Actor Alden Richards said Friday the pandemic gave him the opportunity to leverage his celebrity for public service. He is the face of the Department of Health's long-running information campaign.
While working as an ambassador of Bida Solusyon, Richards raised P200,000 in donations for Typhoon Ulysses from livestream of his other passion, gaming.
In a Zoom call with Summit Media Group journalists, Richards recalled the day he got offered the role: "I said yes and this is the best time, so I can also use a little of my influence, spread the knowledge. To help other people and help people follow government protocols when it comes to the virus."
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Richards witnessed how the entertainment industry ground to a near halt because of COVID-19. There were less people on set working more jobs, crew had to stay in the location, and testing is mandatory for all.
His last major project, Hello, Love, Goodbye, was the Philippines’ highest grossing film. Fans are anticipating a sequel, but even Richards isn’t certain when production houses will restart filming given how expensive and tiresome filmmaking has become.
Work aside, things as simple as going to his grandparents’ house for spaghetti were no longer a weekly fare, and RT-PCR testing and social distancing hindered highly anticipated trips with friends. All these were put aside in favor of following protocols and preventing the spread of infections.
