'He's Into Her' cast recounts their own bullying experiences

MANILA, Philippines — It is easy to think that Donny Pangilinan had it easy as a student. The son of actress Maricel Laxa and Anthony Pangilinan, however, shared  that he had once experienced being bullied at school.

"Iniisip siguro ng iba na anak ng artista na hindi siguro ibu-bully yan pero there was one point in my life na I moved school. This was before Brent. I was not really tall. I was like 5’6 so (my) growth was late. I was short and then the youngest in class. Sometimes, I felt like I was picked on. I was like the baby of the group to the point na parang nasanay na ako sinabi sa akin," Donny recounted.

His experience is far from his upcoming TV character, Deib Lohr, his school's popular student who bullies Maxpein (Belle Mariano) in the teen romance series "He's Into Her". The show premiered on May 28 on iWantTFC and aired on May 30 on the Kapamilya Channel, A2Z and Kapamilya Online Live on YouTube channel at Facebook page of ABS-CBN Entertainment.

The tables were turned when he was in high school.

"There was this one guy who used to eat in the toilet or in a far away place. He was kicked out of his group and I came up to him one day. I was like, 'Bro, why are you here? Where are your friends?' (He was like) 'Oh they kicked me out. They don’t like me.' I was like okay. I kind of know how it feels. Who would want to be in that kind of position?" Donny shared.

The actor asked the guy to sit with him. That started their friendship. For the next four years, Donny became close with the guy and until now he considers him as one of his closest friends.

"That would not have happened if someone did not go up to him so I feel like whoever is watching right now that stuff means so much. That’s the best decision I have ever made. The simplest things make the biggest difference," Donny said.

His other co-stars shared their own stories. Some were discriminated against because of their looks while others were made to feel left out.

Jeremiah Lisbo has a similar experience with Donny. It happened when he was in grade school. He was asked to transfer in another section and that was when he was bullied since he was the "new" kid in class. It was not only verbal abuse. He also experienced physical bullying.

"Lahat ng attention nasa akin. Yung guy binully niya ako sabi ang liit mo, ang soft mo, ang lanky ko daw. Hindi lang words, eh, talagang sinasapak niya ako. Nakatingin lang ako sa kanya talagang wala ako sinabi. Tiningnan ko lang siya ng masama," he recalled.

Jeremiah said that whenever he remembers those incidents, he uses his pain as "motivation".

Vivoree Esclito had always been vocal about being discriminated against because of her morena skin. She was even subjected to social media bullying when she was a contestant at the reality TV show "Pinoy Big Brother: Lucky 7" in 2016.

"Ever since po nung bata pa po ako, I’ve been bullied na because of the way I look. I looked different back then talaga lalo na before showbiz," Vivoree confessed.

The singer-actress shared that it was her stint inside the PBB house that led her to give herself a chance to transform for the better.

Melizza Jimenez and Criza Taa did not experience being hurled with hurtful words. They went through mental and emotional abuse by being made to feel unwelcome.

For Melissa, her ordeal lasted from grade school to high school. "Di ba uso yung group dati? They leave me out of it and I would always have lunch on the toilet alone. That was because not a lot of people like me. I don’t know how to explain it. They did not say any words. I felt it in my head," the singer-actress said.

Criza's story began when she was in Grade 5. She had to transfer to Pampanga from Manila.

"Hindi po physically and wala sila sinasabi sa akin pero binubully nila ako emotionally to the point na ayaw ko pumasok kasi pina-feel nila sa akin na left out ako. Tapos parati nila sinasabi sa akin na hindi ako dapat nandoon kasi Tagalog ako tapos lahat sila Kapampangan and they limit me na hindi ko kaya gawin (yung mga bagay) kasi hindi ako kagaya nila," she recalled.

Just like his fellow "PBB" alum, Rhys Miguel also faced discrimination for his looks. The mestizo actor shared how it was for him being among the minority Asian community in Kentucky in the United States.

"Ako lang po yung Asian sa Kentucky. Halos hindi nila alam na Filipino ako. Asian lang yung tawag nila sa akin. Marami sila sinasabi sa akin na hindi ko siya pwede sabihin dito," Rhys recalled.

He said he used it as motivation to be proud of his heritage. He said his friends would later on be proud to know someone who is Filipino.

On the flip side, Gello Marquez experienced being "bullied" when he was beginning to pursue showbiz.

"Inaasar ako. 'Uy, artista yan'. Mina-mock ka nila na kunwari lalapit sayo pa-picture parang nagtri-trip lang sila," he recalled.

The once-studious student came to a point where he dreaded going to school. Gello, however, was determined to pursue his dreams. He is proud to have overcome his bullies.

All of them eventually learned to deal with their insecurities caused by bullying.

Criza said it is important to not think negatively. It is also helpful to be assertive and to not allow other people to dictate one's own limitations.

Melizza, meanwhile, advised to not keep things bottled up inside until one gets older. It is important to seek help from a counselor.

"That’s the thing about bullying. You have to rise up above and overcome yung mga sinasabi nila sa'yo. Inspire and educate others about bullying. People think they have power over you, that they are in control. Kaya need lang talaga ng guidance. I think importante talaga pag-usapan siya. I am stronger now," Vivoree said.