JAY Manalo says “Bugaw” is his last movie in the contract he signed up with Viva two years ago. “I don’t know if they’d still renew it but gusto ko lang magpasalamat kay Boss Vic dahil ang dami kong nagawang movies sa contract kong mage-expire na,” he says.

We tell him he gave some very good performances in the films assigned to him, like “Selina’s Gold” where he played a villainous lecher who gets a shocking comeuppance in the film’s twisted ending, and also in “Hosto”, where he was Vince Rillon’s martyr gay lover who’s all out in his love scenes with Vince.

“Ako naman, kahit anong role ang ibigay sa akin, I just give it my best,” he says. “Sa ‘Hosto’, sa bedscene namin ni Vince, todo ako, it’s just a role, siya ‘yung umurong at na-conscious sa akin, e. So after the martyr role there, heto, balik ako sa bad guy role in ‘Bugaw’.”

What exactly is his role?

“I play the corrupt chief of police in our town who everybody calls Ser. I require sina Alexa Ocampo and Clifford Pusing na magkapatid na prostitutes, para bigyan ako ng share sa lahat ng kinikita nila. Nang pumalag si Clifford, inaresto ko siya at ikinulong. Tapos, I kidnapped ang newcomer na si Ataska Mercado para maging bagong prostitute sa bayan namin. Ikinulong ko siya kasama ni Clifford at pinagmalupitan nang husto.”

Since he is the most veteran member of the cast, how is it working with his co-stars who are all newcomers?

“As the veteran sa amin, parang kuya nila ako. Kung ano ang nakikita kong kulang, sinasabi ko sa kanila. Ganun din naman kung sobra at kailangang bawasan. But all of them, Alexa, Clifford and Ataska, in all fairness, magagaling naman sila. And there’s also our director, Yam Laranas, to help them interpret their roles properly during the shoot.”

Ataska Mercado personally thanked Jay for all his help to her on the set of their film at Tanay, Rizal.

“He’s really very nice,” she says. “Noong una, medyo ilang pa ako kasi I know he’s an award-winning actor na matagal na in the business. But he’s very friendly in sharing his experiences in acting and in showbiz sa buhay artista. He’s really a big help to a newcomer like me.”

Jay was only 18 years old when he joined showbiz in 1994 in the youth-action movies “Brat Pack” and “Paracale Gang”. He then did sexy films as the leading man of new sexpots like Amanda Page in “Gayuma”, Rica Peralejo in “Balahibong Pusa”, Ara Mina in “Huling Birhen sa Lupa” and “Prosti” with Aubrey Miles for which he won the Urian best actor award. He’s now 47 years old and is still supporting new screen sirens in Vivamax releases like Angeli Khang, AJ Raval, Franki Russell, Ava Mendez, Angela Morena and now, Alexa Ocampo and Ataska Mercado in “Bugaw” that will start streaming on Vivamax this July 7. That is quite a feat, isn’t it? And we’re sure Viva will renew his contract with them so he can continue making movies for Vivamax.

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Mario Bautista