Jericho Rosales and Janine Gutierrez put love, trust, and faithfulness through the ultimate test in “The Loyalty Game: Level Up” series, which is finally making its way to primetime free TV.
But before we get swept up in all the lies and drama in the story, the lovebirds sat down for a different kind of game called "Ping Pong Questions" where they took turns picking cards with unpredictable prompts they'd throw each other. Some questions were deep, while others led to the cutest and most random revelations.
And some responses made us go 'aww,' like when Jericho asked Janine to describe him in just one word, to which she said "loving" along with the sweetest story to prove it, "There was one time na super lakas ng ulan tapos nasa car kami ni [Jericho]. Merong lalaki na nagtutulak ng kariton sa labas, sa kalsada, tapos parang mabigat na yung kariton niya. Tapos ang lakas ng ulan, bumaba si [Jericho] para tulungan siya itulak ‘yung kariton."
Janine also wanted to settle one very important matter, "Am I clingy?" to which Jericho answered no. “You’re very malambing,” he told her.
A few more back-and-forth made it obvious just how well these two already know each other. When Janine was asked what she couldn’t leave home without, it was Jericho who replied for her, "Tubig!" Turns out, Mr. Pogi is also Mr. Observant! He also knows she once scored a perfect 100 from singing “Stupid Love" on karaoke.
Of course, the activity gave us a taste of the couple's adrenaline-loving side. Jericho shared that swimming with manta rays or whale sharks is on his bucket list even though the idea of being underwater with gigantic sea creatures freaks him out, so Janine cheered him on with, "Kaya mo 'yun!" Then they both looked forward to a diving adventure.
Between all the random confessions, EchoNine also got real about their past roles and major career choices. Jericho gave an unexpected answer when asked about the best career decision he had ever made. Believe it or not, it was stepping away from acting for a while. That break, he said, made him realize just how much he truly loved the craft.
His younger self would surely be proud of his glow-up in confidence. He believes the past 'Echo' would be pleased that he learned English on his own and built the courage to talk to people despite being shy before. When inspiration runs low, Jericho finds his way back through other people. Caring for them and tapping into his unselfish side helps him find his spark again.
And yes, we got another soft moment when he was asked what he was most grateful for that day, and his answer was Janine, whom he thanked for bringing good vibes, caring for him, and helping him out.
Meanwhile, Janine had to choose between two of her memorable characters, Iris Buenavidez from “Lavender Fields” and Mila dela Cruz from “Dirty Linen.” She went with Mila because, in her own words, “medyo bad si Iris, eh," though she still has a soft spot for Iris. "In the beginning sobrang I struggled na mahanap 'yung mga hinihingi ni Direk para kay Iris. Nahirapan akong i-let go siya kasi hindi naging masaya 'yung ending niya, eh. So, feeling ko parang nalugi si Iris and I really felt bad for her na hindi niya nakuha ‘yung gusto niya," she mused about the 'kontrabida' character.
When asked what she was most grateful for that day, her pick was “The Loyalty Game,” which feels extra special because she gets to work with Jericho.
Because she treats every project like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, she makes sure to soak it all in. She knows some projects are simply lightning in a bottle. "Dirty Linen," for one, gave her a dream cast that she knows would be hard to recreate, while “Lavender Fields” challenged her with a role unlike anything she had done before.
That same mindset influences how she defines success at this point in her life. For her, success means living on her own terms. She wants to pursue a project because it genuinely matters to her, not because someone else decided it was the right path. And part of that means leaving self-doubt behind. When asked one thing she has outgrown, Janine reflected on how there comes a point when doubting your own capabilities, especially as a woman, no longer serves the person you want to become.
And because no random Q&A is complete without a few unserious detours, the challenge also gave us their food cravings, travel picks, weird little habits, and other tiny details that make them happy.
Catch Jericho and Janine as married couple Ben and Ana in "The Loyalty Game: Level Up," beginning October 5 on ALLTV2, A2Z, TV5, Kapamilya Channel, and Kapamilya Online Live (KOL) on Facebook and YouTube. The series will also be available on TFC, while iWant viewers can stream episodes seven days ahead of their television airing.
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