HERE?S a woman without fear, one who once endured rebuke and brickbats for what many saw as ill-advised decisions on her career and personal life.

Two years after that episode, Angel looks back with a satisfied smile, knowing that she has risen back to prominence. The drastic changes that resulted from her decision to switch network, though risky and precarious, opened more doors and gave her a better and clearer career path.

?I?m very open to changes in terms of my career path,? Angel tells SIM in an interview. ?I?m happy with how my career is going,? she adds, speaking mostly in Filipino.

Leaving an illustrious stint in GMA-7 to face an uncertain future in ABS-CBN may have been widely perceived as disastrous, but the result has convinced her to believe in her instincts, says Angel.

After Angel signed a two-year exclusive contract in August 2007 with ABS-CBN, the Kapamilya network immediately gave her a fantasy vehicle in ?Lobo? opposite Piolo Pascual. Though it did fairly well in its almost year-long run, ?Lobo? was by no means on the same success level as her GMA-7 outings, partly because of the negative publicity that hounded her controversial transfer.

Despite this letdown, Angel patiently waited. And waited. It took almost two years after her contract signing before she finally got the breakthrough show she was looking for.

Judging from its initial run, the Koreanovela remake ?Only You,? which puts Angel in a delightful culinary-romantic feast with Diether Ocampo and Sam Milby, has become her comeback vehicle in the ratings race. Definitely a TV audience charmer, the show consistently achieved over 30 percent audience share in the opening weeks.

No, it?s not in the same mold as ?Mulawin? or ?Darna,? high-octane fantaseryes that literally catapulted her to fame. ?Only You? is a simple rom-com that indulges the romantic in every Pinoy.

And there lies its success: ?The material is light, and I thought when I first saw the script, this is a different project. So I said ?yes,?? she recalls.

Angel says she identifies strongly with her character Jillian ? a factor behind her winsome portrayal. The character, she adds, even inspires her in real life. ?She?s so lovable and I can totally relate to her. Especially with her cooking skills. In fact, I plan to study [culinary arts] when I find the time, even after the teleserye has finished its run.?

Her role in ?Only You? seems light years away from her previous characters, be it a winged warrior, a Pinay superhero, or a mythical wolf-girl. This is yet another change that Angel seems to handle quite smoothly.

?We used to jest that for the first time in a long time, I?m not acting with an animal in the same frame, nor flying or transforming into something else. It feels good to do this. The changes haven?t been easy, but I?m learning a lot with every project.?

The biggest change in her life is thankfully much less painful than others. Angel, you should know by now, is in love.

While she is no stranger to such relationships, she says her bond with Luis Manzano stands out. Is this for keeps?

?It?s difficult to plan for the future, but right now I?m very happy with my personal life. [Luis] understands me and my work because he?s also an actor,? says Angel.

But the most telling change that means the most to this actress is what critics and observers note: the stark improvement in her craft. Angel got her very first acting award last year, the PMPC Star Award for Best Single Performance by an Actress for an episode of ?Maala-ala Mo Kaya.? She attributes this feat to her network that, she says, has given her ?great material and excellent people to work with, from my producer, directors, co-actors, and staff.?

It was indeed a perilous journey for this Bulakeña. But through it all, she did not waver.

?I pray a lot,? she reveals. ?And I seek the love and support of my family and loved ones. And my fans and supporters. What?s important is that I can keep them happy.?