EXCLUSIVE: Celebrities Share Their Realizations And Learnings During The Lockdown (Part 2)
Get to know Rise Artists Studio's up-and-coming stars, and see what they have to say about the ongoing crisis
Change—it's the buzzword on everyone's minds these days.
Whether it be change in the way we connect with each other, the way we work, or even change in the way we find ways to live to the fullest in spite of a pandemic, change has undoubtedly crept into every aspect of our lives, and it looks like it's here to stay. "The new normal" is what this collective effect has come to be known as.
And when it comes to entertainment, it's not only change that has come to redefine the industry, but change's more sophisticated cousin: innovation.
At the helm of this media overhaul in the country is ABS-CBN, which in recent years has taken full advantage of this opportunity by preparing its movie-making business for the next era. New developments have given rise to a whole new talent management arm called Rise Artists Studio, a brand which develops and manages young talents to star in the network's film and TV brands. ABS-CBN Films not only produces movies, but also helps with teleseryes made with parent company ABS-CBN Broadcast and more recently, digital platform iWant. Rise Artists Studios' talents will star in new titles produced under these companies.
Paving the way for ABS-CBN content to dominate both traditional and digital spheres is a roster of 13 young actors and actresses—the very first batch of Rise Artists Studios talents. They are Vivoree, Markus Paterson, Charlie Dizon, CJ Salonga, Daniela Stranner, Gillian Vicencio, Kaori Oinuma, Rhys Miguel, Patrick Quiroz, Anthony Jennings, Arielle Roces, Belle Mariano, and Jeremiah Lisbo. They were first introduced to the public in February this year.
Given the whirlwind of events that have changed their lives as they know it, we asked them about what the global situation has taught them, and what it is they've been up to as they spend their days tucked away in the comfort of their homes.
Check out what each of them had to say in the gallery below:
The Rising Stars
The Rising Stars
Anthony Jennings
As a self-proclaimed homebody, Anthony is cruising through his days at home, but that's not to say that there are things he doesn't miss outside—work, for one thing, and seeing friends, secondly. But there are perks to life under lockdown, too, he says. Spending time with family and learning about yourself, most especially when it comes to treating every day spent with those nearest and dearest to him given the uncertainty in the world today. "You’ll never know what could happen the next day, so you should really cherish every moment with them. And for yourself also; in life, we are so busy thinking about building our future but some of us forget to take care of ourselves," he says. To keep things light and bright, Anthony takes a break with video games and by practicing Martial Arts.
Arielle Roces
Non-materialism, calmness, living and loving the here and now: these are some of the things that the yoga-loving Arielle has learned in a time of great unrest and burden. She's had to trade in a lot of things she loved the most with new interests and hobbies while under quarantine, but she's been more than alright about that. "Making meals with my family, dancing in my room, yoga flows, sunbathing in the balcony, and playing with my dogs are some of the priceless moments I enjoy!" she says. Recharging instead of draining herself—this is where her focus is at these days (alongside making smoothies and cooking, too!). As a final thought, she shares, "If we could just open our eyes and be grateful and [content with] what we already have, we'd realize happiness is found within. It's all a matter of which lens we choose to look at and see the world [from]."
CJ Salonga
CJ may be young, but his words are wise beyond his age: "Na-realize ko ngayon na kailangan talaga nating alagaan ang ating kalusugan, ingatan at pangalaagaan natin ang ating mundo o kalikasan, at 'yung kapwa nating Pilipino. Na-realize ko rin na dapat na magtulong-tulong tayo at kailangan magtipid, kasi hindi sa lahat ng oras ay meron tayo." It's a point of reflection worth thinking of for all Filipinos no matter what it is they do, how old they are, or what differences they believe set them apart from their kababayans. More so, he uses himself as an example of the greater lessons that this pandemic can teach us all, explaining how the pros have outweighed the cons. Yes, his showbiz life may not be as busy as before. However, now he has unlimited time to spend with his mom, dad, and siblings—something that was virtually impossible even when they had free time in the past. He's hands-on with the house with dad, and offers his help with mom in the kitchen; it's certainly different from on-camera work, but he loves it all nonetheless, as his family is and always will be the most precious thing to him.
Belle Mariano
People have said that in times of crisis, innovation and creativity are at their finest. And for Belle, this is exactly that path she's on. As an up-and-coming artist, it's true that she's had to hit pause on her budding career—but that doesn't mean that she's had to do the same for her life, or the innate creative energies within her. "I learned new things like photography and editing pictures. I realized that even [though] I’m at home I can be productive. Also this lockdown taught me how to be creative," Belle says. If there's a will, there's a way! Spending time with her family has definitely added to feeding her mind and soul, too. Quality time with them had to be set aside for work, but with life under lockdown, she's had the pleasure of having them all to herself for movie marathons and more.
Jeremiah Lisbo
Jeremiah doesn't shy away from saying it's his faith in God that's been the greatest force that's kept him smiling and hopeful throughout this ordeal. He shares, "[My] life-changing experience [from this time] is the love of God. This time of crisis, I experienced His unfailing grace, love, protection, and His provisions to me and my family." Faith—it's what's allowed him to keep looking forward to the future despite the bleakness of the present. But Jeremiah isn't all about musings and prayers; Netflix, keeping abreast with current events, rediscovering the joy of family time, learning gratefulness, and reflecting on purpose (and listening to mom's reminders to keep things clean and tidy!) are all part of his life these days. As for work, he'll be more than ready to jump right back into the thick of things when the pandemic has come and gone. His fans will be happy to know that he's participating in Rise Artists Studio workshops and diligently studying his characters for when it's time to breathe life into them onscreen.
Charlie Dizon
Whether we like it or not, the health crisis has pushed us all to reassess our priorities and reflect on what is truly the most important to us. And while Charlie dreams of seeing friends, heading to work and working the camera, and generally having the freedom to do as she pleases, when she pleases, she's had to pause, too. And in this great pause, she's learned that staying still and staying put aren't necessarily her kryptonite. "I learned that it's possible for me to stay at home for a couple of months," she says. "The thing that I enjoy the most about staying at home is I can watch all the series and movies on my list and also I'm able to join my mom and dad during [mealtime]," she adds. Really, it's all about perspective; one can dwell on one's losses or celebrate new things gained (yes, even during a time of crisis), and a fresh perspective is definitely something Charlie has gained. For other young people who feel the same way she does, she has a piece of advice for them: value all the moments, every single one of them, because you never know what tomorrow might, or might not, bring.
Gillian Vicencio
Gillian describes what most of us have felt during quarantine: loving the fact that we've gotten to stay at home and chill out for hours on end, but slowly finding our desires for interaction, exploration, and freedom deepen and deepen as the days go by. It's been difficult for Gillian, as it has been for many others. "It also came to a point where I feel like i'm getting depressed from the isolation. At first, I thought that staying at home wasn't so bad, but as days go by, it gets more difficult," she admits. She's certainly not used to being cooped up as being out and about is second skin to her. She misses friends, dinners out, the sun on her skin—all of it—so, so dearly, but then again, she pauses to think of how this has also been a life-enhancing experience. "I really enjoyed the chance to eat and bond with my family more, and that makes me happy. To tell you the truth, before the ECQ, we [didn't] eat together. My parents are busy with their work, while my brothers and I have our own agenda," she says. Finding reason to keep her chin up, Gillian cites family time as the top of the list, followed by how Rise Artist Studio continues to train her and her fellow artists to become more confident and ready for the job that lies ahead.
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Markus Paterson
His PS4 (Call of Duty, specifically!), songwriting, his bed, and his family—really, they're what's keeping Markus company these days despite him missing all the things that his outgoing self loves above all other things! He admits to missing a ton of things from pre-pandemic life, but at the end of the day, he's glad to be given the chance to explore other things during this time. "[I miss] seeing friends, I miss boxing, I miss sushi! There is a lot I miss, but most of all I wish I had time to fly back the the UK and spend this quarantine with my dad," he shares. And there's one other thing, too: steaks—big, juicy steaks. He's interestingly devoted much of his time to learning about "the best cuts of meat and breed of cattle," and as for the next step, which is actually cooking the steaks himself, that has yet to follow, he jokes.
Daniela Stranner
Love doesn't always have to be romantic. Especially in times like these when it's easy to be swept away in division, judgment, frustration, and hurt, it becomes critical for everyone to remember that love must remain our anchor. Sharing her thoughts about this, Daniela says, "I learned how to be sensitive with other people’s feelings... It’s not always romantic love, but I realized that love is so universal." It's a thought she keeps close to her heart as she spends her days at home and keeps busy with other responsibilities—that, and learning how to dance, too, thanks to TikTok!
Rhys Miguel
It's unusual for a young person like Rhys to preach about life being short. After all, like his peers, life was just about to get started for them and he was right at the cusp of experiencing the best that it had to offer—until the pandemic, that is. Still, he's staying positive and choosing to concentrate on the good that staying put at home has brought about. Uninterrupted time with his parents and his sister, picking up new interests like gardening and baking, having the time to do schoolwork—these are some of the things he remains thankful for in spite of everything. "This life-changing time has made me realize that life is short and we have to make the most of everyday," he says. But if there's one thing that he's definitely looking forward to resuming once the storm has passed, it's playing ball with friends and getting to hit the court!
Kaori Oinuma
In the 55-plus days of quarantine that Kaori and her family have had to spend together, she's learned major lessons about herself, and her perspective on life. "I learned that there are still so many things that I need to improve about myself. Huwag lang titingin sa isang bagay; tumingin din sa mas malawak na bagay," she says, describing her first realization. The second is her quest to deepen her understanding about things she already knows, and seek to learn about those she does not. And as for her third lesson, and likely the most important, she adds, "Mas masarap sa puso 'yung nakakatulong ka, kaysa sa tanggap lang nang tanggap." All these and more she reflects on as she spends time with her family in their provincial home, somewhere she hasn't spent time in for more than a week for as long as she can remember. It's far from bustling city life, that's true, but it has its charms too; she's learned about her family, appreciated all the help they've offered her, and developed an appreciation for living in the now. "Bawat segundo, bawat minuto, bawat oras, mahalaga at gawin natin 'yung mga bagay na sigurado tayong ‘di natin pagsisisihan sa huli. Ipakita natin sa mga mahal natin how much we love them," she ends.
Vivoree
It's difficult to associate "life and love" with society's current state, but Vivoree is choosing to do just that. She's sacrificed much just as all Filipinos have to be able to power through the debilitating effects of the COVID-19 crisis, but instead of dwelling on the what could've, should've, and would've beens of her life, she's focusing on what she can do to maximize the situation. She's done anything and everything like "washing the dishes and sweeping the floor, working out, reading books, discovering new music, learning [a] new language, playing the guitar, communicating with friends from faraway places, watching movies with my family, and helping with the reconstruction of our little house," she says. Those things, plus enjoying her family's endearingly corny jokes day in and day out, she laughs. While she misses exploring the world, traveling to beaches, friends, and taping, she's grateful that Rise Artists Studio has kept in touch with her virtually and that she and her family have been able to help relatives during this tough time. "I’ve realized na when we currently have something in our lives, sometimes we tend to forget how important it is and take it for granted. Even the most ordinary things we do, like going for a walk outside or visiting your friends or relatives you haven’t seen in a while, nakaka-miss din pala gawin," she says.
Photos courtesy of Rise Artists Studio
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