MANILA, Philippines — Kapamilya actor Gerald Anderson has revealed that it was not only Matteo Guidicelli who went through military training.

In an interview with Philstar.com last week, Gerald divulged that he, alongside some cast members of an upcoming TV series, which includes Carlo Aquino, Jerome Ponce and Nash Aguas, have to go through military training to immerse themselves in the lives of real soldiers.

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“Nag-training kami, nag-bootcamp kami. Hindi kami tinrato parang artista, which was very good lalo na sa ibang cast na parang first nilang gagawa ng ganung klaseng show,” Gerald bared in an interview for the launch of the 2019 edition of Skechers Run.

“Every taping day sobrang excited kami kasi sobrang ganda ng mga eksena, kahit sobrang hirap. Sobrang nakakapagod s’ya physically pero exciting.”

According to Gerald, Matteo deserves to graduate at the top of his Scout Ranger class because he saw how hardworking Matteo was.

“S’ya ‘yun, s’ya ‘yun, masipag s’ya talaga, masipag s’yang tao talaga,” Gerald said of Matteo.

“Grabe ‘yung ginawa n’ya, that’s the hardest training sa buong Pilipinas. ‘Yan din ‘yung iha-highlight namin sa show.”

Nonetheless, Gerald assured that the new TV series would be different from his 2009 soap opera “Tayong Dalawa,” where he also played a soldier, opposite co-stars Kim Chiu and Jake Cuenca.

“Iba ‘to, mas nagfocus talaga ‘to sa buhay ng sundalo, sa pamilya, kung ano ‘yung pinagdadaanan ng mga pamilya ‘pag nasa gera ‘yung mga asawa nila, tatay nila, anak n’ya. Hindi ‘yan madali para sa pamilya,” Gerald explained.

According to him, his and Matteo’s military training was a “very good experience,” not only physically, as it opened their eyes more on the hardships and sacrifices of Filipino soldiers.

“Sobrang excited ako na mapanood ng mga tao ‘to dahil malapit din sa puso ko ‘yung military at hindi tayo ganun ka-familiar kung ano talga ‘yung pinagdadaanan nila… ‘Yung training palang, wala ka pa sa gera, sobra ‘yung sacrifices. Tapos pagdating d’yan, 50-50 pa ‘yung buhay mo, hindi ka pa sigurado kung babalik ka pa. Habang tayo dito nasa aircon, natutulog ng maayos dahil sa mga pinaghirapan nila para sa’tin.” — Videos by Deni Bernardo, editing by EC Toledo IV