Huwag Kang Mangamba

Category:Tv Series
Huwag Kang Mangamba (transl. Never Fear) is a 2021 Philippine drama television series broadcast by Kapamilya Channel. Directed by Jerry Lopez Sineneng, Darnel Joy Villaflor and Emmanuel "Manny" Palo, it stars Andrea Brillantes, Francine Diaz, Kyle Echarri and Seth Fedelin. The series premiered on the network's Primetime Bida evening block via A2Z, Kapamilya Channel, TV5, and worldwide via The Filipino Channel on March 22, 2021, replacing Ang sa Iyo ay Akin.
== Plot Summary ==
The story is set in the fictional resort town of Hermoso, in the province of Laguna in the northern region of the Philippines. A tourist favorite because of its pristine beaches, healing Hot Springs, luxury Spas and Resorts, Hermoso was once upon a time, a center of religious devotion, attracting thousands of visitors from all over the country drawn to its mystical healing powers and religious conversions. In those times, the townspeople were faithful to their religion. One night, a fire burns down the only church and is never rebuilt. Eventually, the townspeople preoccupy themselves with the material prosperity of their tourist town and lose their devotion to God.
Fatima Cruz is a member of Dakilang Sinag, a rebel group in the jungles outside Hermoso, who is targeted by the military led by Samuel Cordero. The two are thrown together and fall in love.
Fatima leaves her life with the rebels to marry Samuel and they have a daughter named Joy. Abel, the rebel leader and Fatima's childhood friend, tries to convince her to return, but their meeting is misunderstood by Samuel, who believes Fatima used him solely for the group's purpose. Samuel and Fatima's marriage breaks down when Samuel has an affair with Agatha, a flight stewardess and former lover. The affair results in a child, Sofia. Agatha breaks the news to Fatima. Devastated by her husband’s betrayal, she tells Samuel she is leaving him. Convinced that Fatima is returning to her rebel life, he tries to stop her. He retrieves their daughter but Fatima and her friend Esther are kidnapped by Abel. Abel rapes Fatima who gets pregnant. Fatima escapes and delivers her baby, Mira, in the jungle.
Samuel moves into a common law relationship with Agatha, and Joy grows up with her step-mother and half-sister Sofia. Since Samuel is often away on military missions, the family moves in with Agatha's sister Deborah who claims to have healing powers. Agatha abuses Joy, who also suffers the cruelty of her troubled half-sister, Sofia.
In the mountains outside Hermoso, Fatima, who now goes by Faith Cruz, raises Mira who is born blind. When she hears of Samuel's whereabouts, she leaves 7-year old Mira at an orphanage promising to return the next day after she retrieves her daughter Joy from Samuel. However, Fatima never returns. Mira grows up in the orphanage and ten years later heads for Hermoso to look for her mother. She arrives at the resort town with nothing except her faith in Bro. That night, Mira is fatally hit by a car and the only witness is the town's Mendicant, Barang. A miracle occurs when Mira comes back to life. At the same time in another part of the town, after a violent fight with her sister Sofia, Joy drives off and crashes onto a light post. Joy is pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital while Deborah prays over her. At that moment, Joy comes back to life as well. The delusional Deborah believes she raised her from death.
The lives of Mira and Joy intertwine when they share the same miraculous experience. Unaware that they are siblings, Joy initially rejects Mira, but as time goes by, finds a renewed faith through her mother's diary and Mira's persistence. At this time, the statue of Jesus Christ, whom they call "Bro", comes to life and speaks to them about the need to rebuild the church.
Mira and Joy join with Father Seb, a parish priest, Mang Caloy, the town's barber, his daughter Darling and hairstylist Carrie and plan to restore the burnt down church in Hermoso. Against all odds and a godless community, Mira and Joy follow "Bro", inspiring the townspeople of Hermoso to find their way back to their faith. Taking advantage of the town’s superstitious residents, and seeing a lucrative source of income, Deborah claims the miracles are attributable to her healing powers. When Mira's blindness is healed, Deborah claims the miracle, while Mira insists it is “Bro” who healed her. Mira and Joy become the talk of Hermoso's curious, judgmental townspeople, further agitating Deborah who by this time, has a growing flock around her.
A powerful political family led by Simon Advincula perpetuates the myth of Deborah's healings. Simon uses her crowd draw to support his grandson Miguel's mayoral election campaign. He helps Deborah discredit Mira and Joy through his troll farms. He promises to build a healing dome for Deborah to establish her church where she can draw financial support from her believers. As many more miracles surrounding Joy and Mira occur, Deborah tries to get credit for them but Mira and Joy insist that these are all from "Bro". This infuriates Deborah, particularly more so when the girls’ campaign to rebuild the town church conflicts with her healing dome.
Mira and Joy face trials together as they deal with diverse people with different morals, beliefs and values. They tell the townspeople that "Bro" speaks with them, and exhorts them to restore their faith in God. When the girls discover they are siblings, they investigate their mother’s disappearance together. The many characters in the story turn to “Bro” when they undergo trials. The townspeople's transformation from Godless to faithful unfolds into a beautiful story of faith, forgiveness and redemption.
== Cast ==
=== Main cast ===
*Francine Diaz as Joy Cordero
*Andrea Brillantes as Mira Cordero
*Kyle Echarri as Rafael "Rafa" Advincula
*Seth Fedelin as Pio Estopacio
=== Supporting cast ===
*Sylvia Sanchez as Virginia "Barang" Angeles
*Eula Valdez as Deborah Delos Santos
* Mylene Dizon as Eva Marquez
* RK Bagatsing as Miguel Advincula
* Nonie Buencamino as Simon Advincula
* Diether Ocampo as Samuel Cordero
* Enchong Dee as Sebastian "Seb" Tantiangco
* Dominic Ochoa as Tomas Estopacio
* Matet De Leon as Rebecca Estopacio
* Angeline Quinto as Darling Sanchez
* Soliman Cruz as Carlito "Caloy" Sanchez
*Mercedes Cabral as Agatha Delos Santos
* Alyanna Angeles as Sofia Delos Santos-Cordero
* Renshi de Guzman as Hans Alvarez
* Margaux Montana as Babygirl "Ghie" Andrade
* Raven Rigor as Mateo Panganiban
* Renz Aguilar as Carrie Baltazar
* Paolo Gumabao as Maximo Delos Santos
* Matty Juniosa as Roberto "Bobby" Magbanua
=== Guest cast ===
*Soliman Cruz as Carlito "Caloy" Sanchez
*Dimples Romana as Fatima "Faith" Cruz-Cordero / Lucia Angeles
* Allan Paule as Fidel Alvarez
* Anne Feo as Diana Rodriguez-Alvarez
* Mark Dionisio as Abel Claverio
* Tess Antonio as Esther Calalang
* Micah Muñoz as Dante
* Mica Javier as young Deborah
* Nieves Manaban as Norma Delos Santos
* Sherry Lara as Mira and Joy's adoptive grandmother
* Rafael Rosell as Diego Romulo
* Luke Alford as Joaquin Romulo
* Art Acuña as Oscar Tantiangco
* Jane Oineza as Rose Aguilar/Emily Abuel
*Christopher de Leon as Elias
*Andrea del Rosario as Thelma Policarpio
* Andi Abaya as Mikay
*Nash Aguas as Apollo
* Richard Quan as Armand Policarpio
*Vivoree Esclito as Freya
== Production ==
Filming for the drama started on December 4, 2020, with a lock-in taping set-up.