Oh My Janella!

Putting Janella on hold while waiting for the surprise
birthday asalto of Oh My G people.

 It was Janella Salvador's 17th birthday the day after, so I went to "Oh My G" taping in Novaliches to personally greet her. I had a hunch the production staff had something planned for her, and I found out I was right when I arrived on the set. They actually asked me to put Janella on hold in her dressing room while they were setting up. It wasn't really hard to keep a long conversation with Moya, as I fondly call Janella. But, the challenge was how I would do it na hindi niya nahahalata, since I'm sure somehow she had an idea there was something for her. Thankfully, dahil ilang weeks din kami hindi nagkita, and we had a lot of girly stuff to share about, hindi namin namalayan an hour had passed. And when we were called to supposedly tape a sequence, Janella was surprised to see everyone waiting for her to greet her a "Happy Birthday!"

Oh My Janella! Backstage of "Oh My G" launch in ASAP.

It was in "Oh My G" where I can say naging buo ang friendship namin ni Janella. When I first found out about the it, "Be Careful With My Heart" pa lang and I saw how excited Janella was, at the same time nervous. Hindi biro ang pagkatiwalaan ng ganun kalaking project of her own. At sa timeslot pa na iniwan ng BCWMH. Of course, we weren't expecting na maging kasing-hit o kasing-tagal siya ng BCWMH. Maging considered hit lang was more than enough. But we had trust in G, God for short. The show was about Him, and I was sure the audience would love Janella. True enough, the serye rated considerably high, pilot week pa lang!

Our friendship grew deeper in this series.

It helped na malapit sa amin ang location nila, just a jeepney ride away, so when I had no work, I'd just drop by. Most of the scenes kasali siya, so in between lang kami nakakapag-usap. Paputul-putol pa. So I always ended up waiting up for her na ma-pack up. Pero OK lang sa akin because aside sa nakakapag-catch up kami, I got to see her in action as Sophie Cepeda, her character in the series. Though may lapit and hawig ang character niya dun sa Nikki ng "Be Careful With My Heart", iba and mas matured ang naging atake niya dito. Mas lumalim ang pinaghuhugutan niya sa pag-arte. And she was proving that impression na she was really a talented teenage girl, as the serye allowed her to showcase not just her acting skills, but pati ang kanyang husay sa performing in several episodes.

With her loveteam partner Marlo.

Nakita ko rin how closer Janella and her loveteam partner then Marlo Mortel had become. Compared nung BCWMH days nila, mas matured at open na sila sa isa't isa like best friends. Nandun pa rin siyempre ang mga tuksuhan, kulitan. If why hindi naging sila then, I can't speak for them. But I guess and believe ni-recognize ni Marlo na bata pa si Janella, and mas priority nila ang career at friendship.

At Oh My G vs NKNKK

Our in between takes conversation ni Moya would range from the most trivial to the most serious ones. We would find ourselves talking about cute guys. About Russell, her younger brother. About someone special to me. Just about anything. But the most unforgettable and special for me was when one afternoon, she called up, in tears. Not going through the details, but she felt so down that day about something. The next thing I knew, I found myself on the set an hour later. Naka-pambahay lang ako. But just one hug for her, it meant a lot to the both of us. At masarap lang sa feeling na you and your presence mean so much to a person, na napapagaan mo ang loob niya.

During her Kapamilya Chat for the show

Janella may be a really pretty and talented girl, but at that time she was unsure and not so confident about herself, and what she can deliver. There were even times before na I would scold her because she felt unpretty, which to be honest ay pinagdaraanan ng mga nasa edad niya. I always reminded her na, she is beautiful because she really is. And that beauty goes beyond her looks... It is skin deep. And I've got the entire "Oh My G" team, and her supporters to prove it and back me up.

Goofing around on the set of Oh My G.

In "Oh My G" ko rin sobrang naramdaman how supportive and concerned she was of me. Ilang beses ba akong umiyak sa kanya na parang magka-edad lang kami, telling about unrequited love? She always reminded me, and even up to this day, "know your worth". She always wished that I move on from my feelings for a certain person. That I deserve the best man in my life. Well, he has yet to come. But her most special gesture that time was when she recorded this long video, and even posted a picture of us together, in promotion of my MMK life story to air then.

The serye was on air for 6 months, and was actually extended several times. I didn't really get sad, because the show's success indicated of bigger things to come for Janella. She was born for it. And I wished na sana ang next niya ay primetime naman, because she deserved it, and she would really hard work for it. True enough... "Born For You".