Noemi Tesorero (December 29, 1974 – August 31, 2021), known professionally as Mahal, was a Filipino actress, comedian, and vlogger. She had dwarfism, but was noted for her childlike roles and giggly personality.
Mahal was discovered when a newspaper article featured her and a policeman comparing her size to an ArmaLite assault rifle. She then went on to be featured by Inday Badiday in her talk show Eye to Eye, before appearing regularly on television in 1988 through the noontime show Lunch Date. Living with dwarfism, standing three feet tall, she was candid with her self-deprecating humor, and embraced roles using her height to comic effect, or to fulfill demands of fantasy characters.
Mahal played the role of the elfin daughter in the 1991 film Anak ni Janice, and the titular alien in the 1997 film Kokey where she wore a costume as part of her portrayal. In the 2003 film Mr. Suave, Mahal along with Dagul, who also has dwarfism, took the role of parents of Vhong Navarro's character. She later starred in several TV shows, including Idol Ko si Kap and Bahay Mo Ba 'To?.
Mahal also ventured into singing with Allan Padua, better known as Mura, who also has dwarfism, with whom she formed a tandem in Magandang Tanghali Bayan.[6]
From being a simple and naïve comedienne, Mahal changed her image as a daring and liberated woman in 2013. She had a tattoo and wore sexy outfits in TV guest appearances. She also answered interviews with sexual innuendos and was not shy to reveal her age. Mahal also started to accept sexy projects, like the indie film Gigolo.
In an episode of Face the People, Mahal lamented about the mismanagement of Jethro Carrey, her manager, towards her career, and the alleged favoritism of the latter over his other newer talents.
She also guested in an episode of Dear Uge with Pokwang. Mahal also had some gigs at comedy bars in Manila. She started a YouTube channel in July 2020, where she regularly posted vlogs with actor and YouTuber Mygz Molino. The channel garnered 500,000 subscribers at the time of her death in August 2021.
Mahal featured in the 2021 television series Owe My Love. Due to the risk of COVID-19, her taping with Owe My Love was cut short.
Weeks prior to her death in August 2021, Mahal received public attention for her reunion with Mura. One of her latest vlogs showed a behind-the-scenes of her last TV appearance on Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, where she visited Mura in Guinobatan, Albay. Apart from visiting, Mahal provided some words of encouragement to Mura, along with some groceries and cash.
Mahal was the daughter of Romy Tesorero and her stepmother Josefa. Her grandmother gave her the nickname "Mahal", which later became her stage name in her career. She has a sister based in the United States who owns a restaurant in Cleveland, and a brother who is a policeman stationed in Palawan. Her family is well-off and she was not required to work. However, Mahal insisted on working instead.
In an episode of Tunay na Buhay, Mahal shared her motto, which was to keep on smiling despite the problems life throws at you.
Love life and rumored romances
Mahal became the subject of controversy involving her romantic life. She was known for being in a relationship with singer Jimboy Salazar, who died in 2015, and aspiring actor Aries Navarro. She named Salazar as the most "plastic" person she met in showbiz. She did not comment any further about Salazar when he decided to marry his boyfriend in March 2015 after coming out as gay. At that time, Mahal was in a relationship with Jimmy Navarro, a widower.
On November 2, 2015, Mahal married Jobbie Hebrio, a butcher and merchandiser in a supermarket, at the Quezon City Hall. The marriage was witnessed by singers Mae Rivera and Kissa Kurdi, both close friends of Mahal, and city councilor Victor Ferrer, whose farm in Quezon City was where the wedding reception took place.[19] Aries Navarro, not related to Jimmy, was not happy with the news when he heard about Mahal's marriage with Hebrio. He said Mahal fooled and cheated on him and that they were still together when Mahal secretly saw Hebrio. He also said that he often saw Mahal hiding from him when she was on the phone. jMahal said that she was happily in love with her new husband and she asked Aries Navarro to leave her alone, to move on and be happy for her. She also said that she felt used by Aries Navarro. Aries Navarro said that he was happy for Mahal, and that he had no other choice. However, after two years of being together, Mahal and Hebrio decided to split up.
Mahal said she was afraid to fall in love again due to her previous relationship with Hebrio, and instead decided to prioritize helping her family. However, in 2017, Mahal was rumored to have a new boyfriend, Sam Jacinto. But Jacinto clarified that they were just friends and asked the public to stop judging their relationship because Mahal was still married. She also candidly disclosed that she had a crush on her Owe My Love co-star Joaquin Manansala. However, she maintained her professionalism at work.
Mahal lived in Tanauan with Mygz Molino, an indie film actor. She had already lived with him in Marikina City, and after the taping of Owe My Love, Molino decided to live in his hometown Tanauan with Mahal. But before Molino decided to bring Mahal with him, he asked the permission of her mother and siblings. However, some unknown relative did not approve of Mahal and Molino's tandem, accusing Molino of using Mahal for the vlog views to generate income. Mahal defended her decision to be with Molino. Mahal and Molino had first met in a show in Abra in 2010.
Ai-Ai delas Alas is impressed by Molino's unconditional and genuine love of Mahal. Previously, Mahal was rumored to be interested in Jed Salang, the former husband of delas Alas.
During an appearance on the morning radio program Good Times in 2007, Mahal admitted to spreading a scandalous video a few years earlier.
On August 31, 2021, Mahal died in a hospital in Batangas. According to her sister Irene Tesorero, she died due to gastroenteritis and COVID-19. She had pre-existing conditions, including hypertension. Because of dwarfism, she was considered to be at high risk for COVID-19.
Rosanna Roces, Inday Garutay, Brenda Mage, and Jerald Napoles were among the first celebrities to mourn for Mahal. Owe My Love co-stars and close friends Ai-Ai Delas Alas and Kiray Celis were surprised to know of the sudden demise of Mahal.[33] Netizens[34] and other celebrities took to social media to express their grief. When Mura found out about her death, he was in disbelief at first and dismissed the reports as fake news.[37][38] Mahal and Mura were former on-screen tandem for almost two decades.
The siblings of Mahal dismissed the rumors that they are blaming Mygz Molino and her manager for her death.[39] Instead, they were even thankful for their efforts exerted to revive Mahal until the very end.
Her remains were cremated in Batangas. After her cremation, her family brought her urn to the Santuario de San Vicente de Paul and Shrine in Quezon City
MALIGAYA kami para kay Mahal. Mula kasi sa pagpapalit-palit ng boyfriend, ngayon ay may nagpakatotoo na sa kanya, misis na ngayon ang kontrobersiyal na si Mahal.
Pero may isang lalaking naghahabol, ayon sa isang kababayan nating OFW na karelasyon pala ni Mahal ay nakatakda na rin silang magpakasal, naghihintay na lang sila ng tamang panahon.
Pero dahil sa kapo-post ni Mahal tungkol sa mga naganap nang magpakasal na sila ni Jobbie nu’ng November 2 ay nagbigay ng reaksiyon ang lalaki.
Matagal na raw nitong nararamdaman na may ibang mahal si Mahal, niloloko raw niya ang lalaki, napatunayan nito ang kanyang kutob dahil nagpakasal na nga sa iba si Mahal.
O, di ba naman? Kakapiranggot na nga lang si Mahal, pero may ganu’n pa palang nangyayari, two timer pala ang bulilit na babaeng ito?
Marami kaming naaalala tungkol kay Mahal na madalas naming nakakasama nu’n. Kapag may bagong nagbibigay sa kanya ng atensiyon ay agad-agad na niyang ibabalita na may bago siyang boyfriend.
Alam man ‘yun o hindi ng lalaki ay ipamamalita na niya agad, ganu’n siya kainlab sa love, talagang umiikot ang kanyang mundo sa pakikipagrelasyon.
Sana nga’y maging maaliwalas ang kanilang mundo ni Jobbie, walang pinipili ang pag-ibig, lahat tayo’y may karapatang maging maligaya.
Mahalin sana si Mahal ng kanyang mahal.
**************
Mahal nagpakasal na sa dyowang bagets
May mga na-shock pero marami ring natuwa sa pagpapakasal ni Mahal sa kanyang boyfriend na si Jobbie Hebrio noong mismong All Souls’ Day, Nov. 2.
Ikinasal ang dalawa sa Quezon City Hall sa harap ni Quezon City First District Councilor Victor Ferrer na sinaksihan din ng mga kaibigan ng bagong kasal, kabilang na ang mga sexy singer na sina Mae Rivera at Kissa Kurdi.
Naganap naman ang wedding reception nina Mahal (Noeme Tesorero sa tunay na buhay) at Jobbie (na dating butcher/merchandiser sa isang supermarket), sa pag-aaring farm ni Councilor Ferrer sa Fairview, Q.C..
Ayon sa mag-asawa, maligaya sila dahil sa wakas ay legal na ang kanilang pagsasama. Bago magpakasal si Mahal, nagkaroon din ito ng relasyon sa dating That’s Entertainment member na si Jimboy Salazar na kamakailan lang ay namaalam na, at sa aspiring actor na si Aries Navarro.
********************
Aries ...hindi matanggap na kasal na si Mahal
Sa interview ng Rated K sina Mahal at Aries, kapwa
masaya
pa ang dalawa noon.
“Kung alam ko lang na may BF na si Mahal noon hindi na
sana ako nagpainterbyu sa Rated K dahil alam kong
sa akin,” pahayaa ni Aries
May mensahe naman ang dating kasintahan kay Mahal.
“Congratulations and happy wedding Mahal. Masakit man
pero gusto ko ring maging maligaya ka at wala na akong
magagawa.”
Ginanap ang civil wedding nina Mahal at Jobbie noong
November 2 sa Quezon City. Mahal is already 40 years old
at ang napangasawa niya ay 25 years old lamang na
nagtatrabaho bilang waiter sa isang bar.
“Sana ay mahalin ni si Mahal at alagaan na katulad ng
ginawa ko at ng pamilya ko sa kanya,” sabi pa nito.
Samantala, hindi naman matanggap ni Aries na binastos
siya diuumano ng bagong lalaki ni Mahal.
“Nasaktan ako dahil hinayaan ni Mahal na bastusin ako ng
BF niya at hindi niya naisip na meron din kaming
pinasamahal ng halos tatlong taon.
“Oo, hiniwalayan ko si Mahal at humanap na rin ako ng iba
dahil may kulang sa kanya, pero minahal ko siya bilang
parte ng pamilya ko. Sana ay maging maligaya siya,” diin
pa
ni Aries na nagtatrabaho ngayon sa Saudi Arabia.
*********
Mahal nagpakasal na sa dyowang bagets
May mga na-shock pero marami ring natuwa sa pagpapakasal ni Mahal sa kanyang boyfriend na si Jobbie Hebrio noong mismong All Souls’ Day, Nov. 2.
Ikinasal ang dalawa sa Quezon City Hall sa harap ni Quezon City First District Councilor Victor Ferrer na sinaksihan din ng mga kaibigan ng bagong kasal, kabilang na ang mga sexy singer na sina Mae Rivera at Kissa Kurdi.
Naganap naman ang wedding reception nina Mahal (Noeme Tesorero sa tunay na buhay) at Jobbie (na dating butcher/merchandiser sa isang supermarket), sa pag-aaring farm ni Councilor Ferrer sa Fairview, Q.C..
Ayon sa mag-asawa, maligaya sila dahil sa wakas ay legal na ang kanilang pagsasama. Bago magpakasal si Mahal, nagkaroon din ito ng relasyon sa dating That’s Entertainment member na si Jimboy Salazar na kamakailan lang ay namaalam na, at sa aspiring actor na si Aries Navarro.
