Jerome’s glass-half-full approach to pandemic woes

Jerome Ponce

The long lockdowns and limited work opportunities they resulted in were as much a period of uncertainty as they were a time to rest and reflect for Jerome Ponce.

“The pandemic made me question what else was there for me to do with my life and career,” Jerome disclosed at the recent video conference for his latest series “GVBoys: Pangmalakasang Good Vibes.” “I thought, ‘What’s next for me?’ And what else is there besides the movie industry?”

But it’s actually anxiety-generating questions like those that convinced Puregold Price Club president Vincent Co to produce “GVBoys,” a fun-filled show that antsy viewers stuck at home can stream for free and get entertained by.

The eight-episode series, helmed by Don Cuaresma and inspired by “Palibhasa Lalake” and other ’80s and ’90s sitcoms, is Puregold Channel’s first digital series. It can be streamed online for free on the channel’s Facebook and YouTube pages starting July 10.

Aside from Jerome, the show also features Nikko Natividad, Dave Bornea, Wilma Doesn’t and Carmi Martin.

Time for catching up

For Jerome, who plays Jawo in the sitcom, there was a glass-half-full approach that could overturn his pandemic woes. In fact, the quarantine period became a perfect time for the actor to catch up with friends and relatives, as well as indulge in activities he had little time to do before the global health crisis reared its ugly head.

“Other than that, the long lull has given me more time to play video games—my hobby—which became a form of escape,” he added.

“GVBoys” also marks a change of thespic pace for Jerome, especially after his gay-themed roles in “A Soldier’s Heart” and the BL (boys’ love) series “Ben x Jim Forever.” INQ