Gary, Regine and 9 other stars remain with ABS-CBN

ABS-CBN continues to be the home network of Regine Velasquez, Gary Valenciano, Zanjoe Marudo, Erich Gonzales, Jake Cuenca, Jolina Magdangal, Loisa Andalio, Ronnie Alonte, Sam Milby, Shaina Magdayao and Gerald Anderson after signing new contracts on Wednesday, Feb. 23.

In a back-to-back event dubbed as Kapamilya Strong 2022, the stars spoke about why they chose to stay as Kapamilya artists following the franchise denial and other challenges experienced by the broadcast giant over the pandemic.

Gary said during the virtual event: “When you say Kapamilya, we are there for each other. Kahit na may mga ibang pagsubok na dumadapo sa isang pamilya, the fact is you are still a family. It’s a dynamic of the family. Sometimes, there are good times. Sometimes, there are hard times but in the end, you see the value of each other, the value to each other. And you treasure that and then you carry it on.”

Regine said she’s “very happy, very excited and very proud” to be a Kapamilya since moving to ABS-CBN about four years ago.

“That’s how I feel. I mean after the things that the network has been through, all of us, after all we’ve been through, I just feel (happy) to be called a Kapamilya,” said Regine, who’s currently a guest host in Magandang Buhay apart from being a mainstay of ASAP Natin ‘To with Gary.

The other stars who chose to continue placing their careers under the care of Star Magic, the network’s talent management agency, also stressed that they owed their success to ABS-CBN.

Zanjoe, who’s entering his 16th year as a Star Magic artist, said, “Matagal na panahon na rin talaga yung naging relasyon namin sa Star Magic at hindi naman na yun mababayaran ng kahit ano. Nung nag-uumpisa kami, halos lahat ng kailangan tulong na hiningi namin, ibinigay nila sa amin, hanggang sa makarating kami kung nasaan kami ngayon.”

“Siempre, ‘pag dumating naman yung panahon na kami naman ang kailangan, sana naman nandun kami. Yun lang din ang pinanghahawakan ko, sama-sama, isang pamilya, lahat magtutulungan kahit ano mangyari. Hindi pwedeng sa sarap lang lagi o sa ginhawa,” the A Broken Marriage Vow star added.

As for Jolina, one of the pioneering contract artists of Star Magic (then ABS-CBN Talent Center) three decades ago, what the network went through didn’t become an issue to her.

“Hindi naging issue ‘yun na, ‘OK, matatakot ba ako dahil yes, nanay ako?’ Ang nanaig sa akin (is) ito ‘yung time para mas dapat kumapit kami sa isa’t isa. ‘Yung mga gustong bumitaw, try nating hilain. Pero kung ayaw na, OK lang basta try mo pa rin akapin ‘yung iba,” the Magandang Buhay host said.

Gerald, on the other hand, said that Star Magic has been there for him as a “source of strength,” through his career highs and lows, since he entered showbiz via Pinoy Big Brother 16 years ago.

“Pamilya na ito. Parang kapag may nangyari sa bahay mo, kunyari hindi ka nakapagbayad ng rent sa bahay mo, hindi naman kayo maghihiwalay bilang pamilya. Sama-sama pa rin kayo… Lilipat kayo ng bahay pero magkasama pa rin kayo,” said the actor, who just wrapped Hello Heart, ABS-CBN’s collab series with international streaming service iQiyi.

“You stick together and dun mate-test talaga ‘yung resilience niyo bilang pamilya. And mas masarap lang ‘pag nakabalik na, mas close kayo, mas bonded, mas strong — Kapamilya strong,” added Gerald who will soon topbill the series A Family Affair and the movie To Russia With Love.

The grand contract-signing was attended by ABS-CBN executives — ABS-CBN chairman Mark Lopez, ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak, ABS-CBN chief operating officer of broadcast Cory Vidanes, ABS-CBN Group CFO Rick Tan, and Star Magic and ABS-CBN entertainment production head Laurenti Dyogi.

Dyogi said that ABS-CBN and Star Magic will “focus on the artists who decided to stay and be with us and journey with us and commit to be part of this very interesting and very challenging (period).”

“Pero alam natin na pagkatapos nito, I think we’ve gone through the worst already. Paahon na kami and exciting times are just ahead,” he added.

The event also kicked into high gear the expected year-long celebration of Star Magic’s 30 years of talent management and development. This 2022, ABS-CBN is bringing back its Star Magic Games and ABS-CBN Ball after a two-year break.

Dyogi also teased other developments like a brand-new website and international exposure for their talents.

“We’re venturing into the international area, not only through productions but partnering. We’ve asked a lot of our artists to audition for international productions. Lots of possibilities,” he said.