‘Biguel’ lights up Dinagyang festivities

Miguel Tanfelix (left) and Bianca Umali

Even if I’m a Manila Girl by birth, I am an Ilongga at heart. That’s why I was ecstatic when GMA 7 invited me to cover its Dinagyang Festival activities in my second home, Iloilo, last weekend.

It happens to be the golden year of Dinagyang (which means merrymaking), so the celebration was all the more spectacular. Fifty years of delightful mayhem the Ilonggo way—parties, parades, a tribal dance competition, street dancing, barhopping, food trip galore. Ka sadya gid (It’s so much fun)!

The Kapuso stars added color to the City of Love’s revelry. Ruru Madrid, Janine Gutierrez, Matt Evans and Andre Paras (of the coming series, “Sherlock Jr.”) kicked off the fête with a mall show at Robinsons Place. Then, Bianca Umali and Miguel Tanfelix aka “Biguel” (of the series, “Kambal Karibal”) wowed the jampacked crowd at Festive Walk Megaworld. Solenn Heussaff capped off the fiesta with a meet-and-greet at SM Iloilo.

I imbibed “Biguel’s” millennial vibe and savored vicarious thrills. Although they claim that they aren’t officially a couple yet, their body language says it all.

Here’s my chat with Bianca (B) and Miguel (M):

If Cupid were real, what would you ask him?

B: I will ask him to shoot Miguel with his arrow (laughs).

M: What is love? Because I find that question hard to answer in slum books.

How do you feel about turning 18 soon?

B: I’m excited and scared. I have to be more responsible, although I’ve always been self-supporting.

Tell us about your mountain-climbing experience.

B: It was my first time to join Miguel and our friends. It was tough but fulfilling once we reached the top.

M: I’ve always been into mountain climbing. It’s my stress reliever. At first, I wanted to restrain myself from helping Bianca when we were at challenging spots in the mountain … but I couldn’t help taking care of her.

Since you were orphaned at a young age, do you pray to your parents for guidance?

B: I always talk to them as if they were still around.

Tell us about “Kambal Karibal.”

M: At first, we were pressured because it’s pitted against “La Luna Sangre.” But we just give our best in each episode. Our efforts paid off because, recently, we beat our rival show in the ratings.

B: It’s different because it has a horror element, which clicks with the audience.

Do you watch your rival show, “La Luna Sangre”?

B: Nope. Just too busy.

M: I don’t even get to watch my own show due to my hectic schedule. But, I got curious once when one of their episodes trended, so I checked it out for a few minutes.

Would you be willing to be paired off with someone else?

B/M: We’re open to it.

At this point, how would you define your relationship?

B: We enjoy discovering new things about each other.
M: It’s beyond defining.

Personal: Thanks with all my heart to my colleagues Jojo Aquio, Jojo Panaligan, Irene Fernando, Jonathan Cabillon and Oli Amoroso for an epic weekend—and to my good friends, Pau and Gus Banusing for the treat at Brewery Gastropub, my langga Kate Chavez (for making me feel so welcome in Prism), and my adoptive Ilonggo family, Allan and Ning Tajanlangit, for spoiling me more than I deserve.