Angeline Quinto has vowed she is forever Kapamilya, and happily so.
Last February, the Kapamilya singer-actress celebrated her 10th year in showbiz.
She was discovered in February 2011 when she joined ABS-CBN's reality singing competition Star Power and came out the big winner.
ABS-CBN took her in, saw her potential in acting as well, and polished her act both as a singer and an actress.
From her perch now as one of the country's top singing artists, Angeline said leaving ABS-CBN never occurred to her during the good times, and unthinkable more so now that the network is limping to stay on its feet without a franchise.
She said during her PEP Spotlight interview last March 16, 2021, this is the time to stand solidly behind the beleaguered network.
She told PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), "Siyempre naman, ano pa bang masasabi ko? Hanggang ngayon, magkakasama tayo na magkakapamilya.
“Nakakatuwa lang kasi napakarami kong katrabaho na parang naging pamilya ko, iyon talaga iyong sobrang pinagpapasalamat ko.
“Ang maganda kasi doon, ang talagang itini-treasure ko bilang kapamilya, kung paano rin ako tinanggap, e.
"Parang sumali lang naman ako ng contest, pero itinuring niyo akong kapamilya ninyo.
“Like iyong ilang mga bosses ng ABS-CBN, parang naging pangalawang magulang ko sila.”
“WALANG PUMILIT SA AKIN”
Her attachment to the network goes back deep from her childhood when all she had as a family was her beloved adoptive mother, the late Sylvia Quinto a.k.a. Mama Bob.
She said, “Iyon iyong hindi ko naranasan noong bata ako, hindi ko naranasan paano magkaroon ng buong pamilya kaya siguro ako nilagay sa Kapamilya channel, di ba? Hahaha!"
And for that, she is grateful beyond measure, expressing, “Malaking bagay iyon sa akin kasi noong bata ako, ang lagi kong kinaiinggitan sa iba… ‘Buti pa siya, may nanay at tatay. Buti pa siya, kapag pupunta ng school…’
"Di ba, merong family day? Hindi ko naranasan na mayroong nanay at tatay, si Mama Bob lang talaga.”
Looking back, she continued, “At napakaraming singing contest ang nasalihan ko simula pagkabata ko pero sa kapamilya lang ako talaga naging winner.
"Sa kanila ko naranasan ang maging champion. So napakalaking utang na loob ko noon. Lalo na ang mama ko, siguradong iyon ang sasabihin niya.”
According to Angeline, some people have broached to her the idea of transferring networks.
She related, “Kaya ngayon na solid Kapamilya pa rin ako, e, talagang ako naman iyong nag-decide nito. Walang pumilit sa akin na dapat nandito pa rin ako.
"Ako iyong may gusto noon, buong-buo. Sabi ko nga sa kanila, may pagkakataon naman na may nagtanong sa akin kung bakit hindi ako lumipat sa ibang network.
“Ang tanging sagot ko lang sa kanila, patuloy naman akong binibigyan ng trabaho sa ABS-CBN, sa Kapamilya Channel.”
ANGELINE takes on heavy drama
Currently, Angeline has three shows with ABS-CBN: ASAP Natin ‘To, It’s Showtime, and the upcoming teleserye Huwag Kang Mangamba.
She also stars in a two-part episode of Maalaala Mo Kaya for its women’s month special.
The first part was shown last Saturday, March 13.
She portrays the role of the successful Pinay businesswoman Rebecca Bustamante, whose life and struggles inspired Angeline to accept the project.
She shared, “Noong nabasa ko iyong script, parang simula umpisa hanggang matapos iyong kwento niya, parang nangyari kay Angeline kasi.
“Hindi ko inaasahan, meron na talaga iyong mga eksenang naiyak ako, nandito pa ako sa bahay.
“Unang-una kasi si Miss Rebecca, nawala na rin iyong nanay niya, so nasa heaven na rin, which is nangyari sa akin recently.
“Si Mama Bob, nawala noong November lang. So doon pa lang, nakikita ko nang alam kong magagawa ko ng maayos.”
In fact, one of the most talked-about scenes was Rebecca breaking down as her mother, played by Irma Adlawan, lay dying.
Angeline said doing the heavy scene was easy for her as she was still truly grieving at that time.
“Noong time na ginagawa namin iyong eksena, parang alam ko nang hindi ako masyadong mahihirapan kasi nandoon pa talaga iyong naggi-grieve pa sa pagkawala ng taong pinakamamahal ko.
“’Tapos noong nakita ko si Tita Irma, bumalik lahat sa isip ko kung paano ako kay Mama noong nag-a-agaw buhay na siya sa ospital.
“So parang tinitignan ko si Tita Irma noong time na hinawakan ko iyong kamay niya, ganun na ganun kasi iypng nangyari sa akin last year.
“At alam din kasi ni Tita Irma iyon, talagang napag-usapan namin iyong pagkawala ng mama ko.
"Kasi si Tita Irma rin, nawala rin iyong mama niya noong September, so halos magkasunod lang iyong nangyari.”
She said her Mama Bob would have been proud of her, “Sobrang paborito niya kasi kapag may ginagawa akong MMK kaya kahit wala na iyan dito, baka nanunuod iyan sa langit.
“Ewan ko lang kung nagpagawa siya ng cable doon. Hahaha!”
The second part of Angeline’s MMK episode will air on Saturday, March 20, on ABS-CBN’s broadcast platforms: Kapamilya Channel on cable, Kapamilya Online Live on YouTube and Facebook, and A2Z Channel 11 on free TV.
Watch Angeline's full PEP Spotlight interview on Thursday, March 18.