What fuels RK Bagatsing to move forward in time of pandemic

RK Bagatsing as Louie in “I Got You”

“I needed that pause in my life in order for me to focus on other important things that I’ve forgotten because I got too busy with acting,” said actor RK Bagatsing of the months-long lull from work as a result of the government-imposed lockdown since March.

Prior to the quarantine order, RK had been so busy, appearing from one teleserye or movie to another. He claimed that the lockdown forced him to realize that there are other things far more important than work. “These are the simple things like spending time with family, or getting in touch with friends,” he said during a Zoom presscon for his new romantic-comedy series “I Got You” on TV5.

“Sometimes, because there are too many distractions around us, like technology, social media, or even streaming shows on TV, we forget human interaction. We also need to communicate with other human beings,” RK declared.

These days, people base our self-worth on different metrics: through likes, views, and comments on how people perceive them online, RK observed. “We forget about the real people who truly care for us, those who show us unconditional love,” he pointed out. “The pause made me realize to invest again on little things at home and really focus on them. This is my fuel now, moving forward.

RK added: “I really feel that I have a lot to change in my old ways. I need to be better than who I was before the lockdown. I need to take care of my loved ones more than I did (prepandemic). The pause enabled me to reflect, to find a new perspective. I’m really thankful for the time that was given to me.”

RK admitted that he also felt “troubled and uneasy,” just like most Filipinos who were used to being on-the-go but got forced to stay home all of a sudden because of the quarantine. “We didn’t know when we’d be able to go back to our old ways. I spent a lot of time thinking if that was the end of my career, and whether I was able to give my best. That made me praning!” he recalled. “But now that most of us have gone back to work, I’m slowly, but surely, getting back on my feet.”

During the Zoom meet, RK was also asked whether he agreed to a pay cut in his talent fee, just like most artists. “I asked for a reasonable price,” he replied. “Just enough for me to get back on my feet because I have not had work for months, and my savings got depleted during the lockdown. There was really no income at that time. I’m grateful because not everyone was given the opportunity to go back to work. I just want to focus on this and be better than before.”

Knowing that the deadly COVID-19 is still very much around and still has no cure, RK said he also felt nervous going back to work, especially since he lives with his 75-year-old father.

“I need to make sure I’m healthy because I will be going home to my family. It’s a good thing that from the very start, our safety has already been ensured by our producers,” he shared with reporters.

RK recalled that on the set, there were designated rooms—or pods—for each department, and all these were sanitized regularly. “Since there are people who take care of us, we actors no longer concerned ourselves with health and safety protocols. We simply focused on our roles. It also eased my worries knowing that we go through swab tests before and after the shoot. It’s a good experience for everyone, especially when we learned that we all got negative results on our exit swab. I just want to congratulate our producers Brightlight Productions, Cornerstone Entertainment, and Project 8 San Joaquin for doing a good job.”

Directed by Dan Villegas, “I Got You” is about Del (Beauty Gonzalez), a therapist who comes home from Spain after 17 years, and crosses paths with ex-boyfriend Louie (RK), a soldier with post-traumatic stress disorder. Theirs was a whirlwind romance until Del begins to uncover Louie’s web of lies, especially since he is already engaged to marry Rizza (Jane Oineza).

“Ours is a very beautiful script. From the start, it already had a beating heart, and all we needed to do was go to the set and be our characters,” RK pointed out. “My character deals with both his past and current loves. While Louie loves them both, I personally think love should not be the answer to everything. There are a lot of factors involved in a relationship, and those are the things that we will learn as we watch the coming episodes.”

RK explained further: “I’m sure the audience will be able to relate to even one of the characters here. They will find an instance that they’ve also experienced at one point in their lives. I’m very happy and proud of this story. We can learn a lot from it when it comes to living and loving.”

“I Got You” airs every Sunday, 2 p.m., after “Sunday Noontime Live” on the Kapatid network.