Actress Sylvia Sanchez cannot help but still be grateful even though she and her husband Art Atayde got sick with COVID-19 last year. She said it’s because blessings poured in for her, after her full recuperation.

“Actually, sa totoo lang, kahit nangyari sa amin ‘yung nagka-COVID kaming mag-asawa, wala akong question sa Diyos kung bakit sa akin nangyari iyon. Wala akong pain, wala akong sakit ba’t nangyari sa amin ‘yun,” she said last Monday, March 15, during the online press conference for the teleserye “Huwag Kang Mangamba.” “[Ang] kapalit noon ay mas naging close ang buong pamilya.”

(Actually, the truth is although my husband and I were hit by COVID-19, I never questioned God why it happened to me. I don’t have pain, I don’t feel hurt about why it happened to us, [because] in return, we became close as a family.)

But Sanchez admitted she feared for her children more. She thought they were too young to get the disease.

“Suma-total, wala akong negative (thoughts) kahit ano nu’ng nangyari sa buhay ko last year kasi ang kapalit noon ay blessings. Alam mo, ang dami-daming magagandang nangyari sa buhay ko after noon,” she added.

(Overall, I don’t have negative [thoughts] with whatever happened in my life last year because what I received in return are blessings. You know, a lot of beautiful things happened in my life after that.)

Meanwhile, working with the Gold Squad — composed of Seth Fedelin, Andrea Brillantes, Kyle Echarri and Francine Diaz — is a welcome experience for the veteran actress.

“Masaya ako sa Gold Squad, kay Seth, Kyle, Blythe and Francine dahil unang-una, hindi ko nararamdaman ‘yung laki ng ulo na kami ang bida dito so nagpapakabida. Hindi ko nararamdaman ‘yun. Gusto ko sa kanila, mabubuting bata sila, marespeto,” she commended the four lead stars.

(I am happy about the Gold Squad, Seth, Kyle, Blythe and Francine, because first and foremost, I did not feel them becoming swellheaded as the lead stars. I did not feel that. What I like about them is that they are good kids, respectful.)

Sanchez cited how the four manage to interact with her and other veteran stars even off-cam. For example, she shared how Andrea and Francine would text to ask about food.

sylvia sanchez via ig denise ochoa — Sylvia Sanchez. Image: Instagram/@deniseochoa

“Parang may inaalagaan ako sa set. Na-appreciate ko ‘yung ganoon. Naghahanda ako ng food sa kanila,” she recalled.

(It was like I had kids to take care of. I appreciate that. So I prepared food for them.)

She also appreciated how the young stars opened up to her to ask for advice, which she gave, and which she hopes would help them.

“Huwag Kang Mangamba” had its pilot episode yesterday, March 20, on the iWantTFC app and website. It will show tomorrow, March 22 at 8:40 p.m., on TV5 and A2Z channels as free TV. It is also available via digital TV boxes such as ABS-CBN TV Plus. JB

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