Will the real Nanette Inventor please stand up?

MANILA, Philippines - I touched a raw nerve in Nanette Inventor at the presscon of her new GMA show, Ang Yaman ni Lola. I made her cry in front of a group of press people when. I told her that Lola Barbie, her character, is the real Nanette Inventor. It’s not Doña Buding, the character she popularized decades back. Doña Buding was self-centered, greedy and arrogant. I can almost imagine Nanette bidding that rotund character “good riddance and nice knowing you” after it served its purpose.

“Doña Buding talks a lot about her wealth, but we don’t know if she’s telling the truth,” says Nanette. “Doña Buding is temperamental and arrogant. She doesn’t give away money and I won’t be surprised if she ends up corrupt.”

But not Lola Barbie. Unlike Doña Buding, Lola Barbie was born poor. She used to be the devoted househelp of the lord of house who would later become her husband. So the sixtysomething widow has a heart of gold. Lola Barbie gives away P100,000 a week to the best workers in her mansion, or, in reality show terms, the winners of every challenge she poses on them. It may be moving her costly pieces of furniture to the new mansion she built, or beautifying her amiga. Whatever chore it is, Lola Barbie is so rich she can exchange the best worker’s prize money into dollars, euro dollars, dinars and all the currencies you can think of.

Next Monday, Aug. 23, when the show airs its pilot episode (after Eat, Bulaga!), she will hire the best househelp she can get hold of and reward the most hardworking of them all. The week after, it will be salon workers. The week after that, it will be the cargo workers’ turn to enjoy Lola Barbie’s generosity.

In real life, Nanette may not be giving away millions in cold cash. But she shares Lola Barbie’s concern for the needy. She has forked out her own money in sending young scholars to college. Coming as she does from a family of educators, Nanette’s other burning passion (besides entertainment) is learning. She may have remained unmarried and hasn’t given birth to a single child. But the young people she has sent to school may very well be Nanette’s children, armed with the wisdom they got from the education she has given them.

“This show is close to my heart because it’s nice to know that you’re not only giving away money,” Nanette explains. “You’re also helping your fellowman. That’s number one. Remember, the golden rule is you should love your neighbor as yourself.”

When the role finally landed on her lap, Nanette knew exactly why.

“My Doña Buding character was a big factor,” Nanette points out. “The rich matron image she left behind created a huge impact on people.”

Will her Lola Barbie character be as successful?

Nanette thinks it will.

“The goal of the show is public service. Life is hard and many of our countrymen are making a career out of joining reality shows to help themselves and their family.”

Nanette points out that they learn many more important things than just having money.

“They learn all about dedication to one’s work and determination to reach their goal,”she explains.

Nanette can’t help it. She’s an educator and an entertainer at the same time, just like Lola Barbie, who, in helping others, not only brings sunshine to their lives. More importantly, she teaches them a thing or two about living life to the fullest.