Sa part two ng aming exclusive interview with Alfonso Martinez, binalikan din namin ang masasayang ala-ala ng kanyang Mommy Liezl Martinez at ang “pang-Maalaala Mo Kaya” na love story nito with his dad, Albert Martinez.
Ani Alfonso, aware silang magkakapatid sa makulay na love story ng kanilang mom and dad—si Albert na hindi nagpa-sindak kay Amalia at iniwan ang namamayagpag na showbiz career; habang si Liezl ay pinili si Albert kaysa sa marangyang buhay at promising ding showbiz career.
Ani Alfonso, the whole story made him respect his dad more. Moreover, na-inspire daw siya sa love story ng parents niya kaya more or less ay patterned doon ang sarili niyang love story with his soon-to-be wife, ang production designer na si Miki Hahn.
“That’s why I have so much respect and love for my dad na, medyo na-inspired ako kasi there was a time I was living in the States, I left everything to go back for Miki and my dad was also like that, you know. I don’t know what level of his career was during that time...he left, he sold everything to be with my mom in the States.”
Aware daw siya sa naging hirap ng dad niya sa Amerika.
“S’yempre there’s lots of Filipinos in California na, you know... my dad has a lot of jobs... he would make bread, he worked as a manager for Walgreens, pumped gas... s’yempre some Pinoys would say something...”
However, naintindihan din naman daw niya kung bakit sa simula ay naging masamang-masama ang loob ng lola Amalia niya. Nag-iisang anak nga naman si Liezl at maraming pangarap si Amalia para dito. Pero dahil sa pag-ibig, batang-bata itong nag-asawa.
But Alfonso won’t have it any other way. Hindi lang daw kay Albert in love ang kanilang Mommy, kundi sa motherhood din.
“She enjoyed showbiz but not as much as enjoyed being a mom that’s why she wanted to do it 100 percent,” analisa ni Alfonso.
Through the years ay nagbago naman daw ang ihip ng hangin kaya naman binasag din ni Alfonso ang myth na galit ang kanyang lola sa kanyang tatay. In fact, pag magkasama raw silang mag-lola ay laging kinukumusta nito si Albert. Tingin niya ay façade lang ng lola niya na tila galit kay Albert, but in her heart, she respected and loved him.
“He was very proud when he did Rosario,” recall ni Alfonso about his dad’s directorial debut in 2010.
Isa pa sa pinasinungalingan ni Alfonso ay ang nabalita noon na tinanggalan ng mana ni kanyang Lola ang kanyang Mommy Liezl. To outsiders looking in, nilinaw ni Alfonso that it’s just one of his lola’s theatricals. In fact, kahit daw siya ay tinakot na rin ng lola niya noon na hindi pamamanahan ng anything.
“She just wants attention lang but as soon as my mom calls or texts...as soon as my mom talks to her, hindi na,” natatawang balik-tanaw ni Alfonso.
“Ano lang niya ’yon she just wanted to call attention lang. But she never really meant it. Like me, we would also have tampuhan na ganyan...she said to me one time also, ‘You know, Alfonso, I’ll disinherit you.’ Whatever.
“And as soon as I visit her, no more na. It’s just like how old people...our lolas are. I guess because of her upbringing and her own personal experience, it’s taking up to times ten!
“I bet you other people have experience of that version with their own Lola. But I guess that’s what you get when your lola is a movie star... [news] has to be like times 1000. I understood. I never took it against her naman, ‘Ay naku lola talaga.’ Wala. That’s how they communicate what can I do?
“Like she comes from a different generation, so it’s hard to understand for people outside inside looking in. I tell you guys, she’s just like that talaga with tampuhan. Behind closed door, we just make pa-cute lang... ‘Lola...’ Hug her and all’s fine.”
(These and more sa full interview with Alfonso Martinez. Please tune on to part 3.)
