Ni: Reggee Bonoan

SA grand presscon sa Seda Vertis North Hotel sa Quezon City ng mini-series ng TV5 na may titulong Amo na idinirehe ng premyadong si Brillante Mendoza, nasilayan na ulit finally ng entertainment press si Derek Ramsay na matagal-tagal ding nawala sa limelight simula nang i-release ang pelikulang The Escort (Regal Films).

Natanong ang aktor kung hanggang kailan siya mananatili sa TV5 ngayong tila siya na lang ang natitirang artista ng network, dahil halos lahat ay naglipatan na sa ABS-CBN o GMA 7 samantalang ‘yung iba naman ay nasa floating status pa.

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Binanggit ni Derek na hanggang Abril 2018 pa ang kontrata niya sa Kapatid Network, at sa loob ng limang taong pananatili niya ay wala siyang masasabi sa magandang trato sa kanya. Kaya loyal siya sa Singko.

“You see it, right? It’s slowly happening that everyone is leaving. I mean, it’s sad, but everybody has their reasons. I don’t want to jump into their relationship with the network. That’s their business. But from what I know, with my relationship with the network, it’s been great,” paliwanag ng aktor.

Inamin ni Derek na wala siyang offer mula sa ibang TV network at kung mayroon man ay hindi kongkreto ang usapan.

“There’s hearsay or magsasabi na, ‘Dito ka na,’ ganyan-ganyan. Pero nothing ‘yung seryoso,” pagtatapat ng aktor.

At kung sakaling may offer ay aalamin muna niya sa TV5 management kung ire-renew siya o hindi na dahil ito pa rin daw ang priority niya.

“Priority is always TV5. When my first contract expired two and a half years ago, priority is always TV5. If they feel they still need me, they’ll have me. I will not open my doors to anything else until I have spoken with my network. And my network will let me know if they still need my services.

“Will I be affected if they say, ‘Derek, we got to let you go?’ No, because I have a great five and a half years here. I still have half a year more with TV5 and I will be as committed to the network. That’s just who I am. Once I know what the network plans for me, then I will open my doors to other opportunities.

“I know, the network might be open to me maybe not as an artista, maybe to join and be behind the came

ra, maybe something like that. We don’t know.

“But for now, my commitment is to my network, and I think I have proven that to everyone out there. My network always tells me that they are proud of me and that they always tell me that I’ve always been loyal. That’s why I love this network because they always continue supporting me, communication is great, and we never had problems.

“So, how can I make tampo or be disappointed with the network who always gives me projects that I love?” mahabang paliwanag ng aktor.

Si Derek nga lang talaga ang alam naming alagang-alaga ng TV5 kumpara sa ibang talents na hindi na ni-renew o hinintay na lang mag-expire ang kontrata at sinabihang wala silang maibibigay na project.

Present din sa presscon ang CEO/President ng TV5 na si Coach Chot Reyes, executives na sina Mell Yazon-Tolentino at Lloyd Manaloto.

Kaya hiningan din ng pahayag si Coach Chot sa sinabi ni Derek na prayoridad niya ang TV5 at kung ano ang plano nila sa aktor sa natitira nitong isang taon at kalahati at kung naisip na nilang i-renew ulit para sa ikatlong kontrata.

“Of course, we’re very happy,” pakangiting sagot ni Coach Chot. “But we understand also that it’s a business, di ba?

I mean, we want to keep him, he wants to stay. But in the end, we both know that it’s a business. ‘Yun ang maganda sa relationship namin ni Derek, we’re very honest with each other, we’re very open.

“Obviously, we want to do the things that will be beneficial for both of us. Pero malaking bagay na’ yung starting point, gusto namin siya at gusto niyang mag-stay, I think that’s very important. So, we’ll see what happens. Mayroon pa naman hanggang end of the year. We’ll cross the bridge when we get there,” pahayag ng top gun ng TV5.

Nabanggit din ni Coach Chot na hindi lang sa entertainment department nila napapakinabangan si Derek kundi maging sa sports din.

Agad nahiwatigan sa sinabing ito ng CEO/Presidente ng TV5, na ire-renew pa rin nila ang kontrata ng aktor.

“We’re really very open. Like I said, bagay na bagay siya sa positioning ng istasyon. So, hopefully we have the capacity to renew him,” kaswal na sabi ni Coach Chot.

Samantala, hiningan din naman ng reaksiyon ang hepe ng TV5 tungkol sa mga artistang isa-isa nang umalis sa kanila.

“Oo, ganun talaga, eh. Ganu’n talaga ang kalakaran sa negosyo natin. So, it’s part of the business, ‘ika nga. Ang puwede lang namin gawin is to focus with what we have and who’s here. Hindi na namin puwedeng isipin ‘yung mga nawala,” katwiran niya.