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MANILA — Having brought to life dozens of teleserye characters in the past 30 years, Angelica Panganiban is now resolved to focus on her own, and to have a simple one with less time spent under the limelight.

“Mas simpleng buhay, mas tao,” Panganiban told ABS-CBN News, when asked about the new direction she wants to take in her life, after retiring from teleseryes.

The acclaimed actress remains active in showbiz, with a mini-series just released this month, and another set to premiere in early 2022.

But those two projects, unlike starring in a teleserye, have allowed Panganiban to strike a healthy balance between work and personal life, Panganiban shared.

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Panganiban’s final teleserye was the primetime drama “Walang Hanggang Paalam,” which concluded in April 2021. She then took on back-to-back limited series — the ongoing “The Kangks Show” and the upcoming “The Goodbye Girl.”

“Ganoon pa rin ang working hours mo, ganoon pa rin ‘yung speed ng work. Siguro lang, ang pinaka-okay, alam mong may ending. Alam mo na pagkatapos ng isang buwan, makakauwi ka, makaka-recharge ka, makakalimutan mo, masasara mo ‘yung chapter na ‘yun, then move on ka sa iba.

“Hindi tulad ng sa teleserye, ang tagal mag-move on. Lalo na, ‘pag teleserye kasi, usually, talagang heavy drama, ‘di ba? May patayan. Masama ugali mo kung kontrabida ‘yung role mo. Kung bida ka, iyakin ka. So parang hanggang bahay dala mo siya. Hanggang hindi tapos ‘yung buong series, hindi ka nakaka let go.

“So may kasama siyang depression, kasi nauuwi mo ng bahay, hindi mo nari-release lahat. After a year ka lang makaka-move on, doon mo lang mali-let go lahat ng pain ng character. So mas madaling kargahin ang mini-series kaysa sa isang mahabang teleserye,” she explained.

Panganiban, whose acting career traces back to 1992, announced her decision to retire from teleseryes after she wrapped filming “Walang Hanggang Paalam,” and weeks before its run concluded.

Panganiban explained why, apart from the emotional baggage of carrying a teleserye portrayal, she is firm about no longer taking on the format for the remainder of her showbiz career.

“Thirty years ako sa industry. Since six years old ako, na sa harapan na ako ng camera. Ngayon, hindi ko sinasabing okay ‘yung pandemic, pero hinanapan ko ng magandang kinalabasan, ng outcome, ‘yung nangyari. Naging in touch ako sa sarili ko, and mas naging simple ‘yung mga choices ko sa buhay. And mas naging masaya ako,” she said.

Among Panganiban’s life decisions during the pandemic is residing in Olongapo City, with her current boyfriend, businessman Gregg Homan.

“Ang dami ko palang hindi napansin,” Panganiban said. “Ilang beses akong laging silaw sa industriya, dahil iyon lang ‘yung mundong ginagawalan ko. Noong tuminggil ‘yung mundo dahil nga sa pandemic, nakalimutan mong artista ka, nakalimutan mo ‘yung trabaho mo, naging tao ako.”

“And iyon ‘yung utang ko sa sarili ko, eh. Kailan ko pa ito babayaran? Kailan ko pa ibi-build ‘yung life na gusto ko? Ang dami mo nang teleseryeng ginawa, iba’t ibang buhay na ‘yung binuild mo at binigyan mo ng kulay. Pero ‘yung sarili mo hindi mo pala nabibigyan ng atensyon.”