MANO PO 6

Text by Karen Pagsolingan

Do you believe in malas?

Typical reaction of some Pinoys whenever a mishap or a catastrophe happens to them: “Ang malas naman.”

Even if they are partly to be blamed for the unfortunate turn of events, they would say luck has something to do with it.

Sharon Cuneta’s character, Melinda Uy, in her first movie with Regal Films, Mano Po 6: A Mother’s Love, is saksakan ng kamalasan. Bankrupt trading business, a house hit by fire, the death of her husband Alfonso (Christopher de Leon), an overnight stay in jail, a forced entry to the mental hospital—name it, she almost had it all!

It’s a wonder how director Joel Lamangan was able to fit all those crucial scenes in the movie!

Rash reaction: Isn’t it overly dramatic or too long-winded?

Surprisingly, it wasn’t. We couldn’t say it’s exaggerated either, since most moms will likely do anything for their children.

The latest installment of Mano Po reveres maternal love. It tackles the story of a Chinoy lady who draws strength from her Chinese mom, Jin Feng (Boots Anson-Roa). It shows the struggles of a widow while establishing her name as a businesswoman, and making an attempt to take back her three children—Stephanie (Heart Evangelista), Audrey (Nicole Uysiuseng), and Walden (John Manalo)—from her in-laws.

That would probably sound like the usual rags-to-riches plots of Sharon movies that most people, who lived through the ‘80s, grew up with.

But there’s more to the film than sampalan and sagutan.