Carla Abellana: Keeping her values

CEBU, Philippines - Carla Abellana knows that three years into the biz is still a short time to crow about. But the Kapuso leading lady feels she has shown enough mettle as an actress to warrant the interest of other networks or, be given the right attention from her home studio. She has after all, at least two acting trophies to prove she’s not just another pretty face.

In a recent interview with The FREEMAN, Carla denies she and her manager Arnold Vegafria were just trying to up her negotiating price when they took time to renew their contract with GMA-7 early this year, reasoning then that they were also reviewing the offers from two other rival channels. There was also talk she was allegedly impatient that her last afternoon soap “Kung Aagawin Mo Ang Langit” wasn’t immediately followed up with another project, causing her to contemplate what awaited beyond the network that plucked her from the corporate world into the television limelight back in 2009. “Not really impatient, but I’d like to think that I’m also in demand. I would like to think that though I’ve been in the industry for three very short years, may napatunayan naman ako. Thankfully, there were those who expressed their interest to get me. It was flattering to get an offer from others. But of course, I wouldn’t leave my network right away. It’s not all about the money.”

Carla says the first to present an offer was TV5, particularly, a supposed soap with prime leading men Aga Muhlach and Derek Ramsay, a hosting job for a reality show franchise, and a movie that would have been co-produced by Regal Films. “So that was nice, because the contract already had specific projects. Yun yung nagustuhan namin,” she says.

Meanwhile, what was being floated around was that ABS-CBN was the one interested, although the channel refuted it. “Kumbaga, baliktad. TV5 had an offer, but what was coming out in the press was that ABS-CBN was the one which had an offer. Eventually, ABS-CBN also expressed their interest in me. I don’t know the projects, all I know was that my manager met and sat down with each network to talk. So at the end of it all, I had offers from all three networks. It wasn’t true that we were trying to increase our price. It really came to a point that I almost transferred. I really had to open my mind and consider, because if you compare the projects, they were very good offers.”

She knew comments such as her having no sense of gratitude, or having been lured by monetary gain were sure to surface, had she opted to make the big move. “Sabi ko nga, if I will transfer, expect ko na yun. There will be people who will be saying walang utang na loob o mukha akong pera. Kung mukha akong pera, madali lang to transfer.”

What stopped her then from grabbing the juicy proposals? “At the end of the day, it was my decision alone. I cannot leave GMA. My heart is here, and I love everybody here. It is very difficult to leave my network because they gave me a name and all the opportunities, so I don’t think I can take it if ever I transfer,” says Carla, currently seen weeknights in “Makapiling Kang Muli” and set to host the upcoming reality search “Protégé” with Dingdong Dantes, Jennylyn Mercado and Maxene Magalona.

‘Respect’

Three years in, and Carla feels the worse for her, intrigue-wise, has yet to come. While her poised and polite demeanor have kept her from being easy target for negative issues, Carla acknowledges one of the most “difficult” situations she has experienced so far was the confrontation with an entertainment columnist during a movie press conference last year.

It will be recalled that Mario Bautista had confronted Carla about the e-mail she sent him regarding an article where she felt misquoted.

Carla recalls of the incident, “I wouldn’t say worse, because we were able to resolve it quickly. But that moment itself, I already felt my heart crushing. Yes, there were those who felt surprised and disappointed. But I myself was surprised na maraming tao ang bumilib sa akin. Even after what happened, I’ve gained respect from some people even from other networks and members of the press.”

It helped that she maintained a cool and apologetic stance all throughout the exchange, when someone else in her position could have broken down in humiliation or fought back with their own temper unchecked. She says she is naturally that way. “I’m not confrontational. I’m not good at confrontations. I was raised by my mother and grandmother to really stand up for my rights. Kung ano yung tama, yun ang dapat ipagtanggol ko. If I know I’m right, I will fight for it. Ako pa, eh I’m very competitive.”

But, Carla says she was also taught to always respect the elder person. “Huwag mo nang pantayan. You go down a notch. Stay calm and make sure you still respect the person.”

Now that’s taking the high road and keeping values in check, even amid the drowning glory of fame and celebrity.