Make way for Erlinda Villalobos, the underrated but excellent Visayan actress who finally got a major role in an important film project of internationally renowned director Brillante Ma. Mendoza.
“Una akong nakasama sa pelikula ni Brillante sa shooting namin ng (The first time I was in Brillante’s film was in the shoot of the) project with Coco Martin and Julia Montes,” recalled Erlinda, an Ilongga from Iloilo City.
“Then, sinabi sa akin ni Krishna Fajardo, ang supervising producer ni Brillante na ako ang pinili ni Direk na lumabas na Aling Ising sa kanyang bagong pelikula (Krishna Fajardo told me that Brillante himself had chosen me to play Madam Ising in his new film),” shared Villalobos.
The film was “Bahay na Pula,” a Viva Entertainment production now streaming at Vivamax.
Erlinda is Aling (a term of endearment to an older woman) Ising is a caretaker of an old house in a rural town who keeps a delicate secret of the antique house.
She was also a comfort woman during the Japanese time and witness to the sexual abuses of Filipinas by the Jap soldiers whose head was her boyfriend unfortunately killed during the war.
Because of her love for the Japanese officer, Ising wanted to possess a child which the beautiful granddaughter (played by Julia Barretto) of the old house owner begotten in mystical manner through the vengeful spirit of her longtime dead Jap lover.
During the special preview of the film, Erlinda was showered with praises by the members of the movie press.
She was considered a lead star as well along with Julia, Xian Lim and Marco Gumabao.
Villalobos started her acting career in radio at ABS-CBN Iloilo before Martial Law. She was also a writer. When the Lopez giant telecommunications were closed down by Ferdinand Marcos in 1972, Erlinda’s colleague and friend Vangie Labalan told her to go to Manila where she was employed at Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) but only short-lived.
Because of her association with Vangie, Villalobos was able to land roles on film and TV.
There’s no stopping the illustrious acting career of Erlinda as she is a very competent actress.
Villalobos has already acted with the tinsel town giants like Nora Aunor, Coco Martin, Elizabeth Oropesa, Dingdong Dantes, among Filipino actors and with no less than Hollywood’s action man Steven Seagal.