Pokwang

Early life

Pokwang whose real name is Marietta Subong was born in August 27, 1975 in Iloilo City. Her family hails from Antipolo, Rizal. Her father was a drunkard and her mother had difficulties in raising Pokwang and her 11 other sibling. Pokwang was the seventh born among her siblings

As a migrant worker

In 1990, Pokwang went to Japan as an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) and worked as a group dancer, going home to the Philippines four times within the two years time she worked in Japan. Her contracts in Japan were for six-months each. She saved money to renovate her family's fragile house to one made with sturdier materials. Pokwang also learned how to speak Japanese due to her work. She stopped working in Japan after she got pregnant which was also the time when Japan started to impose stricter regulations after following an issue with OFWs in Japan.

Pokwang went to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates to work as domestic worker in 1998 after the gulf country started to accept OFWs. She worked in the country for six months. She wanted to go home immediately after she learned that her son who was then five years old was diagnosed with a brain tumor but her employer did not allow her and Pokwang was forced to finish her contract. Her son died while she was still in Abu Dhabi.

Return to the Philippines

Following the loss of her son, Pokwang decided to stay in the Philippines and tend to her daughter. Pokwang made her first appearance as a backup dancer in Eezy Dancing of ABC 5.

While performing as a guest in a comedy bar in Cubao, she met Eric Nicolas who was looking for a talent to work with ABS-CBN. She was worked in a comedy bar named Funline and in 2002 moved to the Music Box. In 2004, Pokwang joined "Clown in a Million" a reality talent show segment of Yes Yes Show of ABS-CBN after she was convinced by Nicolas to participate and became the grand champion. After winning the contest she secured an exclusive artist contract with ABS-CBN.

Pokwang appeared in various dramas and sitcoms following her win at the reality talent show segment. She also had concerts both outside and within the Philippines and also had appeared in noon-time shows. She starred with other actors and actresses in various projects such as Dolphy which she considers her idol, Ai-Ai de las Alas, Willie Rivellame, Piolo Pascual, Sam Milby, Claudine Barretto, Judy Ann Santos, Sharon Cuneta, and Kris Aquino.

She was named Best Comedy Actress award by the Philippine Movie Press Club for her portrayal in Aalog-Alog and the she garnered the Best Female Comedian award of the People's Choice Award. As a film actress she won the Bert Marcelo Lifetime Achievement Award twice.

Pokwang appeared in various films portraying supporting characters. Her first film where she portrayed a lead role was the 2011 film A Mother's Story, where she took up a role of an overseas Filipino worker named Medy.

Comedic style

Pokwang prefers to use herself as a subject of her jokes rather than other people. She also does not do "green jokes" (Filipino parlance for sexual innuendos), which are deemed unsuitable for young audiences as she enjoys being a comedian also patronized by children.

Pokwang has also impersonated other people for as part of her job as a comedian. Among the people she has impersonated were Dionisia Pacquiao such as for an episode in Banana Split and Anabelle Rama. Pacquiao said that she was fine with the impersonation and actually finds it funny.

Personal life

Subong was in a relationship with a Japanese husband, by whom she had a son but died due to illness. The two had met when she was working in Japan. However, she was estranged to him for 16 years until they established contact in 2009. Her former partner informed her that he has cancer and that he wishes to see their son's burial. She also had a separate relationship with another Japanese with whom she had a daughter, Rie Mae, but also left her when their daughter was still young. She hadn't establish contact with him as of October 2014, but at this time she expressed willingness to pursue a new relationship, preferably with a Filipino.

Earlier in May 2014, Subong disclosed that she has been establishing contact with Rie Mae's father so that her daughter and former partner could meet personally following the debut or 18th birthday of her daughter, as well as rumors that Japan will relax its visa laws. Subong said that she has information that her former partner the father of Rie Mae is now married to a Korean and now has another child.

Subong had a British suitor but in June 2013 it was reported that he decided not to pursue. Subong speculated that the reason for this was that she was "playing hard to get" but insists that she remains friends with the British.

On January 20, 2015, Subong entered in a new relationship with American actor Lee O'Brian, whom she worked with in the film Edsa Woolworth which was released in theaters in the same month ago. Subong became pregnant, but three weeks from August 20, 2015, she had a miscarriage. By September 2016, Subong was introduced to O'Brien's relatives and the two have discussions on getting married but Pokwang's priority at the moment is her project with Till I Met You. On June 16, 2017, Subong announced on Twitter that she was seven weeks pregnant with O'Brian's child.

Singles