MANILA, Philippines – Actress Claudine Barretto was emotional as she recalled her last moments with the late director Wenn Deramas, who died last Monday, February 29, after suffering a cardiac arrest.
In an interview with ABS-CBN on Wednesday, March 2, Claudine said that before Wenn's death, the two of them were gearing up for Pinilit Kong Limutin Ka, a film where she was set to co-star with Piolo Pascual.
She also said that she's unsure how she would move on, now that the director – who she considered as mentor – is gone.
"I’m not okay. I don’t know how to move on. It’s so hard to move on na isang parte ng buhay mo wala iyon (that one part of your life is not there anymore)," Claudine said.
She added, "Nawalan ako ng kakampi. Even yung times na wala akong tiwala sa sarili ko at walang naniniwala sa akin, siya lang... siya lang ang naniwala."
(I lost an ally. Even when I did not believe in myself and no one believed in me, he believed in me.)
"In so many times and in so many ways, he was my rock, he was my strength," she said as she broke down in tears.
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<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="6" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BCXtsGQuG-v/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">God i lift him up to u.missing u so much already.the pain is unbearable.RIP direk</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by @claubarretto on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-02-29T12:40:48+00:00">Feb 29, 2016 at 4:40am PST</time></p></div></blockquote>
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Wenn directed Claudine in several TV shows including Mula sa Puso, Buttercup, Walang Kapalit, Saan Ka Man Naroroon, and Marina.
Claudine also said that Wenn was her confidant, who she would approach about her problems and especially during the lowest points in her life.
"[He told me] na huwag ako mag breakdown, na magpakatatag para sa mga anak ko, na hindi niya binuo ang isang Claudine Barretto para sirain lang ng ibang tao or yurakan ang pagkatao. Lagi niya sinasabi na 'Kailangan mo bumangon, Claudine,'" she said.
([He told me] not to break down, to be strong for my children, that he did not mould a Claudine Baretto just for other people to disgrace and destroy my dignity. He would always tell me to 'Rise up, Claudine')
Claudine also said that if there is one thing that she learned from him is that it's to be strong and to always look on the bright side of life.
"Higit pa sa kapatid iyong pagmamahal ko sa kanya. Siguro madamot ako kung sa madamot, gusto ko pa rin sana nandito siya. When people say na masaya na siya, I don’t know, I take offense on that because selfish ako, for my selfish reasons na kailangan ko pa siya. Kailangan ko pa talaga siya," Claudine said.
(My love for him is greater than that of a sibling. I guess I am selfish if I say this: but I still want him to be here. When people say that he's happy now wherever he is – I don’t know – I take offense because I'm selfish, for my selfish reasons that I still need him. I really still need him.)
When asked if there's one thing she would ask from Wenn if he could hear her, Claudine said, "Na tulungan niya ako – humingi siya ng tulong sa Diyos na makayanan ko. Sana masaya siya kasi kasama na niya si Rico [Yan]."
(That he would help me. Ask God that I can get through this. I hope he's happy because he's already with Rico [Yan].)
Stars like Vice Ganda, Kris Aquino, Ai-Ai delas Alas, and Coco Martin paid tribute to the director of blockbuster films like the Tanging Ina franchise, The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin, Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy, Sisterakas, The Unkabogable Praybeyt Benjamin, and most recently, the 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival entry Beauty and the Bestie. (READ: Stars mourn death of director Wenn Deramas)
A necrological service at the ABS-CBN Dolphy Theater is scheduled on Saturday, March 5. – Rappler.com