Jennica thinks positive

MANILA, Philippines - Even if her family’s house in Vista Real was wrecked by the Ondoy floods, Jennica Garcia still considers 2009 as a generally good year.

“I was given by GMA-7 a lead role in the primetime soap, Adik Sa’Yo, opposite Dennis Trillo, then I did other shows na lead din ako in Dear Friend with my own mom (Jean Garcia) and SRO Cinemaserye Presents Reunion with Sheena Halili,” she says. “And now, heto, I also play the lead in the Lamang Lupa episode of Shake, Rattle & Roll XI. Last year, I just played a supporting role to Marian Rivera in the Nieves episode of Shake X. Before 2009 is over, we also got word that my mom and I will star in the TV remake of Ina, Kasusuklaman Ba Kita with me doing the Lorna Tolentino role. So, despite the flood, I really got so many blessings to be thankful for.”

It’s reported that she’s now torn between two lovers, her ex-boyfriend Mart Escudero and her new leading man in the Lamang Lupa episode, Rayver Cruz. “Naku, wala namang ganun,” she says. “The three of us enjoyed each other’s company while shooting the movie in Bulacan. There’s no rivalry between them at all.”

She came to the movie’s presscon fully made up and in a fashionable getup, making some writers remark that she seems to be blooming. Is it because of Rayver? “No. I’m turning 20 on Dec. 26, so I’d like to think dalaga na ako and it’s only proper that I learn how to dress up like a lady and do my own make up. I have to reinvent myself, and it’s not because of Rayver.”

There’s also a report that she has actually reconciled with Mart. “No. We did try to make it work again, pero wala na talaga. We both realized we’re better off as friends. My parents are right when they said I’m not really ready yet for a serious relationship. I now enjoy being unattached but, at least, I experienced the feeling of having a boyfriend. Okay na ako roon.”

She wants to thank Mother Lily for giving her good breaks in the movies. “My first movie was also with Regal, Hide and Seek, with Mart and my mom. Introducing ako roon. Now, I play the lead role in our episode as the girl raped and impregnated by a lamang lupa. Sa story, we’re a group of friends nina Rayver, Mart, Yia Villania, Bangs Garcia, and Felix and Dominic Roco. We get lost in the woods and some of the guys desecrated the territory of the lamang lupa so two of them come out and they chase us. It’s very tiring as it’s a very long chase in the forest and I had to do a lot of running. Our director, Jessel Monteverde, didn’t tell me the direction where the lamang lupa would be coming so when he suddenly jumped in front of me. I really got scared and all the crying and screaming you see me doing in the film, they’re all for real.”

The rape scene that followed was even more draining for her. “In fairness to the stuntman who played the lamanlupa who raped me, he was very careful, but I got carried away by the role kasi ang daming takes na iba-ibang shot. By the time nag-cut na, I cannot stop myself from crying anymore. Hagulgol talaga ako and the stuntman kept saying ‘sorry, sorry’ to me. But the truth is akong bilib sa kanya dahil siya ang nagkasugat-sugat during the scene and the bruises on his arm caused by my fighting and scratching him really bled, pero para siyang hindi nasasaktan.”

Their director, Jessel Monteverde, is a nephew of Mother Lily. He has directed music videos before and this is full length film debut. “He’s very meticulous. We keep on repeating the scenes we shoot as he wants to have a lot shots from various angles. When I saw the film sa dubbing, then I understood, kaya pala paulit-ulit siya, kasi ang ganda talaga ng kinalabasan.”

What happened to their house that was flooded by Ondoy? “We gave it up. We moved to a condo in Gilmore temporarily but now, we got a new house in Capitol Homes that’s in a higher place. We don’t want to experience floods again.”

The other two episodes of SRR XI are Diablo with Maja Salvador and Ukay-Ukay with Ruffa Gutierrez.