Meet Marta

Everybody needs a friend, someone who’ll stick by her though thick and thin, someone to tell her when what she’s doing is wrong, then steer her in the right direction. In Bakekang, it is Marta who is always by the heroine’s side, watching her back, and taking care of her when things go wrong. Bakekang’s loyal friend is played by none other than Manilyn Reynes. Manilyn is very happy to be playing Marta, a character she admires for her loyalty and friendship. Of Marta, she says, “I am Bakekang’s best friend. I’m very loyal to her. Lahat ng gusto niyang gawin, I let her, but when I see na hindi na maganda, I tell her also. Sinasabi ko talaga na hindi maganda ‘yan. Dapat ito ang ginagawa mo and she listens. But most of the time, she doesn’t. May galit kasi siya sa mundo, may galit siya sa Diyos. She listens but in the end, siya pa rin ang nagde-decision.” She adds, “Marta will forever be that faithful, that loyal to Bakekang unless siguro siya din ang malagay sa dehado. Kasi she’s very nice pero hwag mo lang din tatapakan.” Working on the set of Bakekang isn’t easy. The location is hard to get to, and is often hot and uncomfortable. Despite these conditions, Manilyn is happy with her work. “Everything is fine and I get along well with my co-workers so I’m happy,” she says. “Kahit medyo mahirap ang location, consuelo mo is that you are in good terms with everybody. Walang problema. It’s fun. I enjoy doing Bakekang.” Manilyn admits that there’s a bit of Marta in her. “The nice part, yes,” she laughs. “I mean, I guess so kasi never naman ako nakipag-away. You know always naman (that I give into) what people want, pero siguro at some point, kapag sobra-sobra na, dapat umaalma din.” She adds that playing Marta isn’t very challenging in the usual sense, but it’s a good role to have because of her outstanding qualities. “(Marta is) basically mabait. She’s very supportive, which I am (also) in real life. Maganda (‘yung role) kasi mabait siya. It’s a good role because marami ding nakaka-relate (sa kanya) because madami ding mabait na Filipino.” It’s easy to see how well Bakekang and Marta get along on screen but did you know that off screen, Manilyn and Sunshine Dizon are good friends as well? “Most of the time, wacky siya, wacky ako, so when we talk, it’s always about funny things, funny experiences,” Manilyn relates. “Nagshe-share kami ng things that we do, like reading, actually, petty stuff…’Yun ‘yung fun, bonding… habang nagta-trabaho kayo.” For people who knew Manilyn in her youth, Bakekang is also the first time in nine years that she will be working with long-time friend Sheryl Cruz. But this time, instead of being on the same side, these two are cast as enemies because Sheryl plays Valeria, Bakekang’s nemesis. “Sabi namin (ni Sheryl) sa story conference, this is so funny because miss na miss na namin ang isa’t-isa, tapos we’re so used to portraying roles na pa-cute-cute when we were younger, but now, bad (siya) rito,” Manilyn laughs. “Kaya kapag may mga eksena kami, nawe-weirdohan ako. After every scene I go, ‘Ang bad mo!’ Affected na ako because she’s so good. She’s very convincing. So ang bad bad niya kapag kaharap niya ako, pero after that, of course, we talk na, we just laugh about it.” There are many things to look out for in Bakekang. “Expect nila na mas lalong gaganda pa ‘yung story,” Manilyn says. “Nandito na ‘yung maraming away, maraming sabunutan, sampalan. You know naman how girls fight, di ba? Ganun talaga. Tapos kawawa sila Charming kasi ‘yun talaga ‘yung alaga ko. Maganda talaga ‘yung kwento, abangan nila. It’s very interesting and exciting. May mga funny scenes din naman kasi…mahirap na all thoroughout, iyak ka ng iyak.” Though Manilyn is more known for her comedic and hosting roles, true Manilynians will remember that she got her start in drama. This is why Marta has become something of a return to her roots. Says Manilyn, “I’m having fun and I enjoy doing what I am doing so that’s the most important thing kasi kailangan mahal mo ‘yung ginagawa mo for you to be able to deliver because kung hindi din, what for?” -- Text by Yvette U. Tan. Photos by Mitch S. Mauricio. Catch more of the drama on Bakekang, weeknights after Atlantika. 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. P15/logo download. Keep up with what’s happening in the lives of your favorite Bakekang characters! Subscribe to the Bakekang episode guide! Text BAKEKANG ON to 4627 for all telcos. P2.50 for Globe, TM, Smart and Talk 'N Text. P2.00/ ep guide for Sun.