Kaye Abad: True-blue child of show business

Winona is a teen prostitute in Ermita. She is a down-to-earth even witty teenage girl who dreams of breaking out of the flesh trade. But Winona is not an ordinary prostitute. She is an endearing person who befriends a former teacher and even serves as her inspiration to teach street kids to read and write.

Winona is a character from the movie Mila, Star Cinema’s 8th anniversary presentation. Winona is earnestly portrayed by Kaye Abad, an ABS-CBN Talent Center artist who we see every Sunday in Tabing Ilog at 2:30 p.m.

On doing Mila with Maricel Soriano and Joel Lamangan, Kaye says, "I’ve learned a lot of things in doing this movie. Winona is different from the characters I have portrayed before and I realized it’s not easy being a prostitute ha! My role here is very challenging."

Kaye is a true-blue child of showbusiness. She started at an early age as one of the thousands of hopefuls who one day want to be the next Vilma or Nora. She then auditioned to be part of Ang TV and was launched a few years later to be part of Star Circle Batch 3 with Carlos Agassi, Piolo Pascual and Bojo Molina.

Kaye was then cast in teenybopper roles in TV shows like Gimik and in the movies Flames, Ang TV The Movie, Nagbibinata and Oo Na… Mahal Na Kung Mahal. She danced and sang like the rest of them. But even when was she that young, there was something in Kaye that made everyone notice her. In fact, veteran manager and PAMI member Ramon Salvador took one long look at her and fearlessly predicted that Kaye will one day be a big star.

And Kuya Ramon, as usual was right. Kaye moved on to be part of the ABS-CBN mini-series Sa Sandaling Kailangan Mo Ako where she impressed people with her thespic talents. She was even rewarded with her own series in ABS-CBN, Star Drama Presents… Kaye. And in 1998, she was a runner-up in the 1998 Asian Television Awards for her memorable role, also of a young prostitute in an episode of Maalaala Mo Kaya.

The last time I saw Kaye, she was sporting a new hairdo which complemented her young, sensuous face. She wore light makeup which highlighted her pretty features. Her clothes were sexy and tight-fitting – showing off deadly curves.

Kaye is looking forward to a launching movie, that will make everyone notice her and think that she’s not just one-half of a love-team with John Lloyd Cruz. But she’s just giving herself a limited time frame. "After three years, if there’s nothing happening with my career, I’ll approach ABS-CBN and ask them what their plans are. ‘Pag wala, I’ll just go back to school." Kaye, plans to take-up Fine Arts to fulfill another dream which is to become an artist.

But she’s been assured by friends and industry insiders. They say, "That won’t happen, Kaye. You are a talented girl and that’s what it takes to last long in the business."

"Maraming salamat po," Kaye would always answer.

Kaye is also doing a new movie under Star Cinema billed as Pepay is a comedy with Jolina Magdangal and Leandro Muñoz.

As for her stint in Tabing Ilog where she brings life to Eds, a poor but hard-working girl who dreams of a better life for her and her family, Kaye admits she doesn’t know how the current conflict between Eds and John Lloyd Cruz’s will end. "Ang ending ’nun? Hindi ko alam eh!"

That’s right, Kaye. No one knows how things will turn out for you, Eds and all of us. Who knows where the wind will bring us? But like your roles Eds and Winona, they teach us that life is not always easy but we make choices and we learn to stand by them no matter what the consequences are.

But Eds and Winona are dreamers. They are not always winners but they are good fighters – just like Kaye Abad.