JOLINA Magdangal still can’t believe it that after 25 years, she and her erstwhile screen partner, Marvin Agustin, are reuniting on the big screen in director JP Habac’s light romance, Ex Ex Lovers, with a tinge of comedy.

This early, the solid Mar-Jo (Marvin-Jolina) fans are awaiting the screen reunion. The loveteam already saw the final draft of the script. The film is slated to be shown in February 2025, although not yet sure if in time for Valentine’s playdate.

“I’m very thankful that our fans haven’t lost hope that a film would still push through after all these years,” said Jolina, who turned a year older on November 6.

“Sa totoo lang, nahihiya na talaga kami ni Marvin because every time we post a photo, something comes up pero hindi naman natutuloy.

“Ayaw din namin to do just a comeback movie parang sige na lang. Gusto din namin na matuloy ang ‘dream project.’ Gusto namin, ano man ito, sasaya ang mga naghintay sa amin.

“Hindi man ito kasing kilig noong age namin dati, ‘yung rollercoaster na naramdaman namin sa Labs Kita… Okay Ka Lang, pero at least nasa age namin that we could still give them the feeling of kilig.”

Producers are Antoinette Jadaone and Dan Villegas under Project 8 productions and Cornerstone Entertainment. “They really sat down and finalized the script,” Jolina said. “Excited ako since it’s my first time to work with direk JP.”

As early as 2018, talks about a Mar-Jo (Marvin-Jolina) started floating. But for some reason, the project never pushed through. Until recently, when Ex Ex Lovers was officially announced.

Jolina acknowledged they owe this screen reunion to their fans, who patiently waited so long for the project to get a green light. Actor-singer Juan Karlos Labajo and Loisa Andalio will also be part of the cast of Ex Ex Lovers.

The MarJo loveteam started in the nineties and became one of the popular pairs of the decade. They successfully teamed up in five films – Flames, The Movie (1997), Labs Kita… Okay Lang (1998), Kung Ayaw Mo, Huwag Mo (1998), Hey, Babe (1999) and Gimik: The Reunion (1999).

She is wrapping up Lavender Fields, the primetime teleserye where she plays Lily Atienza. The series will end in January, but they have two more shooting days remaining.

“As of now, we still don’t know what will happen in the series,” Jolina disclosed. “The only thing we know is the story from the start until the middle. But from the middle until the ending, that will be a surprise for the viewers even to us.

“Every time we would receive the script and every time we would see a new draft, may mga iikot pa sa story at mai-iba pa. Sometimes, tapos na namin ang Week 1 and 2, but we would be called again to shoot additional scenes.

“We get excited ourselves. We get to discover something new in the story and we learn about it. I get to discover about Lily’s character which I haven’t done in the series that I did in the past. I got used to going rom-com.

“But in Lavender Fields, I play the mother and a loyal friend. The story is challenging for me because I really don’t know how it will end. All of us get excited and there’s a twist how our character gets molded.”

Jolina admitted experiencing Lily at this time is really exciting for her after nine years of not doing a soap series. Her last was Written in the Stars under Dreamscape. Then she started doing the morning talk show, Magandang Buhay.

“Nangapa ako when I started doing Lavender Fields. Totoo palang paper-less na ang script. You just see it in the e-mail link. Lahat kami we just talk through chat. Ibang-iba na talaga. Wala na akong mga scratch paper na susulatan.”

Jolina was recently introduced as the image model and brand ambassador of Omron medical devices. She acknowledged the use of the devices, especially now that she is in her 40’s

“Hindi na tayo bata,” said Jolina. “I cannot do everything without the help of my hubby who inspires me to stay healthy, to have a peaceful mental health. Lagi namin ini-ingatan ang sarili namin pagdating sa health.”

She also gives priority to exercise, compared to before when she was merely in her 20’s. “You have to give priority and conscious effort to doing exercise,” Jolina said. “We do biking or walking in the park with the kids. We give quality time for that exercise.”

“It’s important that the kids see that, too. They said, ‘Practice what you preach.’ So I have to do what I tell my kids. It’s important that the kids see what we do, so when they go out, they are equipped and they enjoy what we do.”

Her two kids – ten-year-old Pele and six-year-old Vika – are home-schooled, Jolina cherishes the time she spends with the kids, while they are still young.

“Now that they are still kids, we consider the time we spend with them really important,” Jolina said. “Everybody needs to be healthy. You need to balance family and work.”

“Health is really experiential and it’s really empowered health that we want to advocate together with our brand ambassador, Jolina (Magdangal),” said Benjamin Agbulos, general manager of Omron Healthcare Philippines.

“Too much of everything is not good. Dapat tama lang. That’s important. Knowledge is power. You have to empower yourself to know where you are health-wise.”

AUTHOR PROFILE

Leah C. Salterio