Bela Padilla, working girl
While taping for “Sa Puso ni Dok,” GMA 7 actress Bela Padilla noticed a bleeding man being rushed to the emergency ward of a public hospital somewhere in Cavite.
“I thought it was part of the scene, and that the man was a bit player,” Bela said. “When we had to do a second take, I looked for him.”
The staff told Bela that the man was not an actor. And yes, the blood was for real.
Talk about reality TV.
Working in the medical drama series “Sa Puso ni Dok” has been an eye-opener for the actress.
“Real patients, mothers with kids in tow often volunteer as extras in our show,” Bela said. They need the talent fee to pay for lab tests, or medicines, she explained.
BELA Padilla learns about social realities on the set. Photo by Romy Homillada
“I like [the US series] ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ but I can’t use it as a peg. In that show, doctors have state-of-the-art medical equipment and the hospital is well-staffed,” the actress noted.
“Sa Puso ni Dok,” on the other hand, shows the harsh realities in far-flung provincial public hospitals. “There are no CT scan equipment, no defibrillators. Dennis Trillo and I play the only doctors in the whole hospital,” Bela explained.
She was impressed with series director Adolfo Alix Jr. “He has fresh ideas and works fast. It’s as if we’re making an indie film each time.”
A medical consultant guides them on the set. “A viewer once pointed out that I did a procedure the wrong way. But I play a neophyte doctor… a fresh graduate who would rather work abroad,” she said.
(“Sa Puso ni Dok” airs Sundays until the end of the month.)
Enlightening
Another enlightening experience for Bela is her stint as cohost in the long-running GMA News TV show, “Day Off” (Saturdays, 6:15 p.m.).
The reality show challenges the hosts (Bela and comedians Pekto and Boobay) to take over the jobs of ordinary workers who get to enjoy much-needed breaks in exchange.
BELA Padilla worked as a Korean food vendor in “Day Off.”
Bela has worked as a mechanic, grape picker, barista, waitress, fisherwoman, noodles vendor and gym instructor. She recalled her stint as a mekaniko: “We had to carry a heavy engine. I couldn’t remove the oil stains in my fingernails for two days.”
A favorite of hers is the La Union vineyard episode. “I never knew there was a place like that in the country,” she said. “It was as if I was transported to France. It was very serene.”
Which was the opposite of her turn as a waitress on a yacht. “The waves (on Manila Bay) were choppy and we had to serve food while the yacht was moving.”
If she’s driven to do her best with each role, that’s because, Bela said, “I want the workers I replace to be proud of me. It would be embarrassing if I messed up.”
She has won every challenge she has been in. Maybe because she’s not easily daunted—“not even when I had to make 20 glasses of milk tea in 10 minutes as a barista. I didn’t think it was possible, but I did it.”
She is grateful for the chance to walk in the shoes of the working class. “It’s humbling, it puts things in perspective for me, and makes me thankful for the blessings in my life,” she admitted. “I’ve realized how hardworking and resilient Filipinos are. They work very hard for their families.”
