'It's Showtime' contestant resorts to becoming online sex worker to survive pandemic

MANILA, Philippines — An "It's Showtime" contestant admitted to selling his private videos online to survive having no permanent source of income during the pandemic.

"Bidaman" finalist Jervy de los Reyes recently admitted in the vlog of showbiz columnist and talent manager Ogie Diaz that he has a private account where subscribers pay to get access to his "SPG, 18 +" content.

"Feeling ko nagawa ko dahil sa pinagdadaanan ko talaga," said de los Reyes in the latter's Ogie Diaz Showbiz Update vlog in late April.

He admitted to have 302 subscribers on his private Twitter account during the interview, which was posted on YouTube last May 6.

These subscribers, he said, pay P1,500. He uploads one video per week or whenever he feels like it. He also has administrators on his account and admitted to having received indecent proposals.

"I'm living alone. Independently. Mas pinili kong tumayo sa sarili ko. 'Yun nga po may depression ako. Gusto kong matuto sa sarili ko kasi sa totoo umaasa ako sa mama ko dati sa pera, financially, pagkain," the 22-year-old shared.

When Diaz asked if it was a coping mechanism for his depression, de los Reyes partly agreed.

“Parang isa po siya sa naging way para mas mahanap ko 'yung sarili ko. Kasi dati po, sobrang natatakot po ako sa judgment. Sobrang natatakot po ako sa sasabihin ng ibang tao. Sobrang natatakot po ako sa sarili ko," he shared.

De los Reyes added that he has learned to turn his weaknesses into his strengths. He also shared that he has learned to control his emotions, especially now that he gets bashed often.

“Pero ngayon po, parang... nama-manage ko. Nakokontrol ko 'yung emotions ko ngayon, na hindi dapat magpaapekto dahil mas kilala mo ang sarili mo. Iyon po,” he said.

His former colleagues at "It's Showtime," he said, have not said anything about his revelation. His parents were initially angry but he got to talk to them, especially his mother.

“Noong una po, medyo hindi po maganda' yung napag-usapan namin pero... noong tumagal-tagal po, mas naintindihan na po namin yung isa’t isa," he shared.

De los Reyes added that he promised his parents that he would stop what he was doing.

“Pero ang prinomise ko lang po sa kanila, titigil ako," he said.

When Ogie pressed if he is going to stop after a month, he said he will.