SPECIAL FEATURE: Discriminated, hated by peers, Sylvia Sanchez chose to rise above it

Gerry  Plaza

<img src='https://push-data.abs-cbn.com/push/archive/features/2016/09-September/092916/PUSHERS/092916-sylvia_pushers.jpg' alt='092916-sylvia_pushers.jpg' width='500' height='331' align='center' border='0'> When you spend time in a room with Sylvia Sanchez, you don’t lounge around and count the minutes ticking away.All the 30 or so minutes with her were so enlightening and enlivening of what a true actress is about and great mom anyone could ever have. And a person who would rise above adversity and reach the pinnacle.She’s definitive of what a dedicated thespian is to her craft, moreso with her so blessed and riveting portrayal of that troubled mom ailing with Alzheimer’s Disease in the gripping afternoon drama “<a href='http://entertainment.abs-cbn.com/tv/shows/thegreatestlove/main'>The Greatest Love</a>.”Tough journeyThe journey to her first lead role in a major TV series was certainly tough.“Andiyan yung discrimination, totoo naman yun eh. Naranasan ko lahat yun. Naranasan akong sabihan na, ‘Ay di yan marunong,’ yung mga ganun...panlalait talaga,” Sylvia revealed. But instead of wallowing in those brickbats, she chose to use it as motivation.“Pero kasi ako na tao, pag the more na ginaganun mo ako, pag the more na ni-negative mo ako na dina-down mo ako, sasaluhin ko lang yun eh. Pero deep inside sasabihin ko, ‘Isang araw. Isang araw, titingalain mo ako. Isang araw malalaman mong marunong ako.’ Yung negative ginagawa kong positibo.”Real vs Reel<img src='' alt='Photo credit: sylviasanchez_a IG' title='Photo credit: sylviasanchez_a IG' width='500' height='331' align='center' border='0'> Photo credit: sylviasanchez_a IGIn so doing, Sylvia said that while those hurtful incidents in the past would help encourage her in portraying characters, particularly her grandest role of Gloria in “The Greatest Love,” she draws the line between real and reel.“Nakakatulong, and lahat ng sakit. Pero kasi tinatanggal ko rin yung pagiging Sylvia sa totoong buhay. Fine-feel ko pinapasok ko yung character mismo,” she tells PUSH in an exclusive interview. “Ang ginagawa ko talaga is pagdating ko sa set, kinukuha ko yung Sylvia, tinatanggal ko yung Sylvia, pinapasok ko yung Gloria. Kaya mas suwabe at saka at the same time, yes meron pa rin, ‘Ay noon okay, ganun ganun ganun.’ So alam ko na lang yung mga nuances, ganun lang yung mga in-a-apply.”The role of Gloria definitely hits home, being a dedicated mother herself. And as the days go by depicting the character’s painstaking journey, Sylvia said she takes a lesson or two from her role.“Bilang pagganap ng Gloria ko dito, natututunan ko yung, ‘Ay, dapat pala ganito.’ Marami pa rin naman kasi akong hindi alam eh, sa buhay eh. So bilang si Gloria, itong Gloria na role na pino-portray ko, tinuturuan din mismo ako bilang si Sylvia Sanchez sa totoong buhay,” she said.Greatest love for kids<img src='https://push-data.abs-cbn.com/push/archive/features/2016/09-September/092916/PUSHERS/092916-sylvia2_pushers.jpg' alt='Photo credit: sylviasanchez_a IG' title='Photo credit: sylviasanchez_a IG' width='500' height='331' align='center' border='0'> Photo credit: sylviasanchez_a IGBearing that in mind, Sylvia says she would always express the “Greatest Love” for his kids, Arjo, Ria, Gela, and Xavi. “Ako yung greatest love ko para sa mga anak ko, basta ako nandito lang ako para sa kanila. Lahat sasaluhin ko para sa kanila. Ayokong meron umapi sa kanila. Ganun naman ang nanay eh, gagawin ko para sa kanila. Sasaluhin ko ang bala para sa kanila. I-co-correct ko sila hanggang tama sila. Pero syempre, i-co-correct ko rin sila, pagsasabihan ko rin sila kung mali sila.”Arjo, in particular, showed exceptional flair playing the role of Joaquin in “Ang Probinsyano.” Sylvia said she is so happy with how her eldest’s acting career is turning out.“Sobra akong masaya para kay Arjo. Kasi yung una dasal ko lang, ‘Lord, sana marunong lang siya umarte.’ Marunong lang umarte. Yung tama, yung hindi naman sabihin na hindi marunong umarte, yun lang. Pero ngayon...wow. Pinapatunayan niya sa akin na, ‘Mom, marunong ako.’ Hindi lang marunong, talagang...alam mo yun, magaling. Pinapatunayan niya na kaya niyang gampanan yung role niya. Nakakatuwa.”‘Be professional’<img src='https://push-data.abs-cbn.com/push/archive/features/2016/09-September/092916/PUSHERS/092916-sylvia3_pushers.jpg' alt='Photo credit: sylviasanchez_a IG' title='Photo credit: sylviasanchez_a IG' width='500' height='331' align='center' border='0'> Photo credit: sylviasanchez_a IGSylvia would also give Arjo valuable pointers in thriving in the industry.“Be professional. Wag kang manakit ng tao. Makisama ka sa lahat, makisama ka sa boss hanggang sa utility, wala kang pipiliin.” Kasi naniniwala ako sa industriya natin, magaling ka nga, pasaway ka naman. Wala rin.”And to her other child, Ria, who is now starting her acting career.“Sabi ko sa kanya (Ria), ‘Okay lang yan, ikaw yung bago ngayon. Kaya mo naman.’ At napatunayan din naman niya na marunong siya umarte, meron siyang ibubuga. So sabi ko rin same, same lang. Be professional, wag pasaway sa set. Mahalin ang trabaho dahil mamahalin din kayo ng trabaho niyo.”Despite the demands of her profession, it would all boil down to one important thing to her: offering her greatest love as a mother, not only to her kids but even to friends and co-workers.Bilang mother ang pinakaimportante sa akin kahit sa mga kaibigan. Yung pag mahal kita pag kaibigan kita, gusto ko nandito ka. Gusto ko alagaan ka, gusto ko mahalin ka. Yung karamihan na nagsasabi na ang taray ko, yun yung naririnig ko—suplada. Okay lang yun, mukha lang yun. Kasi makikita mo naman yung tao in person na pino-portray ko lang yung role ko. Pero masasabi ko, once na kaibigan kita, kapamilya kita. Mamahalin kita hanggang sa huling hininga ko.”

She’s definitive of what a dedicated thespian is to her craft, moreso with her so blessed and riveting portrayal of that troubled mom ailing with Alzheimer’s Disease in the gripping afternoon drama “<a href='http://entertainment.abs-cbn.com/tv/shows/thegreatestlove/main'>The Greatest Love</a>.”Tough journeyThe journey to her first lead role in a major TV series was certainly tough.“Andiyan yung discrimination, totoo naman yun eh. Naranasan ko lahat yun. Naranasan akong sabihan na, ‘Ay di yan marunong,’ yung mga ganun...panlalait talaga,” Sylvia revealed. But instead of wallowing in those brickbats, she chose to use it as motivation.“Pero kasi ako na tao, pag the more na ginaganun mo ako, pag the more na ni-negative mo ako na dina-down mo ako, sasaluhin ko lang yun eh. Pero deep inside sasabihin ko, ‘Isang araw. Isang araw, titingalain mo ako. Isang araw malalaman mong marunong ako.’ Yung negative ginagawa kong positibo.”Real vs Reel<img src='' alt='Photo credit: sylviasanchez_a IG' title='Photo credit: sylviasanchez_a IG' width='500' height='331' align='center' border='0'> Photo credit: sylviasanchez_a IGIn so doing, Sylvia said that while those hurtful incidents in the past would help encourage her in portraying characters, particularly her grandest role of Gloria in “The Greatest Love,” she draws the line between real and reel.“Nakakatulong, and lahat ng sakit. Pero kasi tinatanggal ko rin yung pagiging Sylvia sa totoong buhay. Fine-feel ko pinapasok ko yung character mismo,” she tells PUSH in an exclusive interview. “Ang ginagawa ko talaga is pagdating ko sa set, kinukuha ko yung Sylvia, tinatanggal ko yung Sylvia, pinapasok ko yung Gloria. Kaya mas suwabe at saka at the same time, yes meron pa rin, ‘Ay noon okay, ganun ganun ganun.’ So alam ko na lang yung mga nuances, ganun lang yung mga in-a-apply.”The role of Gloria definitely hits home, being a dedicated mother herself. And as the days go by depicting the character’s painstaking journey, Sylvia said she takes a lesson or two from her role.“Bilang pagganap ng Gloria ko dito, natututunan ko yung, ‘Ay, dapat pala ganito.’ Marami pa rin naman kasi akong hindi alam eh, sa buhay eh. So bilang si Gloria, itong Gloria na role na pino-portray ko, tinuturuan din mismo ako bilang si Sylvia Sanchez sa totoong buhay,” she said.Greatest love for kids<img src='https://push-data.abs-cbn.com/push/archive/features/2016/09-September/092916/PUSHERS/092916-sylvia2_pushers.jpg' alt='Photo credit: sylviasanchez_a IG' title='Photo credit: sylviasanchez_a IG' width='500' height='331' align='center' border='0'> Photo credit: sylviasanchez_a IGBearing that in mind, Sylvia says she would always express the “Greatest Love” for his kids, Arjo, Ria, Gela, and Xavi. “Ako yung greatest love ko para sa mga anak ko, basta ako nandito lang ako para sa kanila. Lahat sasaluhin ko para sa kanila. Ayokong meron umapi sa kanila. Ganun naman ang nanay eh, gagawin ko para sa kanila. Sasaluhin ko ang bala para sa kanila. I-co-correct ko sila hanggang tama sila. Pero syempre, i-co-correct ko rin sila, pagsasabihan ko rin sila kung mali sila.”Arjo, in particular, showed exceptional flair playing the role of Joaquin in “Ang Probinsyano.” Sylvia said she is so happy with how her eldest’s acting career is turning out.“Sobra akong masaya para kay Arjo. Kasi yung una dasal ko lang, ‘Lord, sana marunong lang siya umarte.’ Marunong lang umarte. Yung tama, yung hindi naman sabihin na hindi marunong umarte, yun lang. Pero ngayon...wow. Pinapatunayan niya sa akin na, ‘Mom, marunong ako.’ Hindi lang marunong, talagang...alam mo yun, magaling. Pinapatunayan niya na kaya niyang gampanan yung role niya. Nakakatuwa.”‘Be professional’<img src='https://push-data.abs-cbn.com/push/archive/features/2016/09-September/092916/PUSHERS/092916-sylvia3_pushers.jpg' alt='Photo credit: sylviasanchez_a IG' title='Photo credit: sylviasanchez_a IG' width='500' height='331' align='center' border='0'> Photo credit: sylviasanchez_a IGSylvia would also give Arjo valuable pointers in thriving in the industry.“Be professional. Wag kang manakit ng tao. Makisama ka sa lahat, makisama ka sa boss hanggang sa utility, wala kang pipiliin.” Kasi naniniwala ako sa industriya natin, magaling ka nga, pasaway ka naman. Wala rin.”And to her other child, Ria, who is now starting her acting career.“Sabi ko sa kanya (Ria), ‘Okay lang yan, ikaw yung bago ngayon. Kaya mo naman.’ At napatunayan din naman niya na marunong siya umarte, meron siyang ibubuga. So sabi ko rin same, same lang. Be professional, wag pasaway sa set. Mahalin ang trabaho dahil mamahalin din kayo ng trabaho niyo.”Despite the demands of her profession, it would all boil down to one important thing to her: offering her greatest love as a mother, not only to her kids but even to friends and co-workers.Bilang mother ang pinakaimportante sa akin kahit sa mga kaibigan. Yung pag mahal kita pag kaibigan kita, gusto ko nandito ka. Gusto ko alagaan ka, gusto ko mahalin ka. Yung karamihan na nagsasabi na ang taray ko, yun yung naririnig ko—suplada. Okay lang yun, mukha lang yun. Kasi makikita mo naman yung tao in person na pino-portray ko lang yung role ko. Pero masasabi ko, once na kaibigan kita, kapamilya kita. Mamahalin kita hanggang sa huling hininga ko.”

<img src='https://push-data.abs-cbn.com/push/archive/features/2016/09-September/092916/PUSHERS/092916-sylvia_pushers.jpg' alt='092916-sylvia_pushers.jpg' width='500' height='331' align='center' border='0'> When you spend time in a room with Sylvia Sanchez, you don’t lounge around and count the minutes ticking away.All the 30 or so minutes with her were so enlightening and enlivening of what a true actress is about and great mom anyone could ever have. And a person who would rise above adversity and reach the pinnacle.

SPECIAL FEATURE: Discriminated, hated by peers, Sylvia Sanchez chose to rise above it | PUSH.COM.PH