How young Read-Along ambassador keeps herself busy at home

“She was so worried about them,” said Lilijane Ulip on why her daughter, 9-year-old actress Angelica, suddenly burst into tears one day after hearing the news that the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has taken the lives of many front-liners here and abroad.

Angelica’s two uncles and two aunts are front-liners: Jefrilouie is a doctor, Leilani and Ronnie are nurses, while Larajane is a drug regulatory officer at the Food and Drug Administration.

“Angelica is closest to her doctor uncle, who treats her like his own daughter. I was surprised when, one day, she told me, ‘Mommy, I hope they won’t get sick.’ She cried and then hugged me. I said she should just keep praying for them, because prayers from children are more powerful because they are pure at heart,” Lilijane told Inquirer Entertainment.

The Philippine Medical Association has yet to release an official tally of medical workers infected with the disease, but an April 23 GMA 7 news report revealed that the pandemic has already claimed the lives of at least 422 doctors, 386 nurses and 26 other health workers.

While this may just be news to many, the battle against COVID-19 becomes more personal when your loved ones are involved, said Mommy Lilijane, who worked as a medical technologist before she had Angelica. “My siblings would give us strict instructions not to even have anything delivered at home, because they might be contaminated.”

Lilijane said Angelica felt sad because they had been looking forward to spending her daughter’s summer break outdoors. “I told Angel, tiis-tiis lang muna. I explained why we had to cancel all the plans we made. We’ll just have to wait.”

Angelica is Inquirer’s youngest Read-Along ambassador. As part of the newspaper’s advocacy to promote reading to kids, Angelica had gone to the Inquirer office in Makati City several times last year to read stories for school children ages 6 to 12.

While on quarantine, Angelica used her social media accounts to encourage her young followers to cultivate their skills through reading while at home. “Since we’re not doing much these days, let’s use our free time to read and keep ourselves busy. Next week, Mommy promised she’d teach me how to plant herbs,” said Angelica.

Lilijane said Angelica now has pending show biz commitments because of the quarantine.

Her stint in GMA 7’s “Unang Hirit” had been discontinued, too. Angelica, however, participated in the Kapuso network’s outreach program called “Rice Up Project,” wherein rice packs are handed to families whose livelihood are affected by the pandemic.