Monday, September 15, 2008 Jan Manual back to work after accident
STARSTRUCK 4 Avenger Jan Manual returned to work after a long recovery as he was burned during GMA Network's Kapusolympics Watermania held last June 17.
Last Saturday, "Startalk", for the first time, showed on television the actual video of Jan's accident. Vying for a win in one of the Kapusolympics' games, the young actor hastily picked up a torch on top of an eight feet high stage. But while he was holding the torch, his body suddenly fired up and then fell from the stage.
"Kasi po both teams, parang nagmamadali na. 'Yung ginawa ko na po, parang inangat ko na po ang torch. Kasi, nakita ko na po na dapat po talaga, si Maggie Wilson ang aakyat sa torch. Pero ako na po ang nag-volunteer na gagawa," Jan narrated.
He continued "Pagkaangat ko po, yun na. Kasi po, puno siya ng gas. So, tumapon po sa braso ko muna. E, nakadamit po ako, so, yung apoy, naiwan po sa damit ko. Akala ko katapusan ko na. Lumaki na ng lumaki ung apoy kumalat sa buong katawan ko. Sobrang sakit ang naramdaman ko nun."
Jan suffered second-degree burns on his face and the right part of his body. He was confined in the hospital for three weeks.
"Sobrang hirap ko po. Kasi po, ine-expect ko pong talaga na magdidikit-dikit ang balat ko. Three weeks na nasa hospital ako at itong kanang kamay ko, balot siya ng bandage. Tapos 'yung isa naman po, naka-dextrose, so, ang hirap pong ikilos talaga," he said, sharing his rough ordeal while in the hospital.
When Jan suffered from the serious accident, his father was not in the country. Jan's father works as a seaman.
"Ay opo, nagulat po kasi siya noong malaman. Hindi po talaga namin ipinapaalam. Kapag tumatawag po, sinasabi ni Mommy na, 'Ah, nasa taping siya. Siyempre po, kung sasabihin po namin sa kanya, baka maging emotionally tortured po siya, kawawa naman po siya sa barko," Jan explained.
He added that it is a good thing that his father has no access to the Internet so he was not aware of what happened.
Although Jan faced such grueling incident, he is still thankful that he did not need to undergo a plastic surgery to treat his burns.
"Luckily, wala naman po. Through prevention naman po at ina-anticipate naman po ng mga doctors yung mga worse po na puwedeng mangyari sa akin, so, binantayan po ako ng mga doctors," he said.
While Jan was in the hospital, he was visited by his co-Starstruck avenger Jessie Corcuera, whom Jan is courting. Jessie who is known to be a boyish girl reportedly fainted when she witnessed what happened to Jan during the Kapusolympics.
"Hindi po kasi niya nakayanan 'yung nangyari sa akin. Yung nangyari po kasi sa akin, grabe po talaga," Jan said. "Kasi, sobrang fresh po talaga ng sugat," he added.
When asked what is the real score between them, Jan quipped: "Kapag nalaman po niya, baka mag-break kami agad bigla, e."
Jan is part of GMA upcoming superhero series "Gagambino" topbilled by Dennis Trillo. He said he will play a gay personal assistant of Katrina Halili.
Manual is known as Pacboy in Startalk as he impersonates Manny Pacquio in the showbiz talkshow's segment "Stalktalk Struck Attack". (JRDB/Sunnex)
