ISABEL Oli
Actress Isabel Oli admits she still weeps buckets for her father, nine months after his death.
Isabel says she had a breakdown recently while driving home from Tagaytay City after work on her previous series, “Faithfully.” She recalls: “I just cried all of a sudden; I don’t know why. Work had gone well that day. We actually had fun on the set.”
Isabel’s dad George Daytia died after battling cerebral degeneration for five years. He was in a coma for eight months before his passing on June 20, 2012.
The actress shares with the Inquirer precious pieces of advice that she received from colleagues Iza Calzado and Maxene Magalona, who both lost their dads to cancer: “They both told me there would be moments when you’d just lose it. They also said it was best to just let it all out.”
She has learned to cope. “You must not rush it,” she cautions. “It’s awful in the beginning but you’ll come out strong.”
Isabel says praying also helps her a lot. She explains: “It calms me. Also, when I feel sadness coming, I find it very soothing to instead recall happy times with him.”
Her first Christmas without her dad was tough, she confesses. “Actually, the entire family became quite emotional. We went to Subic to scattear his ashes on the beach—as he wished. On Christmas Eve, we sat around and shared our fondest memories of him. We ended up laughing and crying at the same time.”
Isabel is happy, however, that the loss brought her closer to her mom, Victoria. “We live in the same house. My other siblings have their own families. I often see her lonely. So, whenever I can, I bring her with me to work.”
In GMA 7’s afternoon drama series, “Forever,” Isabel plays the villainess Monique.
The series features Heart Evangelista, Geoff Eigenmann and Gloria Romero.
“I’m very mean in this series. I just know that Monique will get worse,” she says.
Under the direction of Ricky Davao, “Forever” also features Gian Mandangal, Candy Pangilinan, among others.
(mcruz@inquirer.com.ph)