Dannyka Manangan

WHO SAID THIS: The moment Carlo Aquino found his voice in 'Bata, Bata… Paano Ka Ginawa?'

Article (news)

Alyana De Guzman

Push Team

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768897772065WST26-ArticleImg_2-Ojie.png" style="width:600px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div><br/></div><p>“Akala mo lang wala, pero meron, meron, meron!” </p><p>The line arrives at a breaking point in the 1998 drama film <em>Bata, Bata… Paano Ka Ginawa?</em> written by the late Lualhati Bautista and directed by Chito S. Roño. It was spoken by Ojie, portrayed by a then-13-year-old Carlo Aquino, in a confrontation that lays bare years of bottled-up emotions between a mother and her child. </p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/movies-series/2026/1/13/who-said-this-how-angel-locsin-declared-that-she-is-the-real-wife-in-the-legal-wife-1336"><strong>READ: WHO SAID THIS: How Angel Locsin declared that she is the real wife in ‘The Legal Wife’</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>The scene unfolds late at night when Lea (Vilma Santos), comes home from her job expecting to see her children, Ojie and Maya (Serena Dalrymple). Surprised to find out that her son Ojie has not yet arrived home from school, Maya tells her mother that her brother has been cutting classes to play billiards. She finds him at the billiard hall, brings him home, and confronts him about his actions. </p><p>What begins as discipline quickly turns into something deeper. Frustrated and hurt, Lea warns Ojie that his life could be ruined by his choices of not attending school. As a women’s advocate, Lea has spent much of her time helping abused women, leaving her with little time for her own children. For Ojie, this absence has slowly turned into resentment. In the heat of the argument, he questions why his mother seems free to do what she wants while he and his sister feel left behind. </p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/12/21/carlo-aquino-reveals-his-scary-health-struggle-this-year-nakakita-sila-ng-parang-bara-sa-puso-ko-0851"><strong>READ: Carlo Aquino reveals his scary health struggle this year: ‘Nakakita sila ng parang bara sa puso ko’</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>Lea insists that she has done nothing wrong. It is then that Ojie answers back, explaining that it is only her who thinks that way, making him scream the dialogue <em>“Akala mo lang wala, pero meron, meron, meron!” </em>From that emotional clash comes the line that would stay with audiences long after the film ended. </p><div><br/></div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fweb.facebook.com%2FABSCBNSagipPelikula%2Fvideos%2F2664434433860424%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><p>More than 20 years later, the scene continues to resonate, not only for its lines but for the performance behind it. Carlo delivered raw emotion beyond his years. At just 13 years old at that time, he faced one of the most intense moments of the film, including a slap from the Star for All Seasons that made the scene feel all the more real. </p><p>In a 2020 interview, Carlo looked back on that moment he was slapped and shared what it was like to shoot the scene. </p><p>“Malakas eh. Naging adult ako bigla,” he said jokingly. </p><p>He later spoke more seriously about the experience and the pressure of acting alongside the Star for All Seasons. </p><p>“Iba rin ’yung pakiramdam nung time na ’yun na ang kaeksena mo si Vilma Santos. ’Yung hinihingi nga ni direk Chito (Roño) sa akin noon, pagkasampal, humarap ako kaagad. Hindi ako makaharap. Sobrang lakas pero kailangan mo humarap kaagad. Ang daming nangyayari, ang dami kong iniisip,” he said. </p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/12/22/carlo-aquino-reveals-that-he-and-charlie-dizon-want-to-have-a-baby-in-2026-sana-mapagbigyan-0838"><strong>READ: Carlo Aquino reveals that he and Charlie Dizon want to have a baby in 2026: ‘Sana mapagbigyan!’</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>A year later, Vilma herself recalled the scene in her first-ever YouTube vlog, revealing that there was no rehearsal for that pivotal moment. </p><p>“Alam mo nung kinunan namin yung eksena na may, ‘Akala mo lang wala pero meron, meron, meron!’ Walang rehearsal yun. Wala kaming idea kung gaano kalakas yung sampal na gagawin ko kay Carlo and si Carlo walang idea kung gaano kalakas ang sampal na darating sa kanya (laughs). Dahil sa emotion ko kasi ang taas na ng emotion ko eh, galit ako di ba? Nakita kong nagbibilyar yung anak ko eh. Minotivate pa kami ni direk. Kaya yung sampal ko talaga kay Carlo malakas. Yung reaction ni Carlo totoo. Alam ko nasaktan yung bata. Nakita niyo yung reaction din kung gaano kagaling si Carlo doon,” she shared. </p><p>The power of that moment proved to be lasting as the scene was later referenced in other films, including the 2003 comedy <em>Ang Tanging Ina.</em> In that movie, Carlo appeared as Dimitri, the third son of Ina Montecillo, played by Ai-Ai Delas Alas. Once again caught skipping school just to play billiards, Carlo was confronted by Ina – this time with a comedic twist, as she accidentally slaps another player instead of her own son. </p><div><iframe width="795" height="447" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/odlmAMt5HTs" title="This scene looks familiar! | ‘Ang Tanging Ina’ | #StarCinema25" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>Following his performance as Ojie, Carlo earned multiple accolades the year after the film’s release. He won Best Supporting Actor at the FAP Awards, Best Child Actor at the FAMAS Awards, and Child Performer of the Year at the PMPC Star Awards for Movies, among many others. </p><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-7" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/Co03AdqP7ib/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A7%2C%22os%22%3A29446250.5%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="857" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-7" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><p>Beyond the screen, the bond formed during the film endured. Carlo and Vilma maintained a mother-and-son-like relationship even after the project ended. In 2023, Carlo surprised Vilma during her 60th birthday, where he reminisced about their first meeting on the set of <em>Bata, Bata… Paano Ka Ginawa? </em></p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2025/7/18/from-child-star-to-seasoned-actor-carlo-aquino-s-prolific-acting-journey-on-tv-0128"><strong>READ: From child star to seasoned actor: Carlo Aquino’s prolific acting journey on TV</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>Today, Carlo continues to build on his body of work. He recently reprised his role in director Kip Oebanda’s <em>Bar Boys</em>, returning alongside original cast members Kean Cipriano, Enzo Pineda, and Rocco Nacino in <em>Bar Boys: After School</em>, which was part of the 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival. </p><p>For those who wish to revisit where it all began, the digitally restored version of <em>Bata, Bata… Paano Ka Ginawa?</em> is available on the official YouTube channel of ABS-CBN Star Cinema.  </p>

<p>A single line, delivered in anger and hurt, became one of the most remembered moments in Philippine cinema. Spoken by a young Carlo Aquino as Ojie in the 1998 film 'Bata, Bata… Paano Ka Ginawa?,' the words captured a child’s unspoken truths that continue to echo more than two decades later. </p>

A single line, delivered in anger and hurt, became one of the most remembered moments in Philippine cinema. Spoken by a young Carlo Aquino as Ojie in the 1998 film 'Bata, Bata… Paano Ka Ginawa?,' the words captured a child’s unspoken truths that continue to echo more than two decades later.