Judy Ann Santos
At a time like today when humanity is battling a pandemic, actress Judy Ann Santos, who is also a wife and a mom of three, is convinced that “prayer is our most powerful weapon.”
These days, Judy Ann says that her prayer is often dedicated to microbiologists, “so that they will finally develop a vaccine and cure for Covid-19;” for Filipino front-liners, “so that they will stay healthy to carry on with the fight;” and for the local health-care system, “so it will remain strong and not collapse under pressure because it’s not just the Covid-19 patients who must be attended to.”
“If the situation gets worse, what will happen to people undergoing dialysis or radiation therapy, for example? What will happen if we no longer have doctors and nurses to take care of us? They can’t just keep tending to those with Covid-19, can they? ’Di talaga matatawaran ang serbisyo nila,” Judy Ann tells Inquirer Entertainment.
Incidentally, Judy Ann is the host of ABS-CBN’s documentary-drama program, aptly titled “Paano Kita Mapasasalamatan.”
The wife of TV host-actor Ryan Agoncillo says she would sometimes reflect on “what God’s ultimate message is for all of us.” She explains: “I keep thinking that maybe this had to happen because He wants to teach us a lesson on appreciation. And for people to realize that front-liners—doctors, nurses, teachers, sanitation personnel—aren’t just that; that we have to appreciate and respect them more. These days, they make our lives more livable.”
Of course, there’s also the realization that we’re all supposed to stay at home to help stop the spread of the virus, Judy Ann points out. “We now appreciate going back to family, that the only thing that matters is to keep them safe,” observes Judy Ann, who is mom to Yohan, 15, Lucho, 9, and Luna, 4. “Nowadays, people video chat with each other even though there’s no occasion. Prepandemic, we didn’t have time for this.”
Judy Ann says “looking at the walls and ceilings of our house makes me appreciate and value my craft even more. My home is the result of all of my hard work as an actress. My work is also the reason I’m able to feed my family and help feed others at the same time. These days, I am able to reflect on these little things. My gratitude overflows.”
She likewise observes that the lockdown has made Filipinos more prayerful. “We may not be able to go to church physically, but we take extra effort to go online and hear Mass. We really listen to the preaching. We ask for help, preservation and mercy. We now feel closer to Him; but before all these, we had to drag ourselves to leave for church on Sundays as if it’s merely a social obligation.”