MAMA POKWANG
[PHOTO - Pokwang in The Mommy
Returns, Regal Films' Mother's Day offering, with Gabby Concepcion (left) and
Ruffa Gutierrez among her co-stars]
MANILA, MAY 11, 2012 (PHILSTAR) FUNFARE By Ricardo
F. Lo - In a week's time, it's Mother's Day and once again Pokwang will be
wrestling with the painful memory of the six-year-old son Shin that she lost
while she was working abroad, not allowed by her employer to come home for the
funeral.
"On that day (May 13)," Pokwang told reporters during a mini-presscon for The
Mommy Returns, Regal Films' Mother's Day offering, in which she plays Gabby
Concepcion's deceased wife who continues to haunt Ruffa Gutierrez as Gabby's new
wife, "I will be in Boracay to celebrate my daughter Ria Mae's 15th birthday the
next day (May 14), with my mother and my bachelor brother. We are booked for
three days. Matagal ko nang plano 'yan," added Pokwang who is one of 12
siblings. "Ngayon lang natuloy."
She has to beg off from the shoot of the ABS-CBN Aryana (as the mother of
Ella Cruz playing the title role as a mermaid) and the Star Cinema movie The
Healing (topbilled by Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos and directed by Chito Roño).
In 1998 while she was working in Abu Dhabi, Pokwang received the sad news
that her son died of a congenital brain ailment.
"Of course, I felt guilty na wala man lang ako sa tabi ng anak ko nang
kailangang-kailangan niya ako," admitted Pokwang, the wacky comedienne
(suspected to be the "reincarnation" of Aruray) who in real life is a serious
mother. She changed moods from sadly reflective to hilariously comedic. "Shin
was made in the Philippines, pero assembled by a Japanese. I met his father here
before I went to Japan. Magulo ang relasyon namin. Away kami nang away,
nagbabatuhan kami ng kung anu-ano, nagsasakitan kami talaga, that's why the baby
inside me was badly affected. Kawawa naman siya. When the baby was born, kami ng
ama niya nagbabatuhan kami ng crib."
Ria Mae was also sired by a Japanese whom Pokwang met in Japan where she
worked as a dancer.
"I never lived with my children's fathers," Pokwang said. "Nabuntis lang nila
ako."
Still haunted by the death of Shin, Pokwang is over-protective of Ria. In the
four-storey house that she has built in Antipolo City, Ria has her own room but
she'd rather sleep with her mom — "Malambing siya because I'm always out of the
house working and we seldom see each other."
Pokwang saw to it that Shin also has his own room which is filled with
mementoes about his short life (pictures, etc.).
Is she a strict mom, especially when it comes to her daughter's suitors?
"Not really," said Pokwang. "She doesn't want to have a boyfriend yet. Ako,
maaga akong lumandi. I was only 17 when I started. I was 19 when I got pregnant
and 20 when I gave birth. If ever, gusto ko 'yung liligaw sa anak ko ay bumisita
naman sa bahay, huwag sa labas."
Single for a long time now, Pokwang said she's wary about prospective suitors
who might be only after her money — "And not," she added, laughing aloud, "my
body." Luckily, she qualified, she hasn't met that type because she's a
homebody. "Hindi ako palalabas ng bahay so paano ako makapaglalandi?"
In The Mommy Returns, directed by Joel Lamangan, Pokwang got a chance to kiss
Gabby in the scene where the half-asleep Gabby, thinking that he's embracing
Ruffa, plants a kiss on the ghost Pokwang's lips.
"Smack lang," said Pokwang. "Sayang, hindi ko masyadong nalasap."
Gabby himself admitted at the earlier presscon that he wanted to do a movie
with Pokwang when he performed at a US show with Pokwang a few years ago. The
Mommy Returns is therefore a dream come true for both of them.
Asked by reporters who between Ai-Ai de las Alas and Vice Ganda did she look
up to as role model, Pokwang said without any second thought, "Ai-Ai talaga
without a doubt."
She explained, "I have nothing against Vice Ganda. Mahusay siya, maganda ang
istilo. But over-all, Ai-Ai is tops for me. As a mother, she's able to raise her
children by herself. Let's admit the fact that Ai-Ai has been in the industry
for a long time and she hasn't changed, hindi siya nag-iba. Marami pa rin ang
nagmamahal sa kanya."
Did she ever let success go to her head?
"You know, it can happen to anybody in the business pero nasa sa'yo 'yon how
you handle it. I admit that I went through it but not for long. I asked myself
where I went wrong at kinorek ko kung ano man 'yon."
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE
HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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