Benjamin Alves is very much delighted that his daytime series Kapag Nahati Ang Puso is currently winning in the ratings game.
For the past six months, its rival program Sana Dalawa Ang Puso consistently reigned on its timeslot, beating its previous GMA-7 rival shows: Da Lola's Beautiful Show, Ang Forever Ko'y Ikaw, and My Guitar Princess.
According to AGB Nielsen, this GMA-7 show starring Sunshine Cruz and Bea Binene was able to beat its rival the Jodi Sta. Maria-starrer in most episodes.
For instance, last August 21, GMA-7's Kapag Nahati Ang Puso registered a rating of 6.5%, beating ABS-CBN's Sana Dalawa Ang Puso's 5.9%.
Benjamin said that their high ratings do not change the attitude of the cast towards work.
He said, "We're just trying to make sure na we're telling a very good story, consistent sa characters, at nakakatuwa naman na people appreciate that.
"It's really hard to really go dive into the ratings and things like that as an actor, but it's nice you hear good news like that.
"The set's atmosphere, hindi nadi-dictate yung ratings for that day kung papaano kami sa set.
"We're happy nonetheless, we're happy kasi nakakapagtrabaho kami, magaan sa set, natutuwa kaming magkasama kaming lahat, almost everyday,
"Nakakatuwa, e, kasi we're in our seventh week of taping, nabubuo na, nakikilala na namin yung isa't isa, nagiging pamilya na kami.
"So the ratings, it's an added bonus, it's an added saya sa set.
"But nonetheless, the ratings don't dictate our happiness and how dedicated we are. It adds to it but it doesn't change na if we have a bad rating, ayoko na, so ganun."
The two previous dramas placed in the 11:30 am slot of GMA-7 weren't able to get a full season run.
Ang Forever Ko'y Ikaw ran for 8 weeks while My Guitar Princess ended its run on its 10th week.
Now that they are on the seventh week of taping, Benjamin hopes that their show will get extended for more than 13 weeks.
With a laugh, he said, "Sana mabuo, sana di mahati, sana mabuo.
"That's the goal, to exceed the expectations. The expectations for 13 weeks, exceed that, and the expectations for me na ito si Joaquin, I want to exceed that as well.
"Ganun po talaga, to meet the challenges and exceed the expectations."
PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) spoke to Benjamin at the press conference of Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral yesterday, August 23, at Novotel Hotel, Cubao City.
In Goyo, Benjamin brings life to Manuel L. Quezon.
LOVE TRIANGLE WITH SUNSHINE CRUZ AND BEA BINENE
Some viewers of Kapag Nahati Ang Puso are waiting for the time when Benjamin's character Joaquin gets tangled in a love triangle with the mother-daughter characters of Sunshine and Bea.
He said about this, "Well, I'm excited kasi in the next taping days, yun na yung tinetaping namin.
"Papunta na kami sa... yun na, simula na noong hila ng puso ni Joaquin."
In the show, Bea is cast as Claire, while Sunshine plays Rio.
As of this writing, Claire and Rio do not know yet that they are related to each other.
Claire harbors ill feelings towards Rio for breaking her family apart.
Claire also broke up with Joaquin after accusing him of working for Rio as a spy for Miranda's (Bing Loyzaga) design shop.
Currently, Benjamin and Sunshine are now working on their chemistry as their characters slowly fall for each other.
He told PEP.ph, "Ako, kinikilig ako doon sa kela Joaquin and Claire, e. Kinikilig din ako kay Rio. Tapos kinakabahan ako kasi yun nga, may pupuntahan pa siya. e.
"Kami ni Miss Shine, hinahanap namin, we're slowly, constantly sharing scenes together more and more.
"I'm seeing Miss Shine more and more sa set, nahahanap naman namin, kasi that's the question on the table, e.
"Papaano yun, she's the mom or the age gap, pag nagmahal ka.
"Ako kinikilig ako pag nababasa ko, e, natutuwa ako. I'm very excited, sana they receive it the same way they received it kay Claire."
Will he do intimate scenes with Sunshine for the show?
With a smile, the 29-year-old actor answered, "We'll see. You'll see. Yun naman yung selling point din in the presscon, may mga sensual.
"Basta nakakatuwa, iba ang dynamics, e. I've never had na ganitong dynamics in a show, e. So the challenge is there."