Gelli de Belen learns to keep an open mind

GELLI de Belen

In the 10 months she hosted the now-defunct TV5 reality talk show “Face to Face,” actor-host Gelli de Belen dealt with various interesting personalities with compelling stories—from philandering and abusive husbands to neighbors bickering over stolen laundry.

But no matter how big or small, ridiculous or urgent her guests’ issues were, De Belen said they helped her keep things and her own problems in perspective.

“Who am I to complain when some people resort to prostitution or choose to remain with abusive partners so they’ll be able to feed their families?” she told the Philippine Daily Inquirer at the recent press conference for “Face the People,” the revamped version of “Face to Face.”

De Belen is cohosting the new program with TV personality Christine Bersola-Babao.

When the stresses of daily life got the better of her, De Belen said thinking about the people she met through the defunct show usually helped.

“Of course, I do get tired and annoyed. But when I recall some of the problems my guests had to face, I just shut up and move on,” she said. “I have a lot of things to be grateful for.”

De Belen added that she learned many things from hosting the program, most important of which was to keep an open mind always.

“Sometimes you can’t help judging people and their decisions. But there are always two sides to a story and a reason behind each decision,” she pointed out.

Her job, she added, required a “listening ear and an understanding heart.”  “We need to listen first and draw conclusions later, if we must,” De Belen said.

She took over the hosting duties for “Face to Face” when its original host Amy Perez went on maternity leave last year. Perez resumed her duties in April until its last episode in July. Perez was supposed to cohost “Face the People” with De Belen but had left TV5 altogether.

It was rumored that Perez’s departure from the network was due to problems with the “Face to Face” production staff. Asked what really went on behind the cameras, De Belen refused to answer and said she was not at liberty to share the things Perez told her.

“I don’t know the whole story and I have nothing to do with it. I’d rather not talk about it,” said De Belen, stressing she “didn’t steal” Perez’s job and there was no rivalry between them.

“We are OK,” stressed De Belen, who is also part of the gag show “Tropa Mo ’Ko Unli” with Ogie Alcasid. “Kung saan siya masaya, go!”

As for “Face the People,” De Belen said it was going to be a lot less hysterical than “Face to Face,” where hot-headed guests confronted each other like in “The Jerry Springer Show” in the United States.

According to De Belen, “Face the People” features people seeking advice in dealing with personal dilemmas. They are helped by four “life coaches”—lawyer Karen Jimeno, spiritual and wellness adviser Teresa Garcia, finance adviser Jarret Pulido and meta-coach Claude Santa Clara.

“We want to prove that problems can be resolved amicably. Yes, seeing people fighting on TV can be attention-grabbing and kind of amusing…until you get hit [by flying objects],” she said, laughing. “I hope viewers also pick up something they can apply in their own lives.”

On skeptics’ claim that “Face to Face” and “Face the People” were staged and scripted to stir excitement, the 40-year-old Kapatid star said “truth can be stranger than fiction.”

“I know nothing about the guests and there’s no way to predict what they’re going to do and say in front of the cameras,” De Belen said. “The capacity of people to love, sacrifice and protect their loved ones is far greater than what we see on TV and teleserye…You’ll be surprised.”

“Face the People” airs weekdays at 4:30 p.m. on TV5.

(E-mail apolicarpioinquirer.com.ph)