Maalaala Mo Kaya April 8 Review: Lorna Tolentino And Alexa Ilacad, A Mother-Daughter’s Love in MMKLoveBehindBars

Lorna Tolentino, Alexa Ilacad and Edgar Allan Guzman star in Maalaala Mo Kaya’s April 8 Episode, MMKLoveBehindBars. It tells the story of a mother’s unconditional love in a daughter’s decision to live life her way. Maya (Lorna) is a mom who is imprisoned because of drug charges and her daughter, while Joy (Alexa) is imprisoned in her own prison of anger and unforgiveness. A day came when Joy meets Rustom (Edgar) who is also an inmate. When Joy falls in love with Rustom, the mother-daughter conflicts start pouring in. Though it pains Maya, her heart as a mother remains constant until the end.

Prison Is Not Only Being Behind Bars

If Maya is behind bars because of a crime she committed, Joy, too is imprisoned by her anger upon her mother.

Joy is angry at her life’s circumstances. To her, life seemed forced upon her. Ever since her dad died, her troubles began. Her mother, Maya, turned to drugs as an easy way out – both emotionally and financially. She ended up in a dependent relationship on a drug addict and would always be out of the house. Joy is left alone with her brother Mark. She tries her best to be the older sister and the mother at the same time. At a very young age, she has had a lot of weight on her shoulders and she reached a breaking point. Her innocence and joy in life died out. Everything she sees around her is bleak and hopeless. She cries by herself most of the time feeling alone.

Maya was in too deep in drugs. The situation got so bad that she brought her children to Lola Ine’s house to have someone watch over them constantly. She could not breakaway from her dealings with the prohibited drugs. Soon, the police raided Lola Ine’s home where she and two other addicts were hiding in. They were all arrested and Maya was sentenced to 8 years imprisonment.

When Lola Ine, Mark and Joy visit Maya, Joy remains hard-hearted. She cannot forgive her mother because Maya left her and her brother ever since their father died. She became rebellious, cutting class and getting into school brawls. Even if Maya tells Joy to study hard for her future, Joy just gets aggravated and retaliates saying that she does not have a future because of her mother.

From Doing Laundry to Flowers and Love Letters – Alexa Ilacad and Edgar Guzman’s Love Story

In one of her visits to the prison, Joy meets Rustom. She was sarcastic at first because Rustom was years older and knew fair well that he is a criminal. Rustom, on the other hand, pursues her. This meant doing the laundry and ironing clothes for the prison guards. In exchange, he gets to use the cell phone to text Joy. The sweet gesture softened Joy’s heart and the two fall for each other. Joy has found a sense of comfort in Rustom because she feels he listens to her. Most of all, she sees how Rustom admits his faults and is sorry for what he did. This is one thing she wants to see from her mother, Maya.

For the longest time, Joy has been waiting for her mother to admit her faults and admit that she has gotten into drugs because of her own selfishness. Maya has never admitted this and caused Joy’s heart to harden towards her. Having Rustom in her life was admittedly the first time she felt love.

A Mother’s Heart is for Her Children

When Maya finds out about their relationship, she is against it. She tells her daughter to stop the relationship but this is only rejected by her daughter. Maya also confronts Rustom, telling him to leave her daughter alone. She says that she is too young for him and her future is at stake. Rustom talks to Joy about their plans.

Joy tells Rustom that she is graduating already. Upon hearing this, Rustom brings out her gift to her. It was a necklace. He then tells her that he is being moved to Manila New Bilibid Prison and asks her to live with his family so she can visit him there. Rustom also assured Joy that his parents will be able to put her through college. Blindly, Joy says yes even if she consciously knew that she was choosing Rustom over her home and family.

Maya is left depressed and remorseful. At that moment, she realized the results of her faults. She finally admits that she got into drugs because of her desire to escape the sadness upon losing her husband. She admitted to being selfish, thinking only of herself which made her forget to be the mother she is supposed to be to Joy and Mark. These feelings seem too late for Maya.

Joy’s Expectations are Shattered

In Manila, Joy lives with Rustom’s family. She gets to visit Rustom but the promise of studying in college was never fulfilled. Joy, instead, takes a job and works to earn her income. When she didn’t visit Rustom regularly, Rustom becomes violent. He would sinister-like in his anger. At that visit, she told Rustom that she was pregnant. Instantly, Rustom’s emotions shifted. It is disturbing. This frightened Joy. That same incident happened when Joy told Rustom that the hospital did not allow Clarence, their child, to use the family name of Rustom because they were not married. This angered Rustom greatly. Rustom became abusive. Fearing for her life and her son’s life, she goes back home to live with her family. At that same year, Maya is freed and also goes back home.

The mother and daughter still have a huge wall in between them. Even if Maya tries her best to reach out, Joy remains cold as stone. She refuses to let her mother in. She still does not forgive her. Maya does not give up. When Rustom finished his sentence, he goes to Joy’s home and asks her once again to move back with him in Manila. Maya discourages this because as a mother, she knows what is ahead. Joy, in utter anger for her mother, says no and still chooses Rustom over her.

To her disappointment, Joy finds out of Rustom’s infidelity. Worst of all, he becomes abusive and starts beating Joy. Joy once again goes back home to her mother, admitting she was wrong. When Maya opens the door and sees her daughter hurt and desperate, she welcomes her with open arms. The mother and daughter are finally reunited. However, Rustom was still in the picture. He goes back looking for Joy and Clarence.

When Rustom finds Joy, he forces her to go back with him in Manila. Joy tries to escape from him but can’t. A neighbor sees this and calls for Maya. Maya immediately sought after Joy and when she sees Rustom, she intervenes and fights for her daughter. She stood her ground as a mother and protected her daughter and grandchild. Rustom was apprehended and that was the last time Maya and Joy see him.

Forgiveness Breaks Down Prison Walls

When Joy forgives Maya, they both find it easier to start over. Maya is now able to make amends for her shortcomings and Joy is able to appreciate the fact that she has a mother once again. The episode sheds light in the reality that people can create their own prisons. Anger, unforgiveness, bitterness and hate are strongholds that bind a person’s heart. It takes love and forgiveness to break these chains. Maya and Joy’s relationship as a mother and daughter is a perfect example of that kind of forgiveness. Joy is able to see that the one that has truly loved her unconditionally is her mother.

MMK’s April 8 episode is entitled, “Kulungan.” It is written by Akeem Jordan del Rosario and Arah Jell Badayos and directed by Dado Lumibao.