Ivana Alawi has officially departed from her role as Bubbles in “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo,” expressing gratitude towards her co-stars, the production team, and leading man Coco Martin. Her exit comes amidst rumors of alleged behavioral issues.
In an Instagram post on July 30, Alawi revealed her initial hesitations about taking on the role but overcame them due to the support from the show’s creative team, including Martin. “When ‘Batang Quiapo’ was first offered to me, I had a huge question at that time. Why me? Can I do this? Do I deserve this? But I carried ABS-CBN’s trust in me, especially Tita Cory and Direk Coco, and through prayers, I accepted it wholeheartedly. And I’m very proud of this show,” she shared.
Alawi extended her thanks to Martin, her fellow actors, and the entire technical and production staff for their support and care throughout her time on the show. “From Direk Coco, all the actors I’ve worked with, technical staff, production staff, and the utilities, thank you for taking care of me. And now my chapter with ‘Batang Quiapo’ has ended, I’ll carry everything that I had learned,” she said.
She also expressed heartfelt gratitude to her fans for their unwavering support. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you very much to all of you. To your nonstop support toward me every night and for loving Bubbles. Thank you very much and I hope you will continue to support ‘Batang Quiapo.’ Until next time, Bubbles signing off.”
Alawi’s character met her demise in the July 29 episode, shot by David (McCoy de Leon), the half-brother of Martin’s character, Jesus Dimaguiba.
Speculation about Alawi’s departure began earlier this month, with rumors suggesting issues with her behavior on set. These claims were promptly denied by her talent manager Perry Lansigan and talent agency Star Magic.