Tanya Garcia

Tanya Katherine Rosales Lyttle-Lapid (born August 5, 1981), known professionally as Tanya Garcia , is a Filipino actress. She became a household name after playing Cecilia in one of the longest running soap operas of GMA Network, Sana ay Ikaw na Nga, opposite Dingdong Dantes. In 2015 she moved back to her home network ABS-CBN. During the year 2020, she returned to GMA Network.

Career

Garcia's showbiz career started when she was introduced as one of the teen stars of Star Circle Batch 5 on ABS-CBN. She appeared in youth-oriented shows like Gimik (where she was first paired with Patrick Garcia) and played a supporting role in Esperanza as the sister of the titular heroine, portrayed by Judy Ann Santos.

She took a break from her showbiz career for a while and concentrated on her studies. She took up mass communication at Dominican College in San Juan when she was signed by Viva Films and later on appeared in the Viva Television afternoon drama Anna Karenina as Grace opposite Dingdong Dantes. She also had a cameo role in the TV drama Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin.

Her rise to fame started when she played the role of Cecilia in the drama telebabad show Sana ay Ikaw na Nga with Dingdong Dantes, Bobby Andrews and Angelu de Leon. On the later part of the soap, she also played the role of Olga, the antagonist of Cecilia, which was played again by Maricar de Mesa.

After her stint at that show, she was reunited with onscreen partner Dingdong Dantes at the light dramedy Twin Hearts as Althea, a heart operation survivor who fell in love with the ex-boyfriend of the heart donor. She was also paired with Dennis Trillo.

Garcia did a religious-theme show in QTV called Noel where she was paired with James Blanco and Paolo Contis. She was then later on paired with Ogie Alcasid in the family-oriented TV show Ay Robot! again with QTV. Tanya also appeared in Agos, the third season of Now and Forever, in which she played Sophia, a young liberated lawyer who eventually falls in love with her brother (played by Dennis Trillo). She also had a cameo role in the show Makita Ka Lang Muli as the young Celia Rodriguez.

Garcia also starred in numerous movies. She played the role of a possessed man's wife in Kulimlim with Robin Padilla as her leading man in 2004. Some of her movie credits are Shake, Rattle and Roll 2k5, Filipinas and Batas Militar.

After a hiatus from telebabad series, Garcia returned as a supporting cast member in the GMA Network show Super Twins, playing Aloya Blossom alongside Jennylyn Mercado, Nadine Samonte, and Dennis Trillo.

After four years of hiatus due to Tanya's pregnancy (twice), she inked a two-year contract with Viva Management for TV and movie projects last June 6, 2011. She plays the role of Lilian Avelino-Fuentebella in the remake of Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin.

In 2015, Garcia moved back to her home network ABS-CBN. She had a guest stint on the longest running drama anthology of the network Maalaala Mo Kaya with Yves Flores as a 30 and 15 year old lovers. She is currently on the hit teleserye Ningning as Mak-Mak's mother Alicia.

After being a Kapamilya, Garcia made her Kapuso comeback and appeared in GMA-7's Babawiin Ko ang Lahat, with Pauline Mendoza, John Estrada and Carmina Villarroel.

Personal life Garcia has three daughters namely Mischa Amidala, Matilda Anika, and Madeleine Ariana with her husband, former Pampanga Governor Mark Lapid, son of former Pampanga Governor and Senator Lito Lapid. They reside at Poblacion, Porac.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1998 Haba-Baba-Doo! Puti-Puti-Poo! Angelika 1999 Esperanza: The Movie Andrea Estrera Tik Tak Toys, My Kolokotoys Donita 2002 Jeannie, Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang Emma Ikaw Lamang Hanggang Ngayon Anna 2003 Filipinas Dindi 2004 Kulimlim Hannah Cabrera 2005 Shake, Rattle & Roll 2k5 Rene's wife "Ang Lihim ng San Joaquin" segment 2006 Nasaan si Francis? Sofia Batas Militar Lt. Christine Castro Matakot Ka sa Karma The Ghost "Kama" segment 2024 Sunny Janet

Television Year Title Role 1996 Gimik Angela 1997–1999 Esperanza Andrea Estrera 1997 Mikee Various 1998 Wansapanataym: Chemistry Lihim ng Gabi Various Dear Mikee 1999–2000 Labs Ko Si Babe Alicia 2000 Katapat: Mayor Fred Lim: Ang Huling Alma ni Alma Alma Buenafe 2000–2002 Anna Karenina Anna Karenina "Grace" San Victores 2000 Campus Romance Various GMA Telecine Specials GMA Love Stories 2001 Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin Jessica 2001–2003 Sana ay Ikaw na Nga Cecilia Fulgencio / Margarita Zalameda 2003–2004 Twin Hearts Althea Fontanilla 2004 Mulawin Paloma 2005 Maynila Various Baywalk 2005–2006 Now and Forever: Agos Sophia 2006 Noel Nanette Makita Ka Lang Muli Young Olmypia 2007 Super Twins Aloya Blossom 2011 Amaya Pandaki Rod Santiago's The Sisters Georgia 2011–2012 Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin Lilian Avelino-Fuentebella 2012 My Beloved Adult Joy Castor Sana ay Ikaw na Nga Joanna Altamonte 2012–2013 Paroa: Ang Kuwento ni Mariposa Aurora 2013–2014 Villa Quintana Amparing Mangaron 2014 Strawberry Lane Myrna Javier 2015 Maalaala Mo Kaya: Computer Shop Ruby Maranan 2015–2016 Ningning Alicia "Mama Isha" Demetion-Bautista 2017 ASAP Herself La Luna Sangre Rica "Fall" Sison-Toralba 2018 Asintado Criselda Gaspar-Ramirez The Blood Sisters Brenda Ortega-Solomon Maynila: Munting Hiling Evelyn 2021 Babawiin Ko ang Lahat Christine Allegre-Salvador 2022–2023 Mano Po Legacy: The Flower Sisters Marilou Ong 2023 Maria Clara at Ibarra Doña Pía Alba