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Best actress Iyah Mina rises from COVID-19, headlines ‘Ayuda Babes,’ other shows

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Mario Dumaual, ABS-CBN News

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translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"> </div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"> </div></div><div 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 href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CKeUVX1nJc3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by Iyah Mina (@iyah_mina)</a></div></div></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>MANILA - Iyah Mina made history in Philippine cinema as the first transgender to win a best actress award in the 2018 Cinema One Originals filmfest entry “Mamu: And a Mother Too,” where she played an ageing sex worker and adoptive mother. </p><p>Now, Mina, who contracted and recovered from COVID-19 last year, continues to achieve milestones in her colorful career. She is set to release her first movie during the pandemic, “Ayuda Babes,” a hilarious look at the altered lifestyles of people in quarantine in need of doleouts. </p><p>Director Joven Tan utilized Mina’s character as an individual who underwent sex change in innovating on the story element &quot;ano-anong luto ang puwede mong gawin sa sardinas? (How many ways can you cook sardines)&quot;</p><p>“Masaya kami dito, lahat kami may kanya-kanyang moments! (We are happy here, we all have our moments),” Mina told ABS-CBN News Saturday, referring to her co-stars Gardo Verzosa, Ate Gay, Joey Paras, Juliana Parescova Segovia, Negi, Brenda Mage, Petite Brockovich, Berni Batin, Christi Fider, Zeus Collins, Bidaman Dan Delgado, with the special participation of Marlo Mortel and Marc Logan. </p><p>iWant will release “Ayuda Babes” by March, with actual theatrical distribution being considered with the reopening of cinemas in GCQ areas. </p><p>“Para sa ekonomiya! (For the economy),“ added Mina laughing. </p><p>Mina is also set to make her first stripes as a host in the upcoming PTV noontime show “Good Laughternoon” with Ariella Arida, Teejay Marquez, Ate Gay and Vin Abrenica, among others. </p><p>Also in the pipeline are the online BL show “Limited Edition ” of Jojo Bragais with Jomari Angeles, Rubi Ruiz, and Yayo Aguila, and other stars; as well as the series spin off of the Metro Manila Film Fest 2020 entry “The Boy Foretold by the Stars,” where she will continue to play the pivotal role of the fortune teller.</p><div><strong>OUT OF THE SHADOWS</strong></div><p>It’s a virtual shower of opportunities but her journey has not always been smooth, with Mina undergoing peaks and valleys last year with loss of income, COVID-19 infection and the stigma she felt that time. She almost lost her mind when she was put on quarantine at home last October as an asymptomatic case. </p><p>“Ang daming realizations nun nagka-COVID ako hindi siya biro,<br/>&#x27;yung iba kasi hindi na natatakot akala nila wala lang &#x27;tong COVID na ito,” she related.</p><p>(I realized a lot when I had COVID. Others take COVID very lightly, but its not a joke.)</p><p>“Kaya nga nung nag-positive ako iba ang epekto sa aking mental health— anxiety, kakaisip na wala kang work, mag-isa ka lang sa room, &#x27;yung pinandidirihan ka ng barangay niyo, pinag-uusapan, nakakapraning. Parents ko ‘di ko makausap at masabi kasi ayaw ko sila ma-stress at baka sila naman magkasakit,” Mina said. </p><p>(When I tested positive it affected by mental health—anxiety, I can’t stop thinking about having no work, I was alone in the room, discriminated by neighbors, being talked about… it can make you paranoid. I couldn’t talk to my parents because I didn&#x27;t want to cause them stress.)</p><p>Now that she has emerged from the shadows, Mina can only look up to the heavens.</p><p>“Sobrang thank you Lord lang ng sobra dahil sabi nga nila &#x27;pag may nawala, may papalit na siksik-liglig at umaapaw na blessings. Kaya iba ang power ng prayers. At gusto ko din magpasalamat sa lahat ng kaibigan ko na nag-alala at tumulong sa akin that time, lalo na kay meme Vice Ganda, salamat sa kanya!“ </p><p>(I’m so thankful to the Lord for all the blessings. They say that if you lose something, it will be replaced with blessings tenfold. That’s the power of prayers. And I also want to thank my friends who helped at that time, especially Vice Ganda.)</p><p>“Ayuda Babes,” written by Tan and Ferdie Aboga, was also a turning point for Mina. </p><p>“I’m happy that we were able to work together. Super push talaga ako that time na tumulong tayo sa mga iba pang start-up comedians dahil maraming nawalan ng trabaho. Sabi ko ilaban natin ito pero of course, still following health protocols! Okay lang na lumabas at magtrabaho pero sana mag-ingat pa rin at tanggapin na natin &#x27;yung new normal,“ she said. </p><p>(At that time we were all for helping other start-up comedians because many have lost their jobs. I said let’s fight for this, but of course still following health protocols. It’s ok to go out and work but let’s still be careful and accept that this is the new normal.)</p><p>Tan also emphasized to ABS-CBN News the strict enforcement of protocols on the set of “Ayuda Babes” during it shoot in Quezon City. The crucial key, which is sometimes forgotten in lock-in production shoots, is the presence of medics and health officers. </p><p>“Nakabantay talaga &#x27;pag may nakita, your attention is called; and that includes distancing ang disinfection of the set every 30 minutes,” Tan told ABS-CBN News. </p><p>Mina is just happy that the strict protocols did not rain on their parade. </p><p>“&#x27;Yung tsikahan andun pa rin, &#x27;yung ingay, &#x27;yung pambu-bully at katuwaan sa isa’t isa, masaya ang reunion namin,” she said. </p><p>“Nangarap kaming magka-ayuda, ‘di naman kami pinabayaan ni lord!” </p><p>(We had a happy reunion. We were dreaming of ayuda (relief) and the Lord did not fail us.) </p>

<p>MANILA - Iyah Mina made history in Philippine cinema as the first transgender to win a best actress award for the 2018 Cinema One Originals filmfest entry “Mamu; And a Mother Too” as an ageing sex worker and adoptive mother. <br /> </p>

MANILA - Iyah Mina made history in Philippine cinema as the first transgender to win a best actress award for the 2018 Cinema One Originals filmfest entry “Mamu; And a Mother Too” as an ageing sex worker and adoptive mother.

Best actress Iyah Mina rises from COVID-19, headlines ‘Ayuda Babes,’ other shows

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Best actress Iyah Mina rises from COVID-19, headlines ‘Ayuda Babes,’ other shows

Mario Dumaual,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 13, 2021 04:33 PM PHT

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