PERLA BAUTISTA at 83 is one of our oldest living actresses. She said that due to the pandemic, she has considered herself as retired.
But now, she’s doing two new films in succession.
“Lola Magdalena” is already in the can and now she’ll start shooting “Apo Hapon”, both films are directed by Joel Lamangan.
“Ayoko na sana, may offers before pa, pero tinatanggihan ko kasi sa labas ang location at ayokong lumabas ng bahay for safety,” she says.
“Pero si Dennis Evangelista, producer of both films, won’t take no for an answer. Kaya ko pa naman daw, e.
"He offered na susunduin daw ako sa bahay for each shoot then ipapahatid din niya ako. O di sige, hatid-sundo pala ako, e.
"He asked me about my talent fee, sabi ko, ikaw na ang bahala. Now, I got another call for a teleserye, to start daw in September, sabi ko sige.”
She says it’s her non-showbiz partner who told her not to retire.
“Kasi siya rin, he doesn’t retire. He remains active as a real estate broker.
"May friends daw siyang after mag-retire, nag-deteriorate agad, kaya it’s better to remain active.
"So I’m glad to be acting again kasi nami-miss ko rin yung magagandang samahan sa set.”
We ask who her partner is but she won’t name him.
“Hayaan mo na. Non-showbiz naman siya, so let him just maintain his privacy.
"Kami lang dalawa ang nasa bahay, saka two dogs and two cats.
"My son, who used to be based abroad, is here now at lagi akong kinukumusta. He has two daughters, both married.
"Yung isa is based in Hongkong and the other one is based in London.”
She is very pleased with her role in “Lola Magdalena”.
“I play the role of an aging pokpok. Kasama ko sina Gloria Diaz, Liza Lorena, Pia Moran and Sunshine Cruz.
"Gabi-gabi, pumapasada kami, pero hindi naman ako nabu-book kasi may alzheimer na ako.
"Ang inaasahan ko na lang, yung pagbabalik ng one true love ko. And he does come back, played by Joonee Gamboa, at kahit may alzheimer na ako, natandaan ko siya.”
In “Apo Hapon”, she plays Flora, a 96-year old grandmother who personally witnessed the story of Apo Hapon, the Japanese soldier who left their army during World War II and stayed in their village in the Cordillera mountains.
“I’m glad to be part of this movie kasi naipanganak na ako noong panahon ng Hapon and I personally experienced the war,” she says.
“Nakatira kami noon sa Tondo ng family ko at ang katapat namin mismo, yung garrison ng mga Hapon.
"Pero mababait yung mga Hapong na-meet ko. Dahil nga giyera at kulang sa pagkain, binibigyan kami ng food nila.
"I never personally experienced yung cruelty ng Japanese soldiers at that time. May natutuhan nga akong Japanese folk song.”
She volunteered to sing it during the “Apo Hapon” presscon and she did it well so everyone applauded.
The song is “Sho-joji”, about a hungry racoon and Eartha Kitt has her own version of this popular Japanese ditty.
It’s very catchy and entertaining even if we don’t understand all the lyrics.
Perla has worked with the country’s best directors and she’s happy to be working again with Joel Lamangan.
“Ang dami na naming ginawang movies, like yung ‘Bulaklak ng Maynila’ na best picture sa MMFF 1999, ‘Abandonada’ with Maricel Soriano, ‘When I Met You’ with Richard Gutierrez, ‘Bawat Sandali’ with Derek Ramsay.
"Nung nag-aartista siya, naging co-star ko rin siya, sa ‘Bagong Hari’, ‘Carnap King’, at iba pa,” she says. “Marami na talaga kaming pinagsamahan.”
She says that at her age, many of her colleagues have left her.
“Sa last movie na ginawa ko before the pandemic, ‘Paano Hinihintay ang Dapithapon’, si Menggie Cobarrubias who played my husband, siya ang unang naging biktima ng pandemic and he’s much younger than me at 68 lang.
"Yung isa pang kasama namin doon, si Dante Rivero, ayaw na rin daw lumabas. Also Robert Arevalo. So let’s pray for them.
"I felt sad kasi isang kasabay ko, si Gloria Sevilla, wala na rin last year. Si Gloria Romero naman, ayaw na rin lumabas dahil sa vertigo.
"Ganon din ang isa ko pang contemporary sa LVN, si Caridad Sanchez. I just pray for all of them and I keep on thanking the Lord kasi, I’m still up and about at wala akong problema sa health ko.
"65 years na ako sa showbiz, awa ng Diyos, narito pa rin ako, and I thank God for that.”
