Andi Abaya reveals challenges in doing MMK “Barefoot Runner,” most favorite scene

In the five years that she has been in showbiz, it’s truly amazing how Andi Abaya has already worked on several noteworthy and huge film and TV projects, through which she is able to showcase her promising skills in acting.  

And this 2025, she’s able to mark another milestone in her continuously blooming career as she immediately got the leading role in her first-ever “Maalaala Mo Kaya” stint. The “Barefoot Runner” episode features the inspiring story of 2025 Palarong Pambansa gold medalist Trixia “Tikya” Arellano.  

Andi shared her memorable experience in working on the episode during her Kapamilya Chat guesting on July 3. 

She began by sharing how she feels about being given the lead role on her “MMK” debut, telling the host, “I just feel really blessed talaga na [maipagkatiwala] ang kuwento ni Tikya sa akin.” 

According to Andi, she only had limited time to prepare for this project since it was only offered to her on Tuesday of last week, then they had script reading on Thursday, and their shoot started on Friday.  

“The amount of trust na ibinigay sa akin nina Direk, ng buong ‘MMK’ team, grateful po ako doon. ‘Yon po ang nag-motivate sa akin para gawin ko talaga ‘yong best ko, ibigay ko talaga ang lahat more than what I can give and what I used to give in every project,” she conveyed.  

Then she added, “I admit na I was pressured and I was nervous, pero I was grateful din kasi ‘yong mga nakasama ko—sina direk, sina Ate Me (Meryll Soriano), sina Ms. Ryza (Ryza Cenon), sina Kuya Ketchup (Ketchup Eusebio)—tumulong din po talaga sila. Sobrang generous po nila and sobrang hands-on, kaya naging madali po ang [trabaho].”  

In order to deliver a compelling portrayal of Tikya, Andi confessed to temporarily bidding goodbye to her kikay self by having her nail extensions and accessories removed, as well as exposing herself to sunlight to darken her skin a bit since she has a fair complexion. She may not be able to try running barefoot, yet she ran for her to be able to feel the exhaustion and emotions that her role would require.  

As part of her preparations, she also did a lot of research by watching the videos of Tikya, as well as news and vlogs about her and her victory. She got the chance to speak, too, with Tikya via Zoom meeting for her to know her better, which was necessary for her performance to be more compelling. Episode director Kevin Z. Alambra told her it is called “active empathy”, which was her first time to encounter and practice it for a role. 

With regard to how she felt about working with some of the seasoned and veteran actors in showbiz, Andi confessed that she was actually so nervous upon seeing the list of her castmates. But she was relieved to find out that Meryll, whom she got to work with in “The Iron Heart” and “Love at First Spike,” was part of it, yet it was their first time ever to have a scene together. 

She went on to describe Ketchup, Ryza, and Bubbles Paraiso as “open, vulnerable, and generous” actors who helped her out in her heavy scenes, which encouraged her to “open up, let go of everything, and feel what I have to feel” in those scenes. 

“Sobrang nakatulong po talaga ‘yong mga nakasama kong cast kasi they’re very talented, and it was such a huge honor to be on the same set as them. Kaya sobrang grateful ako,” she said. 

When asked how she was able to snag the role, Andi recounted that she was actually on her way back to the Philippines from her vacation in Japan when it was offered to her. While it thrilled her that a work was waiting for her, she couldn’t help but get worried about getting the project. 

Eventually, she figured out the role was given to her when she was summoned for a meeting wherein the “MMK” staff laid out to her the vision of the episode and the schedule of the production. Thus, she has nothing but gratitude for them for giving her this opportunity. 

Due to their age difference, she was always reminded by Direk Kevin to not forget to display the sensibilities of Tikya as an 11-year-old girl. Andi shared that she and Direk Kevin had discussions prior to shooting every scene, in which they exchanged thoughts and aligned their ideas on how they were going to execute the scenes. 

Tikya’s age and being boyish posed challenges for Andi, which made her go back to how she behaved when she was 11 years old herself. However, she praised Tikya for being so mature and hardworking for her age.  

Another aspect of her portrayal that she deemed challenging was the running part and how physically demanding their taping was. Thus, she made sure to make herself stronger by taking in vitamins and consuming energy drinks in order for her body to not easily give up. It also helped that she did the iWantTFC series “Love at First Spike” prior to this MMK episode, which put her body in good condition.  

On the other hand, her favorite scenes were those with the family, as it showed how blessed Tikya is to have a solid support system in her loved ones despite not being privileged in life. She also finds the family scenes absolutely heartwarming, to the point that she gets teary-eyed in every scene because she felt how lucky Tikya is to have a supportive family.  

“Although challenging, it was so fun. It was so fun. Sobrang na-enjoy ko ‘yong shoot kasi ‘yong mga crew doon, ‘yong mga cameraman, mga nakasama ko na rin sa mga teleserye ko dati. So, it was so good to work with them again. It has been a while since I did a mainstream project, so I’m really grateful na nakasama ko na ang mga ‘yon and we got to work altogether again,” she enthused. 

Andi went on to thank Tikya for sharing her inspiring story and her love for running and her family, as well as for being open to accepting her as her onscreen counterpart. She also hopes for her to participate in more competitions and reap more medals, to which she’s very certain because of her passion and dedication.  

“Alam kong malayo ang mararating mo, Tikya, and I want you to know na nandito ako para suportahan ka forever and iche-cheer kita. Good luck sa’yo, and I’m so excited for you, Tikya!” 

MMK “Barefoot Runner” also stars Ketchup Eusebio, Ryza Cenon, Meryll Soriano, and Bubbles Paraiso. The director’s cut is now streaming via iWantTFC, and the TV episode will be aired this coming Saturday, July 5, at 8:30 PM on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), A2Z, and ALL TV.