Jennylyn Mercado a loyal Kapuso

Jennylyn Mercado

“I’ve learned how important loyalty is,” Jennylyn Mercado said of her nine-year stint as a Kapuso artist.

The actress-TV host signed another three-year guaranteed contract with GMA 7 on Jan. 30.

“My GMA 7 bosses took care of me and supported me during my lowest moments,” Jennylyn explained as to why she has remained loyal to the network.

She expressed gratitude for the network’s support given her during “difficult times, like when I got pregnant and then got involved in different controversies.”

Jennylyn got pregnant at 21. Her son Alex Jazz is now 4.

She continued: “If not for the network, I can’t return to show biz. I feel so loved.”

She credited the network for growth as an artist. “All I knew when I started was how to sing. Then I learned to act and only recently, to host a program.”

According to her, the best advice the network gave her was to never stop learning new things such as new techniques in acting and singing.

Present during the signing of the contract were GMA 7 chairman and CEO Felipe L. Gozon, president and COO Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr., Entertainment TV’s officer in charge Lilybeth G. Rasonable and Katrina Aguila (representative of Jennylyn’s manager, Becky Aguila).

Gozon was all praise for Jennylyn, whom he said had come a long way from being the lanky teen contestant in the first season of the reality show “Starstruck” to “a well-developed and accomplished actress.”

For Duavit, “Jennylyn is one of the finest examples” of how the network develops its talents. “A good part of what we do here is work with talents. It’s heartening to see how our artists have grown.”

Jennylyn is seen regularly in “Party Pilipinas,” “Hot TV” and the epic drama series “Indio.”

She added that because of work, settling down with boyfriend, actor-TV host Luis Manzano, was still far from her mind. “I’m still young. I still have a lot of things to do,” said the 25-year-old actress. “My son is still young. I still want to enjoy him.”

She also announced that a grand reunion to commemorate the 10th anniversary of “Starstruck” is tentatively set on the second week of February.

“We wanted to meet up with the other alumni to see how they are all doing,” said Jennylyn. “We plan to ask them to help raise funds for those affected by rains and flooding in Mindanao.”