Claudine moves to a new home

AFTER 17 years of being one of ABS-CBN’s top female talents, Claudine Barretto ended her ties to the Kapamilya network by signing a two-year exclusive contract with rival GMA-7 last Nov. 25.
To be sure, shifting loyalties is nothing new in local showbiz. Talents are always in search of the proverbial greener pasture and are primarily motivated by the promise of more and bigger projects and wider opportunities.
Claudine is not the first Kapamilya contract star to move to the Kapuso network. In recent years, a number of ABS-CBN talents have switched sides, including Heart Evangelista, Jolina Magdangal, Marvin Agustin, Camille Pratts and Paolo Contis. Likewise, several GMA-7 talents have moved to the Lopez-owned network, such as Angel Locsin, Anne Curtis, Toni Gonzaga and Ai Ai de las Alas.
“Masayang-masaya na ako ngayon at kasama na ako sa pamilya ng Kapuso. Parang everything just fell into place. Parang lahat talaga, it’s all God’s will talaga. I’m really, really proud. Sincerely talaga with all my heart, I’m really, really proud to be a Kapuso,” Claudine said after the contract signing.
She added: “Everything was really, really fast. Hindi kami talaga prepared. Parang naninibago, pero I think nangunguna sa lahat ng nararamdaman ko ngayon 'yong excitement. At the same time, excited talaga ako dahil magaganda 'yong mga nakahilerang projects for me.”
The switch came as a shocker because only months before, amid speculation that she was unhappy with ABS-CBN, Claudine had stated time and again that she had no plans of leaving. But she had intimated to friends her displeasure over the lack of projects from her former studio. Claudine has been indelibly associated with the Kapamilya network which has nurtured her talent and career and made her at one time the Queen of Soap, a title she shared with Judy Ann Santos. While admitting that she did not ask permission from her former network before signing up with GMA-7, she maintains that the transaction was legal.
“To tell you, honestly, I have no contract with ABS-CBN,” she explained. “Wala akong contract sa Star Cinema at lalong wala akong contract sa Star Magic. Simula't mula naman ay wala akong signed contract sa kanila at verbal lahat (ang aming usapan).” Star Cinema is ABS-CBN’s movie outfit, while Star Magic is its talent agency.
According to Claudine, there was simply no incentive for her given the absence of projects for her. Her last regular soap at ABS-CBN was Iisa pa Lamang in 2008, and her last film under Star Cinema was the horror–themed Sukob in 2006. Her last project at her old studio was an appearance in June 2009 at a Star Magic Concert opposite Piolo Pascual.
“Wala silang binibigay sa akin at wala rin naman silang sinasabi sa akin. I mean, kailangan kong mag-trabaho. One year din (akong naghintay) ' di ba? I have to move on,” she said.
The dramatic actress says that she holds no grudges or ill feelings towards ABS-CBN, maintaining that she only did what what is best for her career. “Wala akong sama ng loob sa kanila. It's just that, kailangan ko rin ng work at ginawa ko lang ang tama. Basta't nagpaalam ako sa manager ko. Wala silang binibigay na work para sa akin, naghintay din naman ako.”
Claudine began her showbiz career in 1992 as one of the stars of the youth show Ang TV. She was a featured player in several shows alongside such mainstays as Dolphy and Aga Mulach before making it on her own as a lead in several drama series, including Mula Sa Puso, Saan Ka Man Naroroon, Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan, Marina and Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin.
She eventually established herself as a movie star, in such films as Madrasta, Dahil Mahal Na Mahal Kita, Mula Sa Puso: The Movie, Soltera, Kailangan Kita, Anak, Milan and Sukob. She has won several acting awards, including FAMAS Award for Best Actress, PMPC Star Award for Movies for Best Actress, Gawad PASADO Award for Best Actress and Maria Clara Award for Best Actress. In 2002 she was named Box Office Queen for Got 2 Believe, where she co-starred with her former boyfriend, the late Rico Yan.
Claudine is also a sought-after product endorser, pitching diverse products and services, from Lactum, 555 Carne Norte, Pantene and Knorr Real Sarap, to clothing lines Folded And Hung and Secosana, and Belo Medical Group and Belo Essentials.
Before her sudden transfer, there plans for Christine to do a teleserye with older sister Gretchen Barretto. “Basta sinabi ko sa kanya (Claudine), ' Gawin mo 'tong teleserye with me kasi excited na excited na ako at marami talagang naghihintay,” said Gretchen.
But Gretchen says that while she supports her sister’s decision, she does not want to meddle in her professional life. “Pagdating kasi sa pelikula, ayokong nakikialam kasi mahirap na unless humihingi siya ng advice sa akin. Magaling naman si Claudine sa pagdedesisyon 'di ba? . . . Sensitive ' yung topic, para may respeto naman.”
One of Claudine’s closest friends, actor Diether Ocampo, says it must have been a difficult decision for her to make, and asks Claudine’s fans to respect that.
“Lahat naman tayo may choices sa buhay,” says Diether. “Bawat isa sa atin may kanya-kanyang pinagdadaanan. Hindi natin alam kung ano yun exactly, siyempre pang personal na yun, hindi mo na kailangang ipaalam sa iba. Pero kung ano man yung personal mong desisyon dapat nirerespeto din ng ibang tao.”
Now that she had made the plunge, Claudine is excited in her new home and is especially thrilled at the prospect of working with her husband of three years, Raymart Santiago, a longtime GMA-7 talent. “Parang naninibago pero ang pinakanangunguna talaga sa lahat ng nararamdaman ko ngayon yung excitement, at the same time yung excited talaga ako dahil alam kong magaganda ang mga nakahelerang projects for me, and at the same time makakasama ko ang asawa ko.”
GMA Films, GMA-7’s film division, has lined up a number of movies for her. There were plans of a movie reuniting Claudine with one-time flame Mark Anthony Fernandez. But due to what Claudine publicly stated was the Mark’s unprofessional conduct, specifically his absence in production meetings, the project has been scrapped.
Showbiz observers are asking: Can Claudine reclaim her billing as Queen of Soap in her new home? Will her fans continue to follow her career? How long can she maintain her popularity alongside GMA-7’s other talents like Marian Rivera, Carla Abella and Rhian Ramos? Only time will tell.