Maxene Magalona still regards dad Francis M her acting coach

Hindi nahirapan si Maxene Magalona na bumalik sa trabaho dahil ito ang nagsisilbing coping mechanism niya upang makapag-move on sa pagkamatay ng kanyang ama na si Francis Magalona.

"With the help of my mom and my brothers and sisters and also my friends, I was able to get back on my feet," pahayag ni Maxene sa PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal).

"And I know... kasi yung dad ko ayaw niya na magmumukmok lang ako sa bahay tapos iyak lang ako lagi, so it's a good kind of distraction for me and a good kind of therapy as well. So, nagustuhan ko din na nakabalik ako and I'm so thankful na may project ako. Actually 'tong project na ito was given to me when my dad was still confined, hindi ito binigay after my dad ano, so binigay 'to sa akin, actually nung first taping day namin March 6 dapat, and that was the day my dad passed away," dagdag pang sabi ni Maxene, na isa sa main cast members ng SRO Cinemaserye Presents Ganti ng GMA-7.

Nararamdaman ni Maxene na sa mga mahihirap na eksena niya sa nasabing programa, tinutulungan siya ng kanyang namayapang ama.

"Definitely, feeling ko nga, siyempre, everything happens for a reason, di ba? Parang feeling ko somehow this is my dad's way of helping me, I dunno ha?

"I'm just thinking that, I'm just looking on the bright side na at least Papa's helping me in a way...kasi he's always been very supportive of my career, and everytime pinapanood niya ako sa mga shows ko, kapag may nakita siya sasabihin niya sa akin, 'Max, next ganito gawin mo, ha?'

"He's always been my acting coach, feeling ko ngayon whenever I think of him tapos [naiiyak] ako, feeling ko acting coach ko pa din siya.

"Na nandiyan lang siya, mapaisip lang ako nang konti naiiyak na ako."

May dalawang particular na pagkakataon na naiyak si Maxene while thinking of her dad.

"A few weeks after he died, kasi I was watching a movie, 'yung 13 Going On 30 ni Jennifer Garner, and there was this scene, si Jennifer, umuwi siya sa bahay ng parents niya, tapos nung nakita niya 'yung dad niya hinug niya agad yung dad niya. Yun, naiyak lang ako, na-miss ko lang si Papa, mga ganun lang, kapag mag-isa ako tapos napapaisip ako ganyan, yun yung time na nag-cry ako na talagang iyak.

"But the last time I cried was nu'ng binigay yung medal of merit ni PGMA [Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo].

"I was in tears kasi I could feel his presence na parang nung nakita ko yung medal, sabi ko, 'I can't believe this is happening!'

"Feeling ko talaga tuwang-tuwa ang dad ko at that moment nung binigay na sa amin yung medal. Umiyak ako kasi it was a very touching moment and na-feel ko talaga yung presence niya nun," recalls Maxene.


(Click HERE to view photos of the Magalona family receiving the posthumous Presidential Medal of Merit at Malacañang.)