Patrick Garcia, Kaye Abad, Paolo Contis. Images: Screengrab from Facebook/Mavx Productions, Inc.
It’s been 24 years since the teen drama “Tabing Ilog” went on air and changed the viewing landscape of local television.
Recently, three “Tabing Ilog” mainstays Kaye Abad, Patrick Garcia and Paolo Contis have reunited for an upcoming film which revolves around three close friends.
The project was confirmed by the actors themselves as seen in a video uploaded by Mavx Productions, Inc. on their official Facebook page last April 28, although the film’s title, storyline, and premiere date have yet to be disclosed.
Contis, who starred as Badong Magtibay in the hit series, said the film is a “dream come true” because he missed working with Abad and Garcia.
“Dream come true na makakatrabaho ko sila ulit kasi ‘yung mga katrabaho ko ngayon, masasabi ko na iba na ‘yung work ethics. Iba lang talaga [kapag] nakakatrabaho ang mga ito,” he said, while gesturing to his co-actors.
(It’s a dream come true to be working with them again. Because compared to my previous co-stars, they had a different work ethic. It’s just different to be acting alongside them.)
Abad admitted that while she’s nervous to return to acting after four years, she’s excited to show the viewers that she has not lost her acting prowess. Her last known project was the ABS-CBN afternoon drama “Nang Ngumiti Ang Langit” in 2019.
“Kinakabahan [ako], kasi it was 24 years ago [since ‘Tabing Ilog’]. Four years pa noong huli akong [uma-acting],” she said. “Noong pinitch sa akin ‘yung story, na-excite ako kasi ito ‘yung isa sa mga projects na matagal ko nang gustong gawin.”
(I’m nervous since it has been 24 years since “Tabing Ilog,” and it’s been four years since I last acted. When the story was pitched to me, I got excited because this is one of the projects that I always wanted to do.)
The actress also expressed her excitement to accept a role in a film that is “not mainstream” since it has a unique way of tugging the viewers’ heartstrings.
“Since nag-pandemic, doon nag-start ‘yung mga movies na hindi mainstream, ‘yung hindi sinunod kung ano ‘yung gusto ng tao. Dito nag-start ang mga [films] na hindi typical ang mga nangyari pero ang sakit pa rin sa puso. Noong nabasa ko ‘yung script sa [pelikula] na ‘to, excited ako. Masakit ‘yung eksena pero ‘di ko kailangang umiyak,” she said.
(Since the pandemic started, it’s when non-mainstream films began deviating from popular themes that people expected to see. This is where films with non-typical plotlines became popular, but would still tug the heartstrings. When I first read the script, I got excited. The scenes are painful, but I don’t have to cry.)
While the actors remained tight-lipped about the film’s storyline, Contis hinted that he would take on the role of Abad’s husband, where the couple are close with Garcia’s character.
Eagle-eyed netizens speculated that the “Tabing Ilog” stars would be working on a film together after Garcia shared a photo of himself dining with the “A Faraway Land” star on Instagram.
Abad, who’s married to “Pinoy Big Brother” alum Paul Jake Castillo, previously opened up about her excitement to return to acting in a vlog with teen actress Francine Diaz, although she noted that her family will always be her priority.
“But I’m not sure if I can do, like, a [teleserye], a full-time [teleserye] because that means I would have to stay in Manila for three to six months, so siguro [maybe] like guesting [only],” she said. EDV