The Loyalty Game stars and real-life couple Jericho Rosales and Janine Gutierrez not only enjoyed portraying their roles in the suspense-filled thriller series, but also had memorable experiences while filming in Iloilo and Bacolod.
In an exclusive interview with PUSH ABS-CBN, the couple shared how much they appreciated the two provinces, from their beautiful heritage sites and warm locals to the food they enjoyed during their stay.
For Jericho, their time in Bacolod became extra memorable because of the warm welcome they received from his manager’s friends in the city.
“Well I was really having the time in Bacolod cause my manager is from there. She has thousands of friends in Bacolod who always feeds us and brings us to places and always gives us a great time, which by the way, thank you so much and can't wait to see them again,” Jericho said.
He also shared how he and Janine grew fond of Iloilo, adding: “Janine and I totally enjoyed Iloilo because of the heritage houses, the churches, just the parks and the places that we could go just to hang out after work. And minsan kapag day off namin, mamasyal kami at Iloilo, we work out (there) and we walk. So Bacolod and Iloilo became closer to our hearts.”
Aside from the scenery, Jericho also enjoyed the good food they tasted during their memorable stay in the two provinces.
“Bacolod, you get the best inasal and kansi and the staples. Doon mo talaga matitikman, ah okay, iba talaga kapag doon manggaling. And sa Iloilo, we ate so much that one thing that I remember was like going around the town square, kung nasaan yung church, and makakita mo lahat ng mga kakanin, mga prutas, kung ano-ano pang mga snacks dyan. Inikot talaga namin iyon , and you really feel that ito yung totoong Pilipinas. Parang na-throwback sa mga unang panahon because it's still the same, and I love that about Iloilo and Bacolod,” he said.
Janine shared the same appreciation for the two provinces, recalling how she and Jericho would spend their rest days exploring their surroundings instead.
“Sobrang na-enjoy namin mag-shoot sa Iloilo and Bacolod to the point na every rest day, mamamasyal kami. Pumunta kami ng museum or kakain kami sa labas. I think sa Bacolod, umabot pa nga kami sa bundok, as in talagang nag-road trip kami,” the actress recalled.
“We're so grateful kasi lahat ng mga location na napuntahan namin, sobrang bait ng mga tao. Super warm, super welcoming, and of course, ang sarap ng pagkain. So talagang na-enjoy namin lahat ng food. Every day parang meron kami mga happy na snacks sa set,” she added.
As someone who has always been interested in history and architecture, Janine particularly enjoyed seeing Iloilo’s heritage places up close.
“Ako mahilig talaga po kasi sa history at sa architecture Lahat ng location namin dito, mga heritage houses. So almost all the locations were a hundred years old, yung mga bahay and andaming magagandang houses doon na talagang preserved. Hanggang sa Silay, umabot kami. So yun, na-enjoy ko talaga, and reading about the stories ng mga nakatira doon,” she added.
While their time in Iloilo and Bacolod gave the couple plenty of happy memories, their characters in The Loyalty Game are dealing with a much more complicated relationship.
Jericho and Janine play married couple Ben and Ana, whose relationship becomes clouded by doubts and suspicions after Ana begins to believe that Ben is not telling her the truth. This leads her to hire loyalty testers in an attempt to uncover his secrets.
“Si Ana, minsan gusto mo siyang alugin na matauhan siya. Pero I love that Ana loves very strongly. Love na love niya talaga si Ben. Love niya yung nanay niya. And despite the challenges talagang loyal siyang tao. I guess what I hate about Ana is na sobrang love niya siguro turns into nakakasakit na sa sarili niya,” Janine said.
Jericho also expressed, “I love that he is very dedicated, but I also dislike that he is so overly protective of the people he loves.”
The Loyalty Game: Level Up is set to air for free on October 5 via ALLTV2, A2Z, TV5, Kapamilya Channel, and Kapamilya Online Live (KOL) on Facebook and YouTube. It will also be available on TFC, while iWant viewers can stream episodes seven days ahead of their television airing.
The series was first aired on Prime, where it became one of the top series on the streaming platform. It also starred Carmina Villarroel, Yen Santos, Sofia Andres, Charlie Dizon, Maika Rivera, and Kira Balinger.