Ray of Light

Bakekang, the show about an ugly woman with a beautiful heart, has been capturing people with its captivating plot and memorable characters. Text by Yvette U. Tan. In the center of all the intrigue is Bakekang herself, played by the feisty Sunshine Dizon. We last saw Shine as the fierce, fire-wielding Pirena in the hit fantaserye Encantadia. Now, Sunshine takes on a different role – that of a woman determined to make it the world, no matter what – and the public has loved her all the more for it. “I’m very honored and very flattered and very happy (sa) pagtanggap ng tao,” Sunshine says. While a lot of actors would balk at playing a non-glamorous role, Sunshine embraces the challenge as an opportunity to grow as an artist. “Some people, they’re very conscious of their looks. Ako, hindi kasi,” she says. “Ever since, it never bothered me na papa-pangitin.. ako...” Being Bakekang means spending a lot of time in prosthetics and make-up. Aside from her signature nose, Sunshine has to slather on body make-up to make herself look darker. Though time consuming, to Sunshine, its all part of a day’s work. “Actually, I don’t mind talaga, (though) sometimes it’s hard,” Sunshine says. “Like today, I’m kinda sick. May sipon ko tapos I have a headache, tapos nakaka-irita kapag may naka-(lagay) sa ilong mo, di ba? Pero on a normal day, ok naman siya, walang problema kasi kapag nakadikit naman yung ilong, parang wala na, parang part na siya ng face mo.” Sometimes though, taking off the make-up takes longer than actually putting it on! “Minsan, bothersome lang kapag body make-up kasi malagkit. We don’t finish early so after taping, when I go home, it takes me about an hour to remove the body make-up. Alas-kuwatro ng umaga, nag sa-scrub pa ako! So ‘yun lang yung hassle na part, pero sa iba naman, ok lang,” Sunshine says. Playing such a dramatic role poses many challenges. One of them, Shine says, is the challenge of playing a mother. “Mahirap din kasi paano ka magiging convincing as a mother kung hindi ka naman nanay?” Shine explains. “Good thing na love is something universal, so madaling i-express ang love, pero yung motherly instinct mahirap (minsan)… Papaano mo mapapaniwala yung mga nanay na nanonood? Pero good thing na nandoon… mga director namin. Inaalalayan naman nila ako. Ine-explain nila kung ano gusto nila makita. So from there, napipick up ko naman.” Closer to viewers Playing Bakekang is fun, especially since it gives Sunshine a chance to get close to the show’s viewers. “Nakakatuwa kasi nung ginagawa ko pa yung Encantadia, medyo nararamdaman (ko) aloof yung tao sa (akin) kasi di ba, bad (ako)?” Shine says. “(Pero ngayon), kaka-kilala lang nila sa akin diyan sa kanto, (pero binabati nila ako), ‘Bakekang, kamusta ka?’” She adds, “Mas-magaan yung feeling, kahit alam mo na artista ka, parang nakaka-connect ka sa kanila and nakaka-relate ‘yung mga tao sa ‘yo.” Sunshine has had many experiences of people going out of their way to be nice to her because they sympathize with her character on TV. The latest one happened during the recent typhoon Milenyo. “Pag naririnig mo yung ga kwento, nakaka-touch,” Sunshine relates. “Di ba nung bumagyo… ‘yung mga bahay dito, nag-liparan yung mga bubong. And bahay ko, hindi liniparan ng bubong kasi tinalian daw ng (mga kapitbahay)… Nagtulong-tulong daw sila para kabitan ng tali para di masira ‘yung bahay dahil daw bahay ni Bakekang ‘yun. Pero ‘yung ibang bahay, nilipad na, wala silang pakialam pero bahay ko, ang tibay, buong-buo kasi nagtulong-tulong yung mga tao dahil bahay ni Bakekang yun. Kakatuwa.” Bakekang, with her trials and tribulations, has managed to bridge the gap between television and its viewers. “’Yun ‘yung nakakatuwa sa Bakekang. Kaya mo siya abutin. Parang kakilala mo lang siya. Hindi siya kathang isip or whatever. May ganun at may ganun na tao,” Sunshine says. Despite the warm reception she has been getting from televiewers and fans, Sunshine can’t help but miss her fantaserye days, partly because she misses all her old friends, and partly because of the release the genre brings. “I did Fantarerye for almost a year,” she says. “Maganda siyang outlet para maka-gawa, maka-play ka ng bagong character.” She is quick to say, however, that being in a drama is equally fulfilling. “Pero in the same (way), masarap na totoong tao ang ginagampanan mo, kasi iba rin yung challenge. Since totoo kang tao, dapat mas totoo ka, di ba? Kung baga, hindi iisipin ng tao na impossible ito, tao lang siya! So oo na hindi.” Bakekang’s life story is just beginning. She has more challenges to face, and more of Valeria’s plans to foil. Sunshine is very enthusiastic about the show’s future episodes. “Maraming twists (ang show)… marami bagong challenges,” she says. “Palagay ko by now, alam na ng tao yung lesson, di ba? Do not judge the person because of their looks. But I guess the bigger lesson here is, eto na, nagkaroon na ng chance si Bakekang makaangat sa buhay, paano niya gagamitin yun? I hope that the people will also learn from Bakekang’s trials and from her mistakes, kasi very valuable yun in our lives.” Sunshine herself has learned a lot from her character. “Dapat may tiwala ka sa sarili,” she says. “Lahat naman tayo, may insecurities sa buhay, di ba? Nobody is perfect…” She adds, “I just hope that the people will continue supporting us and I hope in a way or two, we can touch their lives. May mapupulot silang magandang aral sa kwento ni Bakekang.” Well said, Sunshine! Watch the life of Bakekang unfold, weeknights after Super Twins. Be as lucky as Bakekang! Answer the trivia question aired on the show and you could be the lucky winner of P10,000! Just text BAKEKANG to 4627 for all telcos. Each logo download costs P15. Promo period is October 9 to November 3, 2006. Keep up to date on what’s going on in the lives of Bakekang, Valeria, Kristal and your other favorite characters. Subscribe to the Bakekang episode guide! Text BAKEKANG ON to 4627 for all telcos. Each episode guide costs P2.50 for Globe, TM, Smart and Talk n Text and P2.00 for Sun.