From begging in the streets to graduating with flying colors from one of the country's top universities, Eugene dela Cruz’s journey is proof that hope can grow even in the harshest places.
His inspiring real-life journey is featured in the latest installment of "Maalaala Mo Kaya," topbilled by Tommy Alejandrino, known to many as Kenji Juan from the "Senior High" and "High Street" series. Tommy, alongside co-actor Smokey Manaloto, graced Kapamilya Chat to share more about the episode.
When asked how he feels for the positive feedback the episode has been getting since the release of the trailer, and the Director's Cut on iWant last July 17, Tommy simply said, “I feel great about it,” before passing the credit to director Onat Diaz. But more than the good words on the episode, what makes him truly happy is that Eugene’s story is finally getting the recognition it deserves "na dapat lang."
For Tommy, Eugene’s journey is rare, one of those stories that feel almost too extraordinary to be true, and yet deeply relatable. The episode traces how Eugene ended up living on the streets at the age of 12 and how he managed to rise above that life and graduate with honors at the Ateneo de Manila University with the help of good samaritans, one of whom is portrayed by Smokey in the episode.
As Tommy shared his thoughts during the interview, Smokey watched him with visible pride. The veteran star is pleased to witness another powerful performance from Tommy, calling it a strong addition to the growing list of standout roles of the young actor, whom he keeps reminding everyone is award-winning. Tommy, ever humble, brushed it off saying that his Cinemalaya Best Actor win for “The Baseball Player” back in 2022 "was a long time ago."
He also smiled shyly when his senior co-star pointed out that working with him doesn’t require much preparation as he naturally draws a co-actor into the scene. “Si Tommy ay very serious na actor kapag oras na ng trabaho. He's very giving, he listens attentively sa instructions ng director, which is not a bad thing. It's always a good thing na marunong siya hindi lang makinig kundi sumunod. He's very patient, at saka magaling, eh," Smokey praised the 23-year-old acting gem.
“Grabe naman ’yon, Kuya, grabe,” Tommy reacted bashfully. But no matter how much he tries to downplay the compliment, it’s hard to deny that he's the kind of artist who approaches the craft with real purpose, not someone who’s just there to be seen, but an actor who truly wants to tell the story right.
He poured his heart even in the preparation stage, watching every interview of Eugene he could find and digging through all available materials especially his TikTok videos just to catch the little, natural nuances of how Eugene carries himself. “Hindi kasi puwedeng mga interviews lang,” he explained. “I feel like marami kang mapupulot sa mga personal pages niya.”
But more than the emotional preparation, what really drained him was the physical side of the shoot as most of their scenes were filmed outdoors under the heat to stay true to Eugene’s life on the streets. It was exhausting, he admitted, but he just made sure to stay hydrated and focused on the story they were telling.
Tommy is grateful to be trusted with a lead role right away for his first-ever “MMK” episode. He shared it only really sank in how big the project was when congratulatory messages started pouring in when the Director’s Cut started streaming on iWant.
When asked about their personal takeaways from Eugene’s journey, it was Smokey who spoke first, “Hindi sagabal ang kahirapan para maging matagumpay sa buhay,” He added, “Hindi mo pwedeng irason palagi na, ‘Wala akong pera, wala akong kakayahan na matustusan ang pangangailangan.’ Hindi. Kasi ang kuwento ni Eugene, walang-wala na nga siya, eh. Pero nag-isip pa rin siya ng paraan para mataguyod niya 'yung pangarap niya na makapag-aral.”
Tommy nodded in agreement and mused, “Malayo talaga ang mararating mo basta may pangarap ka at kaya mong panghawakan 'yon.” For him, even when a person loses everything, what remains is their heart, their capacity to love, and most of all, their will to keep going “kahit na ang dali-daling tapusin na lang.”
And if you ever feel like life is weighing you down, know that there’s no shame in asking for help. As Smokey put it, “Laging mayroong handang tumulong sa’yo, kahit gaano pa kabigat ang problema mo.” But he also emphasized something just as important—“Bago ka humingi ng tulong, siguraduhin mo munang worthy ka sa tulong na matatanggap mo. Ikaw mismo kailangan mong turuan ang sarili mo para makita nila na kaya mo.”
At the end of the day, that self-effort, no matter how small, can lead people to walk alongside you.
And above all, believe that you're never truly alone. “Sana maniwala ka na mas malaki ang Diyos kaysa sa mga problema mo,” Tommy shared. Both he and Smokey personally resonated with Eugene’s journey, because at its core, it’s a story of resilience, faith, and choosing to keep going.
"MMK: The Viral Story of Eugene Dela Cruz" airs this Saturday, July 19, at 8:30 PM on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), and A2Z. You can also stream it anytime on iWant.