Benjamin Alves
As much as he wanted to be with his family in Guam to commemorate his father’s second death anniversary on Oct. 9, Benjamin Alves opted to stay in the Philippines, because air travel is still deemed risky due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Fortunately, there’s Zoom, where we can have virtual meetings and pray the rosary,” the GMA 7 actor related in a recent video conference with the show biz press. “I also miss being with my mom. But konting tiis pa. We will come out of this better.”
Because work opportunities in the entertainment industry remain slim, some celebrities have decided to return to their respective hometowns for the time being.
Benjamin, who was born and raised in Guam, hasn’t really considered doing that, he said, because he still feels secure about his career prospects here in the country.
“Personally, I feel a sense of stability here—I have been blessed the past eight years. I also think that what’s happening right now will eventually subside, even if it takes a while,” he said, adding that the security he feels has a lot to do with GMA 7.
“That’s an advantage for me,” pointed out Benjamin, who renewed his contract with the Kapuso network in November last year. “If I didn’t have that, maybe I would be asking myself some questions now: ‘Should I return home? Should I consider changing my lifestyle?’”
“But luckily, that’s not the case. And I have realized that I’m blessed because I can just focus on being at home,” the 31-year-old talent added.
The quarantine had Benjamin reflecting on his life, career and the things that truly matter to him.
“Sometimes, in show biz, there’s a tendency to latch our identity onto how successful our career is, the things you’re able to buy with your earnings, or how grand your house is. Sometimes, that’s how you end up defining success,” Benjamin said.
The current situation has compelled him to go back to basics. An indispensable part of that, he related, is his relationship with his loved ones.
“What’s important to me? My relationship with my family, that’s what. ‘How’s my mom doing, two years after my father’s death?’ That’s a question I don’t think I would have been able to ask my mother, if I were busy with work,” he related.
“I realized that my connection with my loved ones is crucial. You try to get to know how they’re doing,” Benjamin added. “Instead of thinking about the things you want to reward yourself with for all your hard work … you focus on finding yourself.”
Benjamin recently returned to work for an episode of the drama anthology, “I Can See You.” Easing himself into the grind is good, Benjamin said, because it will prepare him for future projects under the new normal.
“This is a good stepping stone, so that everyone can get going again,” he said. “And you just have to trust the people you work with and your network, because they just want what’s best for you.”