It has been nearly a decade since the Filipino audience was introduced to Loisa Andalio—the youthful, tough and personable housemate on Pinoy Big Brother: All In, dubbed as the “Talented Darling ng Parañaque.”

Little known fact is that Loisa actually started out as a member of a girl group called 3G way back in 2013. Back when she was just starting out, she experienced disappointments and painful rejections, but she now understood they were all for a purpose: to prepare her to her current path.“Before Star Magic at before akong naging artista, nag-au-audition ako before sa Wowowee and kapag hindi ako natatanggap doon, iniisip ko na lang na may planong better si God. And ’di ba nandito ako ngayon? Doon ko iniisip na hindi lahat ng hinihingi natin, binibigay. Pero kapag may binigay naman, mas sobra pa pala. So iyon lang iyong pinanghahawakan ko kapag may rejection, may malaking door na mag-o-open,” Loisa says.

It was her turn as a Pinoy Big Brother housemate in 2014 that brought her to the consciousness of the viewing public. As a newbie, Loisa can still remember the very first time she went to ABS-CBN to report for work.

Loisa Andalio Photography by Dookie Ducay

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“Sa akin, hindi ko makalilimutan na alam kong pupunta ako ng ABS-CBN. Nag-e-MRT pa lang kami noon eh. Guadalupe Station pa lang, nagkaka-butterfly na ako sa tiyan. Ganu’n pala talaga iyong feeling niya, pero pagdating ko dito sa ABS, naramdaman ko iyong welcome nila sa akin, iyong pagmamahal kaya ang daling nawala [ng kaba]. Exaggerated lang pala ako pero ansaya-saya pala dito sa loob ng ABS-CBN,” Loisa narrates, smiling.

After her PBB stint, Loisa became a part of several projects such as Nasaan Ka Nang Kailangan Kita, The Good Son, My Dear Heart and movies like Crazy Beautiful You, Gandarrapiddo: The Revenger Squad, and Fantastica. She was also a part of the girl group GirlTrends on It’s Showtime and the BFF5 squad with Maris Racal, Kira Balinger, Ylona Garcia, and Andrea Brillantes. Loisa also starred in the movie James and Pat and Dave alongside real-life boyfriend Ronnie Alonte and Donny Pangilinan.

Loisa elevated her career by appearing in the Angel Locsin primetime series The General’s Daughter and starred as a female lead in series Unloving U, The Goodbye Girl, and Love in 40 Days opposite Ronnie.

Love in 40 Days may be a career breakthrough for Loisa, but she also found it challenging.“Love in 40 Days is challenging kasi multo ako doon eh. So iniisip ko, ano bang feeling ng namatay?,” she ponders. “So grabeng anxiety din iyong dinala niya sa akin na ang hirap pala ng ganitong character kasi kailangan ikaw iyon eh, hindi ako dapat si Loisa. Iisipin ko multo na ako, patay ako. Iyon iyong pinaka-mahirap kasi hindi pa pala ako ready, ang dami mo pang gusto. So doon ko rin na-appreciate iyong life na kahit mahirap iyong role, marami namang lessons na binigay sa amin.”

Despite the challenging times on the job, Loisa enjoys the overall journey and the experience.“Pinakagusto ko s’yempre iyong iba-ibang tao iyong nakakasalamuha. Iba-ibang experience, iba-ibang knowledge na matututo ka rin sa kanila. Kasi kahit hindi mo pagdaanan, base pa lang sa experience nila, alam mo na iyong gagawin mo. Kaya sobra akong nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng nakakatrabaho naming veterans. Hindi sila naging madamot sa aral. Iyon iyong pinaka-favorite ko kasi kahit nagte-taping kami or lunch break, talagang may lesson pa rin na ibinibigay. Hindi lang about work, kundi personal life rin,” Loisa shares.

“Tsaka masaya iyong ganu’n eh. Kasi maiisip mo na ang liit lang pala ng problema ko kung maririnig mo lahat ng istorya ng ibang tao. ’Yun din ’yung the best du’n, ’yung nakakarinig ka na hindi ka nag-iisa,” the actress thoughtfully adds.

Loisa’s sense of community at work was deeply rooted on how the culture at Star Magic is. The management taught her to value family.“’Yung mahalin mo ’yung family mo kasi sila iyong nandyan sa kahit anong problema, pagsubok at happiness. Talagang sila and ’yun ’yung isa sa natutunan ko sa Star Magic: bukod sa may pamilya ako sa bahay, sa Star Magic may family din,” she says.

Loisa went on to share what she loves the most about Star Magic, saying, “’Yung mga tao—’yung mga handlers, RMs (road managers)—lahat! Sila LMD [Lauren Dyogi], as in lahat ng part, ’yung mga katrabaho namin at mga kapatid namin sa Star Magic, na s’yempre iba-iba kami ng work so hindi kami laging nagkakasama pero nae-enjoy ko ’yung mga moments na magkakasama gaya ng Star Magic Ball,” she says, smiling and hopeful for more time with her Star Magic family.

On Loisa: Ensemble by LSW

Real-life couple: Loisa Andalio and Ronnie Alonte

The Star Magic artists gathered for a 2022 year-ender cover feature, to cap Metro's celebration of the premier talent management's 30th anniversary in the industry. Photography by Dookie Ducay and Jharwin Castañeda

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Photography by Dookie Ducay

Creative direction by Eldzs Mejia

Art direction by Raff Colmenar

Sittings editor: Grace Libero-Cruz

Makeup by RB Chanco

Hairstyling by Ernesto Jamelarin

Styling by Myrrh Lao To, assisted by Mack Bersalona, Josh Galang and Mai Chua