Kim Chiu (second from right) with the cast of “Bawal Lumabas”
Even though she experienced intense online bashing because of it, actress Kim Chiu said she never regretted making her controversial “Bawal Lumabas” statement.
“I don’t know what’s gotten into me. That wasn’t actually part of what I had planned to say,” declared Kim when asked to recall how she ended up with the statement she posted on Instagram as she tried to compare the implementation of the National Telecommunications Commission’s cease and desist order against ABS-CBN to classroom rules.
“I was caught off-guard. I didn’t know why I said those things. What I was trying to say when I mentioned, ‘Bawal lumabas sa classroom’ was that, just like when you’re taking an exam, you can’t leave the classroom if you’re not yet finished with your test. You’re allowed to leave only after you’ve submitted your test paper. My question was, why was it that even though you were already finished with the test and had submitted the necessary papers, people were still not letting you go?”
Kim has no reason to feel regretful at all. She recorded the “Bawal Lumabas” single, which surprisingly became a big hit, and released her “Bawal Lumabas” merchandise, which quickly got sold out. On Dec. 14, Benedict Mique’s “Bawal Lumabas: The Series,” starring Kim, of course, will premiere on iWantTFC.
During a recent media gathering to promote the series, Kim and the other cast members were asked to recall memorable “Bawal Lumabas” moments that happened during the pandemic lockdown.
To this, Kim answered: “There were a lot. If I try to tell you all of them, this Zoom meet will last until the following morning. But really, the first time I went out of the house even if I shouldn’t was when I went to look for an ATM. I had to withdraw money or else we wouldn’t be able to pay for food at home. I was really scared. I went home feeling tired because of that trip,” she said.
In the series, Kim, as Emerald, comes home to reunite with her siblings for Christmas. As she spends time with them, she realizes that she has missed out on a lot of things while she was away and tries to make up for it.
“If you think about it, we were only given three months in 2020 to act ‘normal.’ The remaining nine months, we were all in hiding. Our ‘Bawal Lumabas’ experience has taught us a lot,” said Kim.
Rafael Rosell, who plays a high school teacher in the series, said the lockdown has helped enhance his communication skills. “I had to check if my relatives and friends were all OK. I got used to online meetings to tell everyone what we should do during lockdown, like how to proceed from here or how to secure our daily produce.”
Rafael said he also did a lot of research on the virus, “like how it has affected Asia, how China is doing its thing, and how the Philippines is getting preoccupied by it. It was a very cloudy moment for me. After learning about all the solutions, I realized that it doesn’t matter how long the lockdown continues as long as you are able to communicate with the people you care about and you have enough resources.”
Francine Diaz, who plays Emerald’s youngest sister Jade in the series, admitted that it was hard for her to feel optimistic while stuck at home. “I kept praying. I reminded myself that we’re merely being tested and that everything will be alright eventually. We just have to keep the faith,” said Francine, who kept herself busy by vlogging and recording her TV guestings at home.
Kyle Echarri
For Kyle Echarri, the hardest thing that happened during quarantine was securing a flight to Cebu in order to be with his dad. “I worried a lot because while I knew there would be a lockdown, I didn’t know for how long. My dad and I did everything we could so we could be together. It was a good thing that I was able to go to Cebu in time before the lockdown,” recalled Kyle, who plays Kevin, Jade’s suitor in the series. “That was the craziest moment for me.”
Trina Legaspi, who plays Emerald’s other sister Ruby, said that she actually became more productive during the lockdown. “I made a to-do list. I get more depressed if I’m not doing anything. I developed a hobby during ECQ (enhanced community quarantine). I learned how to vlog and edit videos on my own. I became more independent,” she shared with reporters.
What made Trina’s quarantine experience extra special was getting engaged to fiancé Ryan Jarina in November. “Love really finds a way. With the proposal, I now have something to look forward to in 2021,” she beamed.
Paulo Angeles
Paulo Angeles, who plays Emerald’s only brother Onyx, said that while the situation has given him anxiety, it also has its advantage. “My siblings who are both pursuing medical studies have lived in condos while … studying. Because of the ECQ, we all got to spend time together, since I also had no work,” he said. “It was the first time in many years that we were complete.”
Giselle Sanchez
Giselle Sanchez said that as a mom, she had to leave the house often to buy necessities. “And whenever I went out, I noticed that there were more people living in the streets, and they were hungry. This was before the Balik Probinsya program was implemented,” said Giselle, who also plays mom to the four kids in the series. “This was how my advocacy started. I partnered with a convent to help me feed the homeless. This was what I did whenever I got the chance to go out of the house. This was also why I joined the group called Noble Queen of the Universe,” Giselle said.Also recently, the actress and husband Emil Buencamino celebrated their 20th anniversary and renewed their wedding vows. “That’s another ‘Bawal Lumabas’ moment for me. We did it at the convent. We never wanted a big event. We just wanted to renew our wedding vows to show our kids na may forever.”