MANILA, Philippines – The team behind the teleserye Bagani confirmed Thursday, March 15, that a number of their extras or talents met an accident while returning to Manila from a shooting. 

Netizens expressed their concern online after several posts reported the accident on social media. 

At the thanksgiving press conference for the show Thursday, March 15, Mico del Rosario, public relations officer of Star Creatives,  said that the vehicular accident happened Wednesday, March 14, at NLEX while the talents were returning to Manila from a shooting.

“Unfortunately yesterday, there was an accident in NLEX. Yung sinasakyan pong jeep, nung mga talents, there were 19 of them, medyo nagkaroon ng problema yung makina so tumaob po . Ang kagandahan po ay wala naman po major injuries.

(The jeep that the 19 talents were riding had engine trouble, then it flipped over. What was good about it, was there were no major injuries.) 

“Dinala po sila sa lahat sa ospital para ma check and they’re all fine now. They were sent home and tsini check po ng ABS –CBN ang lahat ng kanilang kalagayan until now and within the succeeding days,” del Rosario said.

(They were all brought to the hospital to be checked. And they’re all fine now. They were sent home and ABS-CBN continues to check on their status and will do so in the succeeding days.)

Dialogue with CHED, IP groups

At the press conference, directors Lester Pimentel, Richard Arellano and writer Mark Angos gave their side on the dialogue between representatives from the network, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Indigenous People’s (IP)  groups that happened over the weekend. (READ: ABS-CBN, CHED, IP groups reach agreement on the use of the word ‘Bagani’)

It would be recalled that CHED and selected IP groups wrote to the network to rectify the use of the word “Bagani” on the show.

Asked what they thought of the issues, Angos said: “I think it’s a good thing because it’s an opportunity to discuss yung mga iba’t ibang, magkaroon ng (and for the different sides to have a) discourse…

“Tulad nga ng report ni Sir Mario [Dumaual],last night or several nights ago sa TV Patrol, the team had already sat down with the concerned groups, IP leaders at yung kay Commissioner ng CHED, at we have come to a conclusion na gamitin ang show, use it as an opportunity to further educate our audience about Filipino culture and its roots, yung mga ugat nila sa indigenous people.”

(As Mario [Dumaual] said in his report for several nights on TV Patrol, the team has already met with the concerned groups, IP leaders and with Commission of CHED. And we have come to a conclusion to use the show as an opportunity to further educate our audience about Filipino culture and its roots, the roots of the indigenous people.)

Agnos said that unlike in the past where people would simply just guess who is the daughter or son in a teleserye, Bagani paved way for more discussion on Filipino culture.

“In essence nakatulong siya (the cotroversies) not just kasi yun naman po yung goal ng programa- i-promote ang Filipino cutlure. So sana yung may mga susunod na mga teleserye or content from ABS-CBN or for other networks for that matter, na magkaroon ng mga ganitong programa na tumatalakay sa kulturang Pilipino,” Agnos said.

(In essence, the controversies have helped because the main goal of the show is to promote Filipino culture. So hopefully, the next teleserye or content from ABS-CBN or from other networks for that matter will be these type of programs that will tackle Filipino culture.)

Liza, Enrique respond to casting issue

Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil, two stars of the show also took the opportunity to respond to the question about them being mestizo and mestiza and taking on the role of pre-colonial characters.  (READ: ‘Bagani’ draws flak for casting, Liza Soberano responds)

In the show, Enrique plays Lakas, a warrior of the Disyerto tribe while Liza is Ganda, a young woman from the people of the Tagapatag or farmers.

“Para sa amin po siguro, sa tingin po namin (For us, we think ) even if we’re half Filipino, it doesn’t make us any less of a Filipino. And lahat naman po tayo may sarili pong opinion and para sa amin, Pinoy po kami. And kung para sa kanila hindi po (All of us have our opinions and for us, we’re Filipino. And if some of them don’t think we are, we respect their opinions as well. But we want to let them know as well, that we feel and we’re proud to be Filipino,” Soberano said.

“Just as the same as her,  you know we just want to give a good show that the people would like to watch and enjoy and to teach them lessons about the history of the Philippines. And hanggang doon lang po kami (that’s what we can do),  you know we just want to give you a good show… that’s all we want to do,” Gil said.

Bagani also stars Matteo Guidicelli, Sofia Andres, and Makisig Morales as the other 3 heroes.  –Rappler.com