his businessman skills and conversed in Hokkien.
It ends with another cliffhanger for many Filay (Fidel and Klay) fans because they still failed to see each other after 13 years even though Klay has already entered the book.
I'm bacccckkkk bitzezzzzzz#MCIPaghahanap pic.twitter.com/w6Uy981sbD
— Rocco Nacino (@nacinorocco) January 30, 2023
The "El Filibusterismo" promo also revealed David Licauco as part of the lead star plug alongside Dennis Trillo, Julie Anne San Jose and Barbie Forteza.
Creative consultant Suzette Doctolero, with her co-headwriter J-mee Katanyag, revealed in a recent presscon that they introduced a twist that was not written by Rizal in his books.
"May isa kaming isang major na ginawa sa 'Noli,' sobrang major na itinawid namin hanggang 'Fili' na hindi isinulat ni Rizal pero kaya naming panindigan na ipagpapasalamat ni Rizal na ginawa namin. Sa palagay ko," said Doctolero.
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