Sylvia no stage mother to Arjo

MANILA, Philippines — Sylvia Sanchez isn’t afraid to mentor her son Arjo Atayde on the set of their ABS-CBN series Hanggang Saan but make no mistake about it, she is no “stage mother.”

In a recent presscon, the veteran actress and lead star of the afternoon drama said that she doesn’t hold back on comments, whether good or bad, on the performance of Arjo as the lawyer-son Paco of her single mom character Sonya in the show.

Hanggang Saan, which is coming to a close tomorrow, April 27, after more than four months of being on air, saw mother and son working together for the first time for the entire duration of a series.

Through such opportunity, Sylvia said she was able to witness Arjo’s work attitude. “Arjo is different as my son and as an actor. May maganda at merong kailangan i-adjust. I actually tell him that. It’s a good thing that I get to see that myself rather than rely on what others have to say about him.”

“I always tell him, ‘Nak, focus, work harder, be professional because in this industry, we all know that you may be a fine actor but if you’re a troublemaker, you’ll amount to nothing,” related the actress, adding that people in production would go for someone teachable anytime over a talented but difficult co-worker. “I always remind him that in showbiz, you just have to love your job.”

Sylvia also said that she always sets herself as an example, never getting tired of sharing the hardship she went through and lessons gained along the way, as she managed to stay long and relevant in the entertainment industry.

But she also lets 27-year-old Arjo be. “Pinapakawalan ko siya, alam niya yun, matanda na siya, and I’m thankful. Not being boastful but I am now seeing what I’ve been teaching my son.”

Sylvia cut a picture of a proud mom when she said that she finally got to see what other people have been telling her about Arjo’s acting.

“Slowly nakita ko. Dito (Hanggang Saan) nakita ko at masasabi ko na di ako nagkamali kasi kinukuha ni Arjo at ginagawa niya.”

She further said, “Natutuwa ako kasi dito ko na-prove na... marami kasi nagsasabi marunong ang anak mo, magaling ang anak mo, which I’m thankful for. But here, I did scenes with him, I was with him on the set, I experienced (his work attitude) myself. That’s what I discovered about him.”

For his part, Arjo said his mom is simply walking her talk. “It’s hard to explain. I’m a very observant person. I assume I am. I saw my mom’s technique, her being natural, I saw her vulnerability (while working with her in this series). I can’t explain eh but I’ve observed how she is as an actress. I’m not saying she’s predictable, like everyone ng mga ka-eksena ko, may ad-lib or unpredictable. But maybe because she’s my mom, she has been the one teaching me ever since I started. The things she’s teaching me, she’s also doing them. That’s one of the things that I’ve not discovered, but observed about her.”

Asked if there was ever a time he felt his mom went a little overboard as his acting “teacher,” he replied, “Honestly speaking, I was never confident of whatever I’m capable of doing. I think that’s one thing that keeps me eager to learn. I always watch actors, I critique my own as everyone is anyways. But I am not — how can I explain it? Basta, I can’t do anything on my own. I need help, I always need help.”

The ratings success of their series notwithstanding, mother and son are going to take a break from each other.

“After this, no... definitely no,” joked Arjo on the question if he’s looking forward to another teleserye with his mom. “No, I’m kidding. I think we should rest for quite some time, di naman pwede sunod-sunod kami lang. But definitely, a movie or whatsoever para maiba. I always look forward to something new. I don’t want to repeat any role or anything similar. Whatever is new, I will go for it.”

The mom also readily agreed that they should stop playing mother and son in a series for the time being so that audiences won’t get sick and tired of seeing them both on screen. A movie is in offing but Sylvia stressed that it’s going to happen not right away but months from now, in August.

Nevertheless, Arjo jokingly wished for a future project that will cast him and his mom as best of friends.

“Gusto ko siya maging ka-barkada, yung nag-babatukan? Masaya di ba?” the son mused.

“Yun talaga pangarap niya. ‘Mommy, sana masapak kita. Go!” his mom quipped.

Joking aside, Sylvia will take a hiatus from doing soaps until next year.

Time to recharge drained batteries, she explained, after being very busy in the last two years, with her back-to-back self-sacrificing mother roles in The Greatest Love and then in Hanggang Saan.

“A lot of people have been asking me, what’s next? Don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful for the opportunity to be Sonya and Gloria (in The Greatest Love) but I want to offer another approach.”

By another acting approach, she means, a possible return to kontrabida roles because “I don’t want to be put in the same box.”

“Gusto ko iba naman. Gusto ko pagbalik ko, iba ang itsura, ibang Sylvia.”