lather with tears

Unlike the pinoy soap operas of my generation, particularly Fordeluna and Ana Liza that aired for years, soaps these days are broadcasted only for a few months, depending on the ratings game. Even with the texture of today’s teleseryes, this one took the mick, and it stars the one actress who revived the popularity of pinoy soap genre in the ‘90’s. Actually it was Mara Clara’s precursor Ana Luna starring Margarita Fuentes which first aired in ‘89 that was molded in the basic core of both Ana Liza and Flordeluna. Ana Luna was an afternoon fanfare for years from its debut in 1989 until 1995. But it was Mara Clara, which debuted in 1992 and replaced the recorded broadcast of the Barcelona Olympics in the afternoons, with its rigmarole shots of squalor and wealth that catapulted its stars into stardom . As a teary-eyed ingenue in Mara Clara, Judy Ann Santos won over the viewers affection. After the undeniable success of Sana Naman (1996), the erstwhile Mara began a reign of success in both films and television.

Perhaps the complexity of the subject profession or the daunting financial aspect of shooting and re-shooting in a US health care setting may have hindered the process. Or there could be other reasons why the directors and cast were changed or reshuffled. But two years is a long time to shoot a series which would only air for a few months. However nothwithstanding all the wait and alterations, at least the soap was not canned and would be finally shown first of February. Aside from cast and directors, the series’ titles, theme songs, story lines, scenes and trailers also evolved during the past two years. To the uninitiated, Habang May Buhay is the final cut.