Agua Bendita

Agua Bendita
Genre	Fantasy, Romance, Drama
Created by	Rod Santiago
Developed by	Liwayway Komiks
Directed by	Malu L. Sevilla Claudio "Tots" Sanchez-Mariscal IV Don M. Cuaresma Jojo A. Saguin
Starring	Andi Eigenmann Matteo Guidicelli Jason Abalos Vina Morales John Estrada Pilar Pilapil Alessandra De Rossi Dimples Romana Carlos Agassi Pen Medina Malou Crisologo Jason Gainza Malou de Guzman Bing Loyzaga Zaijan Jaranilla Zoren Legaspi
Theme music composer	Rey Valera
Opening theme	"Malayo Pa ang Umaga" by Aria Clemente and Vina Morales
Country of origin	Philippines
Original languages	Filipino Cebuano
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	147
Production
Executive producer	Carlina D. Dela Merced
Production locations	Loyola Grand Villas, Quezon City San Quintin, Pangasinan Mandaue City Cebu City Cogon Pardo, Cebu City Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City Pasay City Morong, Bataan
Running time	30-45 mins.
Production companies	Dreamscape Entertainment Television Star Creatives
Original release
Network	ABS-CBN
Release	February 8 (2010-02-08) – September 3, 2010 (2010-09-03)

Agua Bendita (lit. 'Holy Water') is a 2010 Philippine romantic fantasy-drama television series based on the Liwayway Komiks comic book series of the same name created by Rod Santiago and directed by Malu L. Sevilla, Claudio "Tots" Sanchez-Mariscal IV, Don M. Cuaresma and Jojo A. Saguin. The series stars Andi Eigenmann in her dual role as twin sisters Agua and Bendita Cristi, together with leading men Matteo Guidicelli and Jason Abalos, with an ensemble cast consisting of Vina Morales, John Estrada, Pilar Pilapil, Alessandra De Rossi, Dimples Romana, Carlos Agassi, Pen Medina, Malou Crisologo, Jason Gainza, Malou de Guzman, Bing Loyzaga, Zaijan Jaranilla, and Zoren Legaspi in their supporting roles. The series premiered on ABS-CBN's Primetime Bida nighttime block from February 8 to September 3, 2010 replacing May Bukas Pa.

Plot

Prologue

Marcial (John Estrada) and Mercedes (Vina Morales) are a young married couple living in Cebu, who pray for children of their own, but have none. After five years, Mercedes becomes pregnant, but is diagnosed with a heart defect, making her pregnancy high-risk. Marcial went to church praying for guidance. While in church, Criselda Barrameda (Dimples Romana) had an epileptic seizure and Marcial, a doctor, brought her to his clinic.

Resting in the clinic, Criselda told Marcial of Father Guido, her uncle, who was a priest in her hometown. With his deep faith in God, he was able to perform miraculous healing. People would not listen when Guido claimed it was the work of God and instead began to worship him. Angered, Father Guido left, telling no one of his destination. It was speculated that he was staying in the mountains. It was Father Guido whom Criselda sought for healing.

A few months later, while at the church, Mercedes felt extremely thirsty and stole the jar of agua bendita (holy water). Afterwards, she craved agua bendita. Marcial learned Mercedes was carrying twins, one of whom inherited Mercedes' heart condition. Marcial prayed to God for help with his wife's desire for stolen agua bendita.

One day, a group of men rush a weakened old man into Marcial's clinic, Father Guido. Nearing the end of his life, Guido instructed Marcial to give the bottle of agua bendita to Criselda. That night, Mercedes bled, almost having a miscarriage; Marcial gave her Father Guido's agua bendita in order to save her and their babies. Marcial later dreamt of the late Father Guido, who told him that if he would not ask for Criselda's forgiveness, there will be consequence to his stealing. Marcial kept his dream from Criselda, but one of daughters was sealed: Agua, the younger sister, was born in water form.

Chapter One

Fearing for Agua's safety, Marcial hid her with his assistant Tonyang, telling Mercedes that Agua is stillborn. Agua was kept in a huge aquarium inside a hidden room in the Cristis' house.

Bendita, Agua's twin, was spoiled by her grandmother, Doña Amalia, the mother of Mercedes, while Agua became humble and content in Marcial's supervision. When the family learned of Agua's existence, Mercedes loved her, but Bendita and Doña Amalia hated Agua, usually punishing her by giving her hard chores. At one point, they abandoned Aqua in a park, where she met Tod, Criselda's crippled son. She healed him with her tears, and he reunited her with her family.

Criselda and Baldo, her husband, discovered Marcial's theft of agua bendita, and they took revenge on his family by kidnapping Bendita, mistaking her for Agua. The family travels to Manila to save the child they believe is Agua. Marcial discovers Agua's healing abilities, and used it to cure patients. The cures attracted media attention and the family had to flee on Doña Lisa's yacht. While at sea, Doña Amalia accidentally threw Agua overboard, letting the family think she drowned. Criselda and Tot stayed at the Aguirre household as maids to spy on the Cristis. Agua was found by Ben and Rosy, who raised Agua as their own daughter. They try to return Agua to her family, but learn that they moved to the United States, where Mercedes meets his colleague Luisito, who in turn offers him a job. Bendita once again feels loneliness within her family, and the couple decides to have their marriage annulled.

Chapter Two

Ten years later, Bendita is a sassy spoiled teen, while Agua is a rural girl who only wants to be reunited with her family. Marcial is continuing his medical mission until Divina fell in love with him, which is why Mercedes started arranging their divorce. While staying in the Philippines, Agua befriended Dolly, a dolphin, and Otep, Dolly's pet clownfish. Ronnie falls from his sailboat, causing his blindness, and is saved by Agua. The two became close friends, until Marcial discovers Agua. The family reunites, despite Marcial and Mercedes' divorce. After years in America away from Agua, Bendita is unused to Agua. Bendita falls in love with Ronnie, who still loves Agua. Doña Amalia, on the other hand, struggles with debts, and steals the money intended for the hotel Ronnie's mother Solita is planning. Ronnie is reunited with Solita, and his blindness is treated. When he first saw Agua, he was shocked by her looks, causing Agua to run away to a deserted island by herself. On that island, Agua meets Paco (Tod), who befriends her. After a while, Paco brings Agua to Criselda and Baldo, who are now working for Señor Lucas, a fake healer. The group uses Agua's healing powers to benefit themselves.

Chapter Three

Agua escapes the fraudulent healers with Paco's help. Bendita causes Solita's head trauma. The twins exchange appearances on different places; Agua turning normal at the seaport, while Bendita turns blue in the forest. Bendita tries to return to their household, but is kidnapped by Baldo, who thinks she's Agua. Agua returns home, but no one believes she is Agua as she still appears to be Bendita; she experiences Bendita's life, friendships and school, but eventually others come to believe she is who she claims to be.

Mercedes' relationship with Luisito ends. Solita discovers Doña Amalia's betrayal, and fires her. Doña Amalia discovers the true Bendita, and makes a truce with Criselda and Baldo in exchange for Bendita's life. The police pursue the couple, leading to Baldo's escape and Criselda's imprisonment. Doña Amalia continues to hide Bendita in exchange for a truce with Luisito. To learn Bendita's location, Mercedes agrees to marry Luisito. Marcial tries to stop them, but Luisito had a change of heart and freed Mercedes.

Chapter Four

Solita files charges against Bendita, not knowing it is Agua. Ronnie frightens Bendita by faking a marriage contract with Agua, when Bendita arrives. Envious of Agua, Bendita steals some agua bendita from Criselda, and uses it to become a fake healer, but Baldo traps Bendita in a freezer.

That night, Agua as Bendita celebrates her debut. Doña Amalia's ice sculpture for Bendita's debut arrives; unknown to everyone, the sculpture is Bendita herself in Agua's form, now frozen. Paco and Agua discover what happened to Bendita, while Doña Amalia almost breaks Bendita's ice sculpture. Marcial, Ben, Ronnie, and Paco carry Bendita to the pool to thaw her, but Agua finds a little amount of agua bendita, and drinks it which allows her to switch forms with her twin and regain her healing powers. Bendita thaws, but retains her fluid form; she is brownish while Agua is blue. Bendita blames Agua for what happened, making her sins worse. She began to experience vomiting, abdominal pain, nausea, and finally lung cancer and a brain tumor. As Bendita continue to struggle with her sickness, the Cristi family searches for help. They found some of Criselda and Baldo's agua bendita but this does not heal Bendita—Agua is successful.

During the preparations for Marcial and Mercedes' wedding, Mercedes is shot by Baldo and is hospitalized. That night, Agua dreams of Padre Gido, who warns her that if she heals her mother, those will be her last healing tears. Bendita calls Baldo to offer the spring water in exchange for her sister. Once freed, Agua goes to the hospital and heals her mother. Dona Amalia helps Criselda escape by leaving a hair pin to unlock the handcuffs fixing her to the hospital bed. Marcial spots Baldo waiting outside the hospital for Criselda; during their struggle for the gun, it goes off, killing Baldo. Paco goes to see his father's body in the hospital morgue and starts to feel anger. Criselda abducts Bendita, but Bendita texts Marcial the license plate number and the police chase Criselda's car. Paco finds Bendita and they embrace. Amalia falls into water; as she cannot swim, Agua saves Doña Amalia's life. Criselda shoots the LPG Tank, causing the boat to explode.

Epilogue

Criselda gets life imprisonment for her crimes, and she and Paco say a tearful goodbye to each other. Mercedes and Bendita visited Dona Amalia, who is now in a mental institution after the explosion. Agua disappeared, thinking to hide from her family, but realizes that her family needs her and so she returned, revealing herself in public without fear of being judged by her appearance. After suffering and trauma, the Christi family finds a peaceful life; Solita accepts Agua as her son's love, and Agua continues to heal those in need. After all the suffering and extreme experiences, the Cristi family managed to live a normal and peaceful life.

Cast and characters

Main cast

• Andi Eigenmann / Xyriel Manabat (young)
  • As Agua Cristi - Agua was born with an unexplainable physical defect: she can heal people with tears in grief.
  • As Bendita Cristi - The Bida Kontrabida. Bendita is the physically normal but insecure twin, who feels that her parents concentrate of Agua as a result of his disability, leaving little for Bendita. She struggles with her jealousy but in the end learns to be humble and to love her twin sister.
• Matteo Guidicelli / Bugoy Cariño (young) as Ronnie Aguirre - Ronnie met Agua when they were children, but when they met as young adults he was blind; without knowing Agua's real identity, Ronnie learned to love her for her personality. His mother was a maid from a rich Italian family who got impregnated by the owner's son. To cover the shame, Ronnie's father left them penniless with only a house. Torn between the twins, he seems to favor Agua over Bendita, due to Agua's kind and naive nature.
• Jason Abalos / Maliksi Morales (young) as Paculdo "Paco" Barrameda - Paco the poor son of Criselda and Baldo, often called "Tod" when he was young. He met the twins when he saved their lives on separate occasions. Tasked by his mother to bring her Agua in order to be freed from her disorder, he often works different jobs which would lead him to the Cristi's during which he begins to pity Agua.

Supporting cast

• Vina Morales as Mercedes Montenegro-Cristi - Agua and Bendita's mother, who caused Agua's disability by drinking holy water when she was pregnant.
• John Estrada as Dr. Marcial Cristi - Mercedes' husband. A doctor.
• Pilar Pilapil as Doña Amalia "Wowa" Montenegro - Mercedes' mother. She is very close to Bendita, but not to Agua whom she regards as a 'freak', but do loved her and care for her, as she was protecting her from the danger. She is pretend to root of Agua's problems and Bendita's ill temper.
• Alessandra De Rossi as Divina Caguiat Montenegro - Doña Amalia's niece. She had feelings towards Marcial and Doña Amalia conspired to fulfill the Doña's goal of breaking Marcial's family bond.
• Dimples Romana as Criselda Barrameda - Padre Guido's niece who was the intended recipient of the miraculous agua bendita. She is Paco's mother and has epilepsy, which the agua bendita was supposed to cure. Later Doña Amalia and Criselda sets a wicked plan in which they will kidnap Agua and kill her.
• Carlos Agassi as Baldomero "Baldo" Barrameda - Criselda's husband who is a gambler and a drunk.
• Pen Medina as Padre Guido - The original owner of agua bendita and Criselda's uncle. He asked Marcial to give the agua bendita to Criselda to cure her illness. Unfortunately, Marcial stole it for Mercedes. Padre Guido appears from time to time in Agua's dreams to help her use her abilities she has gained from the agua bendita for good. He also appears in Bendita's dream, where he tells her that she can't use Agua's abilities because she does not deserve such privileges.
• Malou Crisologo as Tonyang/Muchacha - Agua's nanny. She and Marcial are the only two people who knew about Agua's disability when she was born.
• Jayson Gainza as Ben Ramirez - A fisherman who saved Agua from danger and raised her.
• Malou de Guzman as Rosie Ramirez - Ben's wife who helped Agua from danger and raised her.
• Bing Loyzaga as Solita Aguirre - Ronnie's mother. She was once a maid on a rich Italian family. She got impregnated by one of the owner's sons.
• Zaijian Jaranilla as Otep (voice) - Agua's fish (clownfish) friend who she attempted to steal in a pet store but then got caught. Luckily, Marcial saw what Agua did, apologized to the saleslady and bought Otep for Agua.
• Zoren Legaspi as Luisito "Lui" Mondigo - Lisa's son who used to court Mercedes. However, due to Mercedes' rebellion, she ended up marrying Marcial. When Mercedes and her family decided to migrate in America, he found a chance to caress Mercedes once again.

Guest cast

• Neil Ryan Sese as Señor Lucas - A fake healer who helped Criselda when they needed some money. Criselda acts as if she is being healed by Lucas to attract customers.
• Lollie Mara as Doña Caridad Montenegro - Amalia's sister. She is Divina's cruel stepmother.
• Lyka Ugarte as Doña Lisa Mondigo - Amalia's friend who owned the boat intended to bring the Cristi family to their hiding island.
• Miguel de Guzman as Buknoy - Tod's co-worker and friend
• Angel Sy as Bimpy - Daughter of the water theme park owner, healed by Agua.

Komiks adaptation

Agua Bendita was a comic created by Rod Santiago in the 1980s. It was published by Liwayway Comics and adapted on television through the series, Komiks. Komiks first aired in 2006 and again during Holy Week 2007, with two-part episodes in Season 1 starring Shaina Magdayao as Agua/Bendita and Rayver Cruz as Ronnie.

Komiks version cast

• Shaina Magdayao as Agua/Bendita
• Rayver Cruz as Ronnie
• Jaclyn Jose as Celeste Cristi
• Raymond Bagatsing as Dr. Rodrigo Cristi
• Amy Perez as Solita
• Lou Veloso as Ben
• Beverly Salviejo as Rosie
• Mosang as Tonyang
• Joshua Dionisio as Young Ronnie
• Kathryn Bernardo as Young Agua/Bendita

Launch

Agua Bendita was launched as one of the ABS-CBN's offerings for the 60th Celebration of Filipino Soap Opera ("Ika-60 taon ng Pinoy Soap Opera"), during the ABS-CBN Trade Launch for the first quarter of 2010, titled "Bagong Simula" (New Beginning).

Reruns

Agua Bendita was later re-aired on Jeepney TV after its initial broadcast.

Special Holy Week Rerun

In observance of the Lenten season, Agua Bendita had its encore telecast on Maundy Thursday (April 1, 2010), Good Friday (April 2, 2010), and on Black Saturday (April 3, 2010) at 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm as part of ABS-CBN's Holy Week presentation.

The 3-part marathon special had ratings of "35% on Maundy Thursday, 26.1% on Good Friday, and 25.7% on Black Saturday".

Theme song

The show uses "Malayo Pa Ang Umaga" as its theme song, originally composed and sung by Rey Valera. The first version is sung by Aria Clemente and the second version is sung by Vina Morales.

See also

• List of programs broadcast by ABS-CBN
• List of programs aired by ABS-CBN

External links

• Andi Eigenmann Fan Site