Locked-in taping experience rekindles Maricel’s passion for acting

Maricel Laxa

After starring in the TV5 soap “Paano ang Pangako,” her first full-length television series in more than 10 years, Maricel Laxa is now ready to pursue show biz more regularly.

“The opportunity for a role came at the right place at the right time. At the end of our taping, I told my directors that I haven’t worked on a regular teleserye for years, so I couldn’t believe we made it to the end. I’m thankful for the love, kindness, patience, support—everything,” she said in a virtual conference for the recently concluded family drama.

Maricel and her husband, Anthony Pangilinan, have five children including actor Donny Pangilinan and singer-content creator Hannah Pangilinan. “My family can now look after each other better than before, so I feel like I have the confidence to work in show biz more often,” she pointed out.

What’s next

The 51-year-old actress is still unsure what the future holds, but she’s keeping her doors open.

“Honestly, I don’t know what’s next. There are no real plans yet. But I’m not an exclusive contract artist anywhere, so I’m able to appear in different networks. I’m open to anything. We’re just waiting for the next opportunity and I believe I’m more ready now than I was years back,” she said.

Her “beautiful experience” in the locked-in taping for “Paano”—where she played one of the lead roles, Faith Aguinaldo—was one of the things that enticed her to keep working. They encountered different challenges, including storms, while working, but everyone was well taken care of, she said.

“We were tested [for the coronavirus], we were provided good accommodations and food. Working hours on set were followed, according to the protocols. That meant we got sufficient rest and a systematic way of working,” she said.

“And all those combined is what I really appreciate. I have been away from the industry for so long, so it’s nice to come back to a system that works. There wasn’t a day I had to drag myself to work. I always looked forward to it,” she added.

She also enjoyed working with today’s young generation of actors, like Elijah Canlas.

“My advice to them is to stay humble and never stop learning. That’s the secret,” pointed out Maricel, who has best supporting actress trophies from Famas (1992) and the Gawad Urian (1998). “You have to keep yourself grounded. You have to be open to what other people have to say, because you will learn a lot,” she added.

One of her biggest fans is her youngest child, Solana, 9, who didn’t miss an episode of “Paano.” And the feedback she got from her daughter was precious and surprisingly constructive.

“One time, she told me that people should learn to be less judgmental. Sometimes, she asks if it’s OK to eavesdrop. I told her that that’s needed as hints for future scenes. But that also reminded me that children are watching, so we should always set good examples,” she stressed.

Meanwhile, one of her realizations amid the COVID-19 pandemic is that she should be more conscious about how she utilizes her time.

“When I’m on the set, I always see to it that I’m doing my job well, because I sacrifice time that could have been spent with my family, especially now that there’s a pandemic. I take care of myself, so that I’m healthy and safe when I return home,” she said. “We have to value our family and relationships, those are all we have now, especially during lockdown.”

As a mother, one of Maricel’s goals is to raise self-sufficient children. “I believe it’s the best thing we can do for them—to teach them to stand on their own feet and not be too dependent, so they can help other people, too,” Maricel said. “It’s an amazing blessing to be a mother—and it’s a gift to give your children wings.” INQ