It has been almost nine years since we first met the iconic character of Anna Manalastas, the wicked and ruthless toy company owner and main protagonist of the comedy-drama series 100 Days To Heaven, brilliantly portrayed by revered veteran actress Coney Reyes as an adult and by Xyriel Manabat as a kid.
And just in time when our country is going through a tough time and we’re observing the Lenten season, ABS-CBN returned the well-loved teleserye on primetime television as a temporary replacement for Pamilya Ko on its timeslot.
Now that we’re able to look back on the wonderful and inspiring journey of Anna Manalastas in accomplishing her “unfinished businesses” here on earth before the Tagabantay allows her to enter heaven, let’s see the moments that showed how her behavior radically changed all throughout.
She became compassionate
As her former personal driver Brando (Jason Abalos) held a few people in the hospital as hostages in order to obtain the medication needed by his ailing daughter and put the blame on her after she fired him, the young Anna bravely stepped up to negotiate. She persuaded him to spare the lives of innocent people who had nothing to do with his problem, lest he would be as evil as his previous boss, and to prove that he’s different from her by being compassionate to others.
She learned how to enjoy life
Raised by her domineering father who strictly prohibited her to do things aside from studying and practising piano, Anna never experienced playing. Thus, she realized how much she had missed in life for she completely enjoyed playing with Kevin (Louise Abuel) and his playmates and even became best friends with him, too!
She could go senti and corny
Having no childhood and being a ruthless top-notch executive, it’s certainly impossible for Anna to be seen doing absurd, childish stuff or being sentimental. Thus, it is definitely refreshing to watch her doing her friendship handshake with Kevin and catch her grow gloomy after seeing a mother and child playing with a Tricia doll being distributed by her toy company.
She could make others happy
When she was still alive, we all know how Anna used to spread terror and anxiety to people around her because of her wickedness, harshness, and aggressiveness. But surprisingly, she was able to make someone smile and be entertained with her irresistible cuteness and unbelievable wit – Mr. Villanueva (Chinggoy Alonzo). She even gave in to his request for her to dance in front of him in exchange of a toy.
She started to care for others
From being a selfish and snobbish woman that she was, Anna astonishingly got concerned with the lives of other people. Aware of her involvement in the squabble of Mr. Villanueva’s sons Roel (Sam Milby) and Jojo (Xian Lim), she indeed tried her best to reconcile them by telling them how much it would make their ill dad happy yet to no avail. But since it’s part of her long roster of missions and she knows how she owed Mr. Villanueva so much, we know that she’s not going to easily give up.
Anna Manalastas is indeed a firm testament that anyone of us has the opportunity to change our unpleasant habits or personalities and there’s no such thing as “too late” for everything happens according to how the universe wanted it to be.