Yayo Aguila

For actresses Dawn Zulueta and Maricel Laxa, trust is the key to a lasting friendship.

“Remember that we’re in a business. We don’t enter this field to make best friends,” says Dawn. “Even people who work on Wall Street don’t go there to make friends with everybody. We’re all here because we ’re working. It’s a bonus if you create friends.”

Dawn, who is based in Davao del Norte, hometown of her husband Rep. Anton Lagdameo, says she doesn’t always get to spend time with Maricel but their closeness “transcends time.”

‘Kikay’ time

The two got to work together again in the Jose Javier Reyes drama “Magkaibigan,” a 2008 Metro Manila Film Festival entry. They became close while hosting the variety program “GMA Supershow” in the 1980s.

“Ibang klase ang naging bonding namin while making ‘Magkaibigan,’” says Maricel, mother of four. “After not seeing each other for a long while, we were surprised that we still had a lot to talk about, like our respective families. She’s very passionate about Davao as I am passionate about giving parenting seminars. We plan to work on something for Davao soon.”

Maricel says she also enjoys discussing with Dawn her plans for the industry. “Both of us hope to produce more movies like ‘Magkaibigan,’ even if it would mean spending our own money. We hope other actors would share our passion,” she points out.

On a lighter note, Dawn and Maricel say they have had a lot of “kikay” bonding time while working. “We spent countless hours with Dawn teaching me to do my own make-up. Every time we see each other after that, she would give me more tips. It was such a great help for someone like me who used to be so dependent on my make-up artist,” Maricel says.

Woman power

Actress-TV host Lani Mercado says she considers fellow actress Yayo Aguila, who also happens to be her niece, her closest show biz friend.

“Yayo and I send text messages to each other—a lot,” says the wife of Sen. Bong Revilla. “When I heard that the family filed a harassment case against Baron Geisler, I was concerned. I have daughters of my own. I called her up immediately. I told her I’d be praying that the issue would be resolved quickly and quietly.”

Lani says she is also friends with her “Moms” co-hosts Manilyn Reynes and Sherilyn Reyes. They have gotten so close that they still see each other even now that their show has stopped airing.

“When we bond, it means we talk about personal problems and give each other pieces of advice—as in woman power talaga,” Lani says.

by Marinel Cruz, Philippine Daily Inquirer