When director Rico Gutierrez received the offer to be part of Agimat ng Agila, he did not have any second thoughts. He agreed to do the project right away. With his brilliance as an acclaimed director, the series is now having its grand premiere this Saturday on GMA.
The series promises to give viewers an exciting adventure “as the bearer of the powers of an enchanted eagle sets off on a journey to protect the environment and to battle evil forces.” The action-packed fantasy, headline by Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla, also marks the much-awaited return of the actor-politician to the small screen.
“Everyone was so focused on their task. The staff and artists were so efficient. As a director, I think it’s just right that this series was done in a bubble setting because it enabled us to be more efficient in our jobs. And it also allowed us to bond like family while completing our shoot,” Gutierrez told Manila Standard Entertainment in a virtual interview.
In the series, Revilla is Major Gabriel Labrador, the valiant head of Task Force Kalikasan who is wrongfully accused of his family’s death and is chosen as the bearer of the Agimat ng Agila.
“It’s not an ordinary TV series. It’s really like a film basically because of the effort put into it by the whole production team. Dumaan sa butas ng karayom ito. In fact, it’s supposed to be a movie. When I offered this to GMA, they greenlighted it immediately and I'm glad that the director and scriptwriter gave it justice,” Revilla shared.
“Given its story, there are so many possibilities that we could do with this project. So having season two and expanding its universe are all possible. Agimat is my dad Ramon Revilla, ipinamana niya sa akin at pewde ko din ipamana ito,” he added.
With the recent celebration of Earth Day, Agimat ng Agila heralds on every Filipino’s guardianship of the environment and promotes how pivotal it is when a man embraces his love for his one and only planet.
Following his five-year-long hiatus from acting, Revilla shares that he is both glad and blessed to be doing what he loves again, "Acting is an integral part of my life, and I owe who I am today to the industry. Hindi ko talaga maiiwan ang industriya. Na-miss ko rin 'yung camaraderie and 'yung collective creativity with my co-workers—from co-actors to the writers, the directors, the crew, and the staff. All in all, na-miss ko 'yung buong experience, and I am blessed to be doing it again."
In addition, Revilla also wishes to instill environmental awareness to the viewers and encourage them to be proactive stewards of nature, "Napakaganda ng Pilipinas at punong-puno ito ng likas na yaman. Agimat ng Agila shows this—the rich ecosystem and biodiversity in the country. Ipinakita rin namin dito ang epekto nito sa mga tao—the good and bad. Kung maipapaalala lang namin sa mga tao ang kagandahan ng ating kalikasan at ang mga simpleng pwedeng gawin para huwag nang lalo pa masira ito, then we have imparted a meaningful message."
Completing the powerhouse cast of Agimat ng Agila are Sanya Lopez as Maya Lagman, the headstrong but compassionate adopted daughter of Nanay Berta; Elizabeth Oropesa as Nanay Berta, the reclusive and mysterious elderly woman who will assist Gabriel on his journey as the tagapagligtas; Roi Vinzon as Alejandro Dominguez, a respected and feared businessman and crime lord; Benjie Paras as Sgt. Wesley Dimanahan, Gabriel's trusted confidant and right-hand man; Allen Dizon as Capt. Gerry Flores, second-in-command of the task force; Michelle Dee as Serpenta, an evil shadow creature who acts as an oracle for Alejandro; EA Guzman as Julian, an earnest man who secretly fancies his childhood friend Maya; Miggs Cuaderno as Bidoy, a smart-aleck who eventually becomes close to Gabriel; Ian Ignacio as Malvar, deputy henchman of Alejandro.
The series also features the special participation of Sheryl Cruz as Dr. Myrna Labrador, the soft-spoken and ethereal wife of Gabriel.
Playing equally vital roles in the series are King Gutierrez, Jhong Cuenca, Mike Lloren, Althea Ablan, Dentrix Ponce, Yuan Francisco, and Seth Dela Cruz.
Catch the premiere telecast of Agimat ng Agila tomorrow night at 7:15. Viewers abroad can also watch the series via GMA's flagship international channel, GMA Pinoy TV. For the program guide, visit www.gmapinoytv.com.