Gerald Anderson still mum on real score with Julia Barretto

MANILA, Philippines — Kapamilya actor Gerald Anderson joins not only the clamor to cancel 2020 due to the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. 

If he would have his way, he also would like to cancel 2019 — the year when he was embroiled in a scandal for allegedly “ghosting” former girlfriend Bea Alonzo and for being linked to “Between Maybes” co-star Julia Barretto.

Related: Bea Alonzo looks back at rejections, life as an ‘extra’

“’Yung lockdown ko kasi nag-start ng 2019. More on personal (reason),” he admitted to Philstar.com in a teleconference Tuesday for his reunion movie with Arci Munoz, “Hook-Up.”  

“Kung pwede rin i-cancel ang isang taon, talagang itong 2020. Marami pong nangyari sa isang taon na ‘to na sobrang unexpected, sobrang nakakademoralize, nakakalungkot, nilalagay tayo sa sitwasyon na napakahirap, buong mundo – namatay si Kobe, sumabog ‘yung Taal, coronavirus… Nagshutdown kumpanya namin, livelihood namin, nawala. So, tulad ng sinabi ni Arci, the only choice na meron tayo ngayon is to stay positive,” he said.

“Pag naiisip mo lang ‘yung nangyari sa Lebanon, naiisip mo pa, Ano pang pwedeng mangyari sa 2020?... ‘Yung 2020 talagang cancel ko talaga ‘to… saka 2019!”

When asked by another media outlet to finally set the record straight about his rumored relationship with Julia, Gerald said: “Unang una, ayaw ko po pag-usapan ang isang taong wala namang connection sa ginagawa natin ngayon. Respeto na rin po siguro sa kanila. At labas po tayo d’yan. I want to stay silent. Ganu’n po talaga ‘yung kalakaran. I mind my own business at sana, ipapayo ko rin ‘yun sa ibang tao.”

According to him, this 2020 is a test for everyone as a human race.

“We have to stay resilient and strong. Dapat nating dalhin’ yan sa mga susunod na taon. We just have to stay strong. Naniniwala talaga ako na magkakapositive outcome ang lahat ng ‘to,” he enthused.

Apart from staying safe and strong, he said it is also important to remain as a good person every day.

“Not every day is promised to us… Sa sitwasyon natin ngayon, ‘di natin alam kung anong pwedeng mangyari bukas. Ang importante talaga kasama natin pamilya natin, pangalagaan natin na maging mabuting tao tayo araw-araw.”

In “Hook-Up,” Gerald and Arci will play lovers who will try to spice things up by attempting to make love online. But as they continue to explore more about online lovemaking, they will discover new things about each other that will change the course of their relationship.

“Hook-Up" will play back-to-back with Julia and Joshua Garcia's "E-numan" as part of the “Love Unlock” special on Kapamilya Online Live on YouTube and Facebook this Saturday (August 15), 7:30 p.m.

RELATED: Are Joshua Garcia, Julia Barretto back together? JoshLia sets record straight