Mundo Man ay Magunaw

Production

After the success of the afternoon dramas Natutulog Ba Ang Diyos? and Magkano Ang Iyong Dangal?, ABS-CBN decided the next "sineserye" would be Mundo Man ay Magunaw. It served as Eula Valdez's comeback to portraying dramatic roles. She recently played the main antagonist Selina Pereira-Matias†, an iconic role first played by Filipina actress, Princess Punzalan. Eula's hit role in the remake Mula Sa Puso got her praise because she last played villain and protagonist in 2000's Pangako sa ’Yo as the iconic Amor Powers. Her last protagonist role was in the remake of Maria Flordeluna, where she played Jo Esperitu, immortalized by Laurice Guillen in the original Flor de Luna. ABS-CBN wanted her to play Olivia La Pena, a role which was played by popular veteran actress Susan Roces. She accepted the role in a conference in October 2011, and filming began in December 2011.

The next roles were given to Empress who would play Sheryl San Juan (originally portrayed by Sheryl Cruz) and Jennifer "Jenny" La Pena would go to Nikki Gil, (originally portrayed by character actress Jennifer Sevilla). Ejay Falcon was cast as Nico (originally portrayed by Romnick Sarmenta), who then would work again with Empress after they starred in Guns and Roses. Freelance actress Sylvia Sanchez left GMA-7 to go back to her home network to play Lani San Juan (originally portrayed by Nida Blanca). In this latest version, Lani is a villain. The role of Donya Alicia La Peña is played by comedian and veteran actress Tessie Tomas (originally immortalized by Alicia Vergel). The role of Dante, Olivia's love interest, was given to Emilio Garcia.

Synopsis

Mundo Man Ay Magunaw is an afternoon drama that tells the story of three women whose lives intertwine in the twist of fate. After 20 years of imprisonment, Olivia La Pena is ready to start a new life again and rebuild the family she never had. The story also follows the lives of her estranged daughters Sheryl and Jennifer who will learn that to understand the other they must learn how to love one another at all costs to save each other.

Plot

20 years ago, Olivia San Juan (Jodi Sta. Maria/Eula Valdez) fell in love with her longtime suitor Carlos La Pena (Christopher Roxas). The two get married. At the same time she is in the middle of a relationship with Dante (James Blanco/Emilio Garcia) who then gets married to Lailani "Lani" (Katya Santos/Sylvia Sanchez), Olivia's sister. Olivia grows in burden after killing her husband to save her younger daughter who then is taken by Carlos' mother Alicia La Pena (Tessie Tomas) who then grows hatred for her own daughter-in-law without her knowledge of the real reasons on Carlos's death and Olivia's intentions. Olivia has another baby girl named Bianca (also known as Sheryl, which is a real La Peña) but the girl was given away to Lani, without Olivia's knowledge. Alicia has taken her daughter Jenny to the States after Olivia's mother's death and, finding out her younger daughter Bianca is assumed dead, the latter is set on a not so unkind reunion.

After 20 years, Olivia is out of prison and is set to live a new life. Her daughter Jennifer (Nikki Gil) has grown into an intelligent, beautiful, young woman who is taught to become successful in life with the help of her overbearing grandmother Donya Alicia whose shadow she lives under. Jennifer grows hatred for her biological mother Olivia who tries her best to reconnect with her. In her thought that this idea is just a way to ruin the relationship between her grandmother and to ruin her family and start troubles in order to gain her trust, Jennifer crosses paths with Sheryl San Juan (Empress) a poor lass who tries to bind her family back together in search of hopes that she will one day find her father again after leaving her family to work abroad. Sheryl gains faith with her childhood friend Niko (Ejay Falcon) who then courts her and becomes her boyfriend. On the other hand, Jennifer struggles with an upcoming marriage with Mike Sarmiento (Alex Castro) to save the family business from falling apart while in a private relationship with Jenny's cousin Ramona (Dianne Medina).

In Olivia's search for a better life she accepts employment with a lonely bar and restaurant owner Emilio (Allan Paule) who tries to regain her ability to love again. The story further focuses on the difficult relationships that tear the families apart when Dante comes back into Olivia and Lani's lives after he's released from a crime and freak accident that has scarred him for life. The story ladders on the relationship Olivia must face between her daughter Jennifer and her true identity and the conflicting relationship between her and Lani over Dante's love for her and her obsessive sister. The ladder is caught up with Donya Alicia's never-ending quest to destroy Olivia's life. The plot worsens when the family's relationships start to tear apart with the revenge, greed, and the corruption consuming the lives of Alicia and Lani; Olivia trying to find peace with her daughter Jennifer; and Sheryl trying to save her love life for Nico and her friendship with Jennifer and trying to make peace between her parents.

In the end, will the obstacles and clues lead to reveal the truth of their true identities? Will the family one day be together against all odds?

Main cast

Supporting cast

Special participation

Theme song