It is but fitting that all the chaos and conflict boiled down to a heartwarming end.
As Gabriel (Gerald Anderson) and Bianca (Kim Chiu) overcame their ultimate ordeal, tearfully reuniting with their kidnapped son, after the perpetrator Isabel (Coleen Garcia) was caught and led away, the finale of Ikaw Lang Ang Iibigin showed how forgiveness and love for family should prevail.
Touching scenes left us all impressed—Carlo (Jake Cuenca) tearfully realizing his mistakes and reconciling with surrogate father Roman (Michael de Mesa), and subordinate and childhood friend Simeon (Juan Miguel Severo) as Rigor (Daniel Fernando) wept at his deathbed when he heard Gabriel forgiving him for his misdeeds even if he didn’t ask for it.
And, we were all deeply moved when Carlo called Rigor “Itay” in a phone call as the latter breathed his last while Nanay Lydia (Gina Pareno) hysterically wailed.
Isabel also saw a silver lining after her horrendous crime, witnessing how her estranged father Josh (Ramon Christopher) and mother Sandra (Ana Roces) resolve their differences and, with sister Steph (Andrea Brilliantes), profess their undying love for her.
But what was truly enlivening was how the turmoil turned into harmony as everyone gathered to take part in the baptism of Gabriel and Bianca’s baby, who was a symbol for their new beginning.
It was a delightful end to one captivating series that kept us thrilled, stunned, and enlivened with each heart-stopping episode, until the last credits rolled in the finale.
It showed not only the timeless, electrifying chemistry Kim and Gerald had always shown together but also their individual brilliance as actors. We are awed by Jake Cuenca’s riveting depiction of a troubled, demented man slowly seeing the light, as we get blown away by veteran actors Michael de Mesa, Gina Pareno and Daniel Fernando, who never lost their touch in their natural, deeply felt portrayals.
But most of all, it was well-loved by audiences as they heaped praises on the concluding series in their Twitter posts with the hashtag #ILAIAngHulingLaban, which became the top trending topic on Twitter.