GINA ALAJAR is one of GMA-7’s most trusted directors today. She’s always directing something, like “Villa Quintana”, “Yagit”, “Let the Love Begin”, “Half Sisters” and now “Pinulot Ka Lang sa Lupa”. In between, she also acts, like playing the main villain in “Magkaibang Mundo”. She’s now challenged to adapt National Artist Ishmael Bernal’s hit drama movie, “Pinulot Ka Lang” for the small screen.
“Maraming nakapanood noon kasi pinagsama sina Lorna Tolentino and Maricel Soriano,” she says. “But for TV, marami kaming binago para mas kumapal ang story. Isa na rito yung role ni Eddie Garcia as the patriarch in the movie na ginawa naming babae ngayon, si Jean Garcia. Binigyan din namin ng back story ang characters nina Julie Anne San Jose as Santina and LJ Reyes as Angelie. May mga magulang sila rito na nawalay sa kanila. Si Allan Paule ang ama ni Julie at si Ara Mina ang ina ni LJ.”
What can she say about the rant of Ara Mina against the show in her Instagram account? “Hindi ko nabasa, e. When someone told me about, I checked it pero deleted na. But sana maayos kasi if she’d really quit the show, sayang naman dahil ang dami na niyang nakuhang eskena. Magiging kawalan siya kasi in fairness to her, she’s really very good. Nakatrabaho ko na siya bilang artista sa ‘Tatlo Magkasalo’ before na bagets pa siya at magaling talaga. Ngayon ko lang uli siya nakatrabaho at ako nang director niya and she has really transformed herself into a very good actress. At okay siyang katrabaho, hindi mareklamo. Once, napaghintay ko siya nang matagal sa gabi and I said sorry and she said, ‘No, Ate Gina, okay lang.’ Mabait talaga siya. I don’t know the reason kung anong hindi niya nagustuhan but, siguro, yun yung na-delay ang airing ng show at nainip na siya sa kahihintay. Kasi dapat, October pa ang airing namin pero naurong nang naurong dahil na-extend yung ‘Sa Piling ni Nanay’. Pero heto, finally, we’ll start on January 30. Baka may ibang offers sa kanya na hindi niya natanggap dahil dito. Sana naman, maayos na nang husto ng production para makabalik na siya uli sa taping.”
