Kapamilya Spotlight: 5 teleseryes that captured Charo Santos’s caliber as an actress 

Mary Ann Bardinas

<p>She’s arguably best known as the perennial host of the now-defunct, longest-running drama anthology in Asia <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/maalaalamokaya"><strong><u>Maalaala Mo Kaya</u></strong></a>, as well as one of the most respected top executives of ABS-CBN when she became its fifth president in 2008 and eventually the chief operating officer in 2012. But not everyone probably know is that Charo Santo is – first and foremost – an award-winning actress.</p><p>And after being in office for quite some time, we have witnessed her return to acting through her movie and teleserye stints in the recent years, through which she’s able to showcase her dramatic flair anew.</p><p>But before we get to meet her in her Tanggol’s (Coco Martin) lola in the upcoming action-drama series <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/batangquiapo"><strong><u>FPJ’s Batang Quiapo</u></strong></a>, let’s revisit first her notable performances in the five teleseryes that she starred in the past decades in this Kapamilya Spotlight feature!</p><p>After years of working behind the camera as a production assistant and then a producer, Charo was finally able to break into the spotlight when she started her acting career in the late 1970s. She appeared in a slew of films since then and had immediately established herself as an award-winning dramatic actress early on after snagging the Best Actress trophy during the Asian Film Festival in 1978 for her notable performance in the Mike De Leon masterpiece <em>“Itim.”</em> That was succeeded by a string of remarkable movies, which include “<em>Kakabakaba Ka Ba?”</em> (1980), “<em>Kisapmata” </em>(1981), “<em>Mga Batang Yagit”</em> (1984), and “<em>Gumapang Ka Sa Lusak”</em> (1990).</p><p>Her first TV gig came in 1991 when she was tapped to be the narrator of <em>MMK</em>, a monumental role that she dearly held up to its last broadcast in 2022. She went on to play the same role when it was adapted into a film in 1994.</p><p>She landed her first-ever teleserye stint via the classic soap opera <strong>Esperanza</strong>, wherein she had a special participation as Isabel Bermudez-Salgado, the biological mother of the titular character impeccably portrayed by seasoned actress Judy Ann Santos. The series ran for two years, from 1997 to 1999.</p><div> </div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="720" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fdj8vYUsXlI" title="Esperanza: Full Episode 525 | ABS-CBN Classics" width="1280"></iframe></div><div> </div><p>Her next teleserye appearance happened after more than a decade as she depicted Virgin Mary in the well-loved 2010 inspirational series <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/maybukaspa"><strong><u>May Bukas Pa</u></strong></a>. She appeared in the star-studded finale episode as the lead character Santino (Zaijian Jaranilla) got a moving encounter with “Bro” and Mama Mary as he battled life and death.</p><div> </div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="720" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5p2vbCrm8wU" title="May Bukas Pa - Episode 263" width="1280"></iframe></div><div> </div><p>In 2018, she was cast as Elvie, the estranged mother of Piolo Pascual’s character Nathan, in the romance drama <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/sinceifoundyou"><strong><u>Since I Found You</u></strong></a>. She’s able to display her dramatic flair in this stint as she portrayed a mother yearning for the forgiveness of her enraged son who she neglected after being abandoned by his father.</p><div> </div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="720" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6Gtfy9L3uWo" title="Since I Found You: Elvie asks for Nathan" s="" forgiveness="" EP="" width="1280"></iframe></div><div> </div><p>The following year, she amused us as the doting and compassionate Lola Tala in the fantasy drama series <strong><u>Starla</u></strong><u>,</u> the caretaker and head of group of stars, including the titular character played by Jana Agoncillo, who helps Buboy and his town in times of great need.</p><div> </div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="720" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xO9S7N1garU" title="Lola Tala is happy for Starla | Starla (With Eng Subs)" width="1280"></iframe></div><div> </div><p>And in 2022, Charo astonished avid viewers of <strong><a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/angprobinsyano"><u>FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano</u></a> </strong>when she joined the long-running action-drama series as Ramona, the leader of a rebel group who took Cardo Dalisay (Coco Martin) in when he was still a teenage boy after he almost died in the hands of the insurgents that also killed his foster parents after he attempted to exact revenge on them all by himself. Aside from treating his wounds and helping him recuperate, Ramona also taught him how to handle firearms and be a sharpshooter.</p><div> </div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="664" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TtikyNjSrk8" title="Ramona promises to Cardo that she will never leave him | FPJ" s="" Ang="" Probinsyano="" English="" width="1180"></iframe></div><div> </div><p>This 2023, we’re all excited to see her in the TV adaptation of the Fernando Poe Jr. masterpiece “Batang Quiapo<strong>,” </strong>which she revealed in an Instagram post that she was the line producer when it was released by Regal Films in the 80s. She posted a reel documenting their grand media con last February 7 and wrote in the caption: “What a blessing that after 2 decades, I am now part of a teleserye inspired by the movie.”</p><p>Don’t miss Coco’s action-packed return in <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/batangquiapo">“<strong><u>FPJ’s Batang Quiapo</u></strong>”</a> on weeknights at 8 PM on <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-news/kapamilya-channel-livestream-12685"><strong><u>Kapamilya Channel</u></strong>,</a> A2Z, TV5, <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/"><strong><u>iWantTFC</u></strong></a>, and <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-news/kapamilya-online-live-12710"><strong><u>Kapamilya Online Live</u></strong></a> on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/abscbnentertainment"><strong><u>ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube channel</u></strong></a> and <a href="https://facebook.com/abscbnnetwork"><strong><u>Facebook page</u></strong>.</a></p>

Revisit veteran actress and former ABS-CBN executive Charo Santos-Concio’s teleserye performances through the years in this Kapamilya Spotlight feature. 

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Kapamilya Spotlight: 5 teleseryes that captured Charo Santos’s caliber as an actress

Kapamilya Spotlight: 5 teleseryes that captured Charo Santos’s caliber as an actress

Mary Ann Bardinas

Published Feb 09, 2023 09:26 AM PHT

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Updated Feb 09, 2023 09:34 AM PHT

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