BENJAMIN ALVES is happy to be reunited with Lovi Poe in GMA-7’s new hilarious romcom, “Owe My Love”, that starts airing on February 15.
“This is something so different from anything we’ve done before,” says Benjamin. “We were first paired in a 2012 movie sa Regal, ‘Guniguni’, which is horror. Then we did another movie in 2013, a serious drama for Cinemalaya, ‘Sana Dati’.
"In 2015, we did a teleserye, ‘Beautiful Strangers’, na sobrang heavy drama. So now, it’s nice to do something light and funny like ‘Owe My Love’ where we get to work with the country’s top comedians like Ai Ai de las Alas, Nova Villa, Leo Martinez and many more.”
What’s his role in “Owe My Love”?
“I play a doctor, Dr. Migs Alcancia, na merong sariling online show. I live with my grandfather, Leo Martinez as Lolo Badong, who’s being forgetful kasi may dementia. Lovi is Sensen, a breadwinner sa big family nila at maraming pinagkakautangan.”
It’s while Lovi is running away from her debtors that she meets Benjamin by chance.
“Sa pagtatago niya sa mga humahabol sa kanya dahil sa mga utang niya, nagtago siya sa car ko at doon kami nagkakilala. My Lolo Badong mistakes her for my girlfriend at nagustuhan siya.
"Together, magtutulungan kami ni Lovi to solve our problems. May ex-girlfriend kasi ako, si Winwyn Marquez as Trixie, who’s doing her first best to reconcile with me kahit ayaw ko na.”
Benjamin says the show will help viewers to learn more about financial literacy that can help them specially in times like this when life is hard because of the pandemic.
“Maraming magandang messages ang show, like paano mo itatawid sa hirap ang family mo and how do you stick together as a family.
"Lovi and I are glad that ‘Owe My Love’ allows us to show our comedic side this time. The show is perfect in this season of the pandemic when we need to de-stress and forget our problems.”
During the zoom presscon, the whole cast is on the second cycle of their lock in taping in a resort in Bulacan and they are all required to stay there until March.
This means they will be spending their Valentine’s Day there and Benjamin won’t be with his non-showbiz girlfriend named Chelsea Robato on that special day of hearts? How does she feel about this?
“She’s very supportive. Bago naman nag-lock in taping, I took her to Boracay and ten days kami roon. So bumawi na ako agad bago pa man nag-lock in. A
"nd now, busy rin naman siya sa work niya, but we stay in touch. Sa Valentine’s Day, it’s our day off kasi Sunday, so we can communicate on that day.”
He values being part of a show about money like “Owe My Love”.
“Dahil dito, we all learned about how to manage our finances well, specially in our reality ngayon na maraming hirap sa buhay. Money can’t buy happiness but financial stability is very important.”
