Ni REGGEE BONOAN

MASUWERTE si Francis Magundayao dahil hindi siya naba-bash ng ElNella supporters bilang third wheel sa seryeng Born For You na malapit nang magtapos.

“Feel really honored kasi sobrang saya ng production, nag-i-enjoy po ako na kasama ang co-artists na sina Janella (Salvador), Elmo(Magalona), sina Young JV, Alfred  (Labatos), sina Smokey (Manaloto), sobrang saya nilang kasama,” sabi ni Francis nang makatsikahan namin sa set visit ng serye.

“And I feel really blessed na naging parte ako ng show na ito and I really hope na nakapagbigay kami ng justice sa role namin. ’Yung character ko dito, gusto ko si Janella, parang ganu’n, sobrang bait ng ElNella fandom that they actually acknowledge the story of Allan, my character na may gusto siya kay Sam (Janella). And I feel really humble by their support.”

Okay lang kay Francis na bumalik sa supporting roles kahit nasubukan na niyang maging lead actor.

“Ilang beses na akong natanong tungkol dito and I always say that I trust the decision of the management. Kung ‘nilagay nila ako sa track na ito, or hindi ko naman kasi tinitingnan as lower itong ginagawa ko. I look at it as work, kaya kahit anong ibigay sa akin na sinasabing mas mababa, I look at it as professional. So, wala akong feeling negative about that, I just really happy that I have work,” paliwanag ng young actor.

Biglang natawa si Francis sa diretsong tanong namin kung girlfriend ba niya si Ella Cruz.

“No! Ika-clarify ko, Ella is a really close friend, one of the closest friends that I have both in this career kahit sa personal na buhay ko. We’ve been through really a long time, really hard worked together, projects and du’n na-develop ang relationship namin.”

Na-develop ang relationship?

“Yes, relationship as friends. But yes, I can say na nagustuhan ko siya,” pag-amin ng batang aktor.

So, nanliligaw siya Ella?

“No, sinabi ko ‘yun, in a way, kasi lahat naman tayo dumarating sa punto na akala natin na decided na tayo sa isang bagay because we are kids. As time goes by, nagma-mature tayo, when we think about our decisions as we were kids, we actually think about it. Kaya ko sinabi yun, ‘coz I like Ella, and until now she’s really beautiful and very loving,” esplika ng binatilyo.

Bakit hindi niya niligawan?

“Ha? Sabi ng nanay ko, I have to wait for my proper time. Hindi siya sagabal, I just think my mom makes good decision for me and I follow it. Sabi niya, ‘Wait for your time, wait for the proper girl.’ Parang testimony ang life ng mommy ko. She got her husband, ‘yung daddy ko nga ngayon, nagkita sila without pushing each other na pilitan. Kung sa kanila nangyari that love comes without pushing it, puwede ring mangyari sa akin,” sey ng bagets.

Siya ba ang dahilan ng hiwalayan nina Ella at Bret Jackson?

“Why? I won’t do anything to break anyone’s relationship. Please don’t misunderstand,” mabilis na sagot ng binatilyo. “Ella is a good friend. Kung mayroon kang friend na ‘nirerespeto, in a way such as I respect Ella, you don’t really think, ‘Ay, liligawan ko kaya siya kasi maganda siya.’

“You don’t do that, if you consider someone with such respect as I respect Ella as a friend. Yes she’s lovely she’s pretty, she’s talented, she’s a good actress but I guess everything has its purpose, everything has a reason.”

Naikuwento rin ni Francis na lahat ng nangyayari sa buhay niya ay ikinukuwento niya sa parents niya.

“When it comes to manhood, I talk to my dad, everything, anything,” aniya.

Nabanggit niya na dalawang taon na simula nang maging open siya sa mga magulang niya, kaya naisip namin ang nakaraang isyu sa kanya tungkol sa sex video. Nakakabilib na buong tapang na hinarap ni Francis ang isyu.

Meron nga ba siyang lumabas na sex video?

“Yes, mayroon, kasi it’s in the Internet. It’s right there, pero I guess my attitude right now is, maybe iniisip ko na lang, just be a smart person, just don’t think about it.

“Now naisip ko, if you’re really a smart or loving person, if you love someone, kahit ‘di mo siya kilala, you shouldn’t just talk about it or ask if it’s real or not. Isipin mo ‘yung pakiramdam ng tao,” mabilis niyang paliwanag.

May ideya ba ang young actor kung sino ang nag-upload ng sex video o pinaimbestigahan ba nila ito?

“I don’t know. I just don’t wanna talk about that, and to the guy kung sinuman ang gumawa nu’n, I don’t even know how it happened. All I just know is possibly may nagawa ako sa kanya, possibly he or she hates me. I don’t talk about it, I don’t even think about it. I just think that people will also not think about it.

“Kasi ‘di naman sa akin lang nangyari ‘yun, eh. Nu’ng nangyari ‘yun, I don’t think about it. I actually pray for them, pray for their feelings. I just hope people will do the same to me.

“Investigate? I didn’t.”

Ang mga magulang ang sinandalan at naging tanggulan niya nu’ng pumutok ang isyu.

“Mas kinausap ko lang sila du’n. Nabagabag lang ako, bakit nangyari ito? Are there really people that hate so much? ‘Yun lang, ang sinabi nila, ‘Yes, may ganu’n sa buhay.’ Okey, ‘yun na ‘yun. Eh, di mahalin ko na lang, kasi kulang na nga ng pagmamahal sa mundo. Eh, di mahalin ko na lang kung sinuman siya,” aniya.

Napatawad na niya ang nag-upload ng naturang video.

“Minahal ko siya kung sinuman ‘yung tao na ‘yun. I love them. It’s hard to love, honestly, lalo na kung inaaaway ka nila. But I guess du’n mo makikita kung evident talaga si Lord sa buhay mo. I’m not a perfect person myself, ilang beses akong nagkasala sa parents ko and yet they still forgive me.

“Ano’ng karapatan ko not to forgive other people? These things, maybe you could be thankful for these kind of things. This issue kasi, kaya mong mapakita na may Diyos na kaya mong magmahal kahit sa mga imposibleng mga situations.”

Bago nagtapos ang panayam, tinanong namin si Francis kung sino sa magagaling na aktor na gusto niyang sundan ang yapak.

“You know what, sobrang gusto ko ang career ni Enrique Gil, ‘coz he’s a good actor and also a good dancer. I admire both of those things. Yes, if given a chance, I would go to the same footsteps of Enrique Gil and also find myself ng Liza Soberano,” nakangiting sagot ni Francis.