PNS — CLAUDINE Barretto has done many teleseryes but she considers her role as Catherine in “Iisa Pa Lamang” the most demanding so far.
She is subjected to all sorts of humiliation, deceit, and oppression but gets redeemed and emerges triumphant in the end. “Malawak ang role kaya mahirap gawin,” says Claudine. “But any actress worth her salt will enjoy portraying Catherine kasi maganda’t makulay talaga ang naging buhay niya.”
Catherine has two childhood friends: Miguel Castillejos (Diether Ocampo) and Raphael Torralba (Gabby Concepcion). Raphael goes to the US and while he’s away, Catherine and Miguel fall in love with each other.
When he returns to their hacienda in Amadesto, Batangas, he learns that Catherine and Miguel are already sweethearts so he keeps his feelings for her to himself. Catherine expects to have a happy life with Miguel, but his mom, Isadora (Cherry Pie Picache), is against their love affair and schemes a horrible plot against her, making her vanish mysteriously. Isadora then forces Miguel to marry a wealthy girl, Scarlet (Angelica Panganiban), but both Miguel and Scarlet realize early on that their marriage is doomed from the start.
Catherine tries to live a new life in Manila with her grandma, Aura (Susan Roces), who becomes her source of hope and strength. A billionaire, Martin dela Rea (Bembol Roco), falls in love with her and proposes marriage. She agrees and it turns out that Martin is the father of Scarlet.
She works in Martin’s company and becomes the boss of her former boyfriend, Miguel, whose wife Scarlet, turns out to be the daughter of Martin from his first marriage. Catherine becomes obsessed with revenge against Miguel and his family.
Meantime, Raphael continues to hope that his pure love for Catherine will free her from the bitter hatred and anger that envelope her whole being.
Directed by Ruel Bayani and Manny Palo, “Iisa Pa Lamang” will start airing on July 14 on ABS-CBN’s Primetime Bida.
It’ll serve as a Claudine’s birthday treat to her fans as she’ll celebrate her birthday on July 20. She won’t have a party but will do an outreach program for Bantay Bata with hubby Raymart Santiago.
“I just want to share my blessings. Gusto ko ngang magkaroon ng own foundation for abandoned babies.”
How did Raymart react to her hot love scenes with both Gabby and Diether? “No big deal. He understands my work perfectly as he’s also an actor.”
Well, after all, she even had a rape scene with Rafael Rosell in her last show, “Maligno.”