MANILA, Philippines - There are three major TV networks in the Philippines, but ABS CBN is the big dream, the ultimate goal, the final frontier for any aspiring artista worth her 15 seconds of fame. The network’s well-oiled machinery has produced superstars that need no last name: Claudine, Bea, John Lloyd, Angelica, Maja, Kim, and Kristine, to name a few. Its film arm Star Cinema churns out blockbuster movies that leave a mark with an audience hungry for memorable lines and stories that mirror their little-told personal struggles: Anak, One More Chance, search for the title of Aga-Maricel-Angelica movie, Sukob, Bride for Rent, and search for the title of Aga-Kristine movie. On TV, ratings discrepancies aside, there’s a glossy quality to ABS CBN shows that other networks just lack. And the celebrities under the Kapamilya brand? Let’s just say they don’t call the in-house talent center Star Magic for nothing. To be an ABS CBN star is to have the kind of luster other players from rival networks can only dream of.
Which leads us to this question: Why did actress/singer/host/’90s teen queen Jolina Magdangal, 37, leave ABS CBN 12 years ago? It was shocking news at the time, considering she’s been with the network since ‘92. A quick look at her Kapamilya trajectory: From being one the bibo child stars on Ang TV, teenage Jolina “graduated” and began honing her hosting chops on Sunday variety show ASAP. The viewers (and the omnipresent Mr. M) noticed her playful chemistry with co-host Marvin Agustin, and soon, they were launched as a love team via youth-oriented show Gimik. Thus began Jolina’s reign of color. She was into excessorizing before it was even a term (“Tuwang-tuwa lang talaga ako na nilalagay ko sa katawan ko lahat ng accessories.), she rocked ombre hair before ombre ever happened (“Pag nagsasayaw kami gusto ko talagang iba iba yung buhok ko.”), and made tricky-to-pull-off pieces covetable: the bubble bag, those butterfly accessories, flower power shoes, and other trimmings that are now in every ’90s teenagers’ baduy archive. That said, this can be on the record now: The move to GMA 7, ABS CBN’s main rival, was not her choice. Her father/ex-manager made all the business decisions, choices Jolina never questioned. To be fair, Jolina says the bosses at GMA made her feel “important,” (“May show ako agad, tapos may Christmas special!”) but in the same breath, she admits that at some point during her stint as a Kapuso, she began to notice that she was getting less and less work. And a celebrity who’s becoming less busy is most likely a celebrity on her way to Laos City. Struggling to keep one eye open as makeup artist Mickey See attaches her falsies, she gives it straight: “Laos? Hindi ako naka feel na walang walang wala na talaga eh. Hindi ako nawala sa TV. Yung iba nagasawa, nagpahinga, nawala. Ako, nandiyan lang. Hindi man bonggang-bongga, pero hindi ako nawala sa eksena.”
If there ever was bad blood between Jolina and ABS CBN, that’s all behind them now. More than a decade since she said goodbye to her home, she’s back, reunited with ka loveteam Marvin Agustin for Flordeliza, an afternoon soap that starts airing in January 2015. Her homecoming was met with pleasantly surprising positivity we just had to ask, “What is Jolina’s secret to a killer comeback?”
1. Remain friends with a key player.
“One time, after a shoot, ayoko pa umuwi. I called my former handler Jerry Telan who happened to be at the Star Magic office. Sabi ko puntahan kita, tapos sakto nandun silang lahat: Si Mr. M, si tita Mariole, si direk Lauren. Na miss ko talaga sila. Right timing din talaga.”
2. Know your niche…and run with it.
“My image is wholesome. Never akong nagpa sexy. Gusto ko lang kumanta. Bakit ko kailangan magpakita ng suso? For Flordeliza, I have kissing scenes with Marvin, bilang may mga anak na rin naman kami. Pero hindi porket pwede na, barubal na lang yung mga eksena. Dapat hindi pa rin bastusin.
3. Remember: Everyone wants to work with a professional.
“Ayaw na ayaw kong nale late, ayaw na ayaw kong napapagalitan ng director. Wag yung nasa taping ka puro ka, ‘Tsk! Puyat na naman!’ Mamahalin ka ng business na ’to pag mahal mo siya eh.”
4. Come back because you want to.
“Four years ago, I changed managers. Perry Lansigan lets me be hands-on with my career. Nag de decide na ako for myself. Pwede naman pala mag suggest, pwede pala na kung ano yung gusto mo, yun yung gagawin, hindi yung kung ano lang yung sabihin nila lagi.”
5. Two words: Hard dedma.
“May mga nagsasabi pa rin na baduy ako, jologs. Okay lang! Yang haters na yan, yun talaga yung purpose nila eh, yung inisin ka. Bakit mo pagbibigyan?”
* * *
Tweet the author @IrishDDizon.