Ang Diary ng Dakilang Fan: The End To A New Beginning

October 2014.

Pagbaba ko mula Benguet after several weeks of taping "Forevermore", Jerome Ponce invited me to hang out somewhere near his place. Catch up lang over milk tea. Usap lang about our work and some personal stuff. Then he reminded me na in few weeks, matatapos na ang "Be Careful With My Heart".

Oo nga. Mixed emotions. At that time, the series had been on air for more than 2 years. Personally, sinubaybayan ko talaga bawat episode, level na bumili pa ako ng DVDs. On and off cam, andami nang nangyari. Through the ups and downs, naka-survive si Jerome at ang buong cast. Hindi biro. The show started na 17 pa lang siya. Nagbinata sa harap natin si Jerome. He had become part of our weekday mornings, just like the rest of the cast.

He was a varsity student in high school!

The show brought so many changes in Jerome's life. From that ordinary teenage boy who loved playing sports like basketball and soccer and computer games, and enjoyed his barkada's comapany, he suddenly embodied that responsible, ideal son, friend and kuya persona brought about by onscreen alter ago. In real life, he turned into his family's breadwinner. Nabigyan ni Jerome ng mas kumportableng buhay ang sarili at ang mga kapatid niya. Mas naging responsable

At BCWMH mansion in Summer.

At the mansion set of BCWMH weeks before
it ended.

At the Siena Taytay set of BCWMH.. We didn't know
Janella was photobombing.

Jerome had earned good friends and second family in the cast and core staff, most especially in Janella Salvador. Parang aso at pusa ang dalawang yan, madalas mag-asaran at magtampuhan. But they've developed a certain comfort in each other. Jerome took good care of Janella in those two years. Parang kuya at best friend talaga si Jerome to Janella. Malalim ang kanilang friendship at pinagsamahan, bitbit nila yun even after natapos ang BCWMH.

Supporting his girl on her workshop recital!

Seeing him after his "heartbreak".

Dito rin sa BCWMH na-meet ni Jerome ang babaeng naging importante sa buhay niya. We all know the story now, but during that time I was one of those lang na nakaalam. Though Jerome was not vocal about it publicly, to protect his privacy, his career and the girl from bashers, hindi niya ito ikinahiya. I personally saw how he took care of her. He gave his time, himself to show and make the girl feel loved in spite his busy sked and constraints. Deep down, I thought, "ang swerte mo pag minahal ka ni Jerome". He even found himself opening up to me when he got heartbroken then. He was crumbling, broken... But was able to bounce back naman in time.

The question then was, what's next for him, after BCWMH? Wala kaming idea. Jerome even thought na magbakasyon ng mahaba. Start a business. May mga naririnig kaming mga possible projects, but nothing was certain.

Before BCWMH officially ended on November 28, 2014, it was already announced that Jerome will take part of the daytime series, Ricky Lee's "Nasaan Ka Nang Kailangan Kita" where he will be paired with Jane Oineza, who was fresh from her PBB stint.

Jerome auditioned in "Nasaan Ka Nang Kailangan Kita"

Backstage of ASAP before I left for Benguet.

Bonding with Jane and Jerome at Rob Magnolia
after their workshop for NKNKK.

Naging mahabang proseso ang pagpili kay "Ryan Briones". Several teen actors were called to audition, including Jerome. When Jerome and Jane went on camera test and threw dialogues at one another, nakitaan na sila ng chemistry. They could work as loveteam. Actually, nung ASAP Chillout days pa lang nila a year earlier, nakitaan ko at ng fans nila ng potential ang kanilang teamup. Just waiting na mapansin, and the right time.

And that time had come. JaneRome was officially born. BCWMH may have ended, but a new door of opportunity had opened for Jerome... 2015 looked hopeful.

Supporting Jerome at BCWMH vs. Dugong Buhay's basketball game.
Janella and Jane were there!

January 2014. Jerome is a happy person, ayaw niya ng ma-drama.
E ma-drama ako. Before this pic was taken, may tampuhan.
But when I saw him in ABS-CBN, wala na.