Raymart Santiago shows off dramatic chops in "bantatay"

GMA 7 must have realized that Raymart Santiago can also be adept in handling dramatic assignments that’s why they entrusted to him the male lead role in the new series “Bantatay” which premiered on Monday at the Kapuso network. “Bantatay” is a light drama that is geared towards kids.

Prior to that, the former teen star turned action star also appeared in another dramatic role in “Pilyang Kerubin” where he played the father to the character of Barbie Forteza. But Raymart already appeared in previous primetime drama offerings of GMA before like Marian Rivera’s “Darna”.

How did he feel when GMA 7 offered him the lead role no less in “Bantatay”?

“Of course, I am happy. Kahit paano pinagkakatiwalaan pa rin ako ng GMA. I am happy at naniniwala rin naman ako dito sa show. Kung hindi rin naman ako naniniwala sa project, hindi ko rin naman ito tatanggapin,” said Raymart.

The husband of Claudine Barretto is a pet lover. He not only loves dogs, but he looks after other pets as well. He has birds, falcons, snakes.

How did he prepare for his role? ”Well, since it’s a father role, I think I know how to portray that because I am a father in real life. As a dog lover, I already know also because as a young boy, I already have pet dogs at home. And I used to pick up stray cats, bring them home and take care of them,” said the actor.

If there’s a dog that he would like to have to take care of his family, what would it be? “Gusto ko ‘yung nangangagat,” said Raymart with a laugh. “I’d probably settle for a German Shepherd. If I want a pet that would be a good watchdog, then I’d probably get a German Shepherd.” Raymart said that they have three dogs at home.

His kids, Sabina and Santino, have a certain affinity with their pets. After all, Raymart had been taking care of dogs even before his kids were born. “Si Sabina, naabutan niya ang Labrador ko then I gave her a Pomeranian as gift,” he related.

How is his working relationship with Gelli de Belen, who plays his wife in the series? Gelli and Raymart used to be a loveteam when they were still teen stars doing films for Viva.

“Okay naman. Well, kahit paano ay tila nagkakailangan kasi this was the first time that we are working together in a TV series and the first time we are working again after a long, long time,” said Raymart who admitted that he courted Gelli when they were still teenagers and that they became sweethearts.

That was about 15 years ago. “I am 22 now tapos 15 years ago na iyon,” Raymart joked. “I was only 7 then.”

Now, after working for a few taping days on “Bantatay”, he and Gelli had warmed up to each other. But they have yet to sit down and talk, as in talk, since they’ve been quite busy taping and there’s hardly enough time to catch up on each other’s stories.

What was Claudine’s reaction when she learned that Gelli accepted the offer to play his wife in the TV series?

“Nagulat kasi pumayag,” was Raymart’s quick reply. “Si Claudine pa nga ang kinilig when she found out that Gelli and I would be working together again. She knew that we had a relationship before and there were times that Gelli and Claudine talked in the past.”

Even if in the story he dies and his soul enters his pet dog, Raymart would also be seen in certain scenes. “At times that my kids would be talking to our pet dog, when the camera reverses its shot, it is I whom the audience would see that my children are talking with. “There are shots na kahit na supposed to be ‘yung aso ang kausap nila, ang nakikita sa camera ay ako. Makikita pa rin ako, hindi ako mawawala,” he said.