Career-strengthening move for Jana Agoncillo

AGONCILLO. Follow-up project firms up bid for stardom.

Jana Agoncillo made her winsome mark as a new child star in “Dream Dad,” so we eagerly waited for her follow-up project. After all, stardom isn’t assured by one successful project, and needs to be firmed up by other career-strengthening initiatives.

Just in the nick of time, Jana has just been given a second regular drama series, “Ning-ning,” which airs late mornings on ABS-CBN, in the plum slot made strong by such hits as “Be Careful With My Heart” and “Oh, My G.”

We made it a point to catch the first telecast of Jana’s new show. How is it shaping up? The series’ back story introduces us to Ningning’s parents—Beauty Gonzales as her mother and Ketchup Eusebio as her dad.

The drama is set in a small rural town, a bucolic locale that imbues the new series with a lambent and pastoral loveliness that’s a big relief after the big, brash urban dramas we’ve seen of late.

However, it’s distracting to note that Beauty was also in “Dream Dad”—was it really a wise move to also cast her in Jana’s follow-up series?

Biggest assignment

As for Ketchup, this is his biggest assignment to date, so we hope he takes full advantage of the channel’s show of confidence in his capabilities. Fact is, Ketchup (note his name) began his career as “just” a “supporting” comic, but has clearly proven that he can do justice to bigger assignments.

“Ningning’s” initial telecast briskly took its storytelling through the title character’s parents’ courtship and wedding, her birth and infancy—all relative sweetness and light.

But, problems arose all too soon that drove them to the big and cruel city—still with Ningning providing the youthful optimism to help the adults around her see the light—and do the right thing.

One of the aspects of “Dream Dad” we liked was its scriptwriter’s wise decision to make Jana talk like the little girl she is, unlike current industry practice. We’re glad to see that “Ningning” is continuing to do the same.

With Jeffrey Jeturian judiciously helming the new drama series (he also directed “Dream Dad”), we’re assured that it will!