Oftentimes, it takes tragedy to open our eyes. It’s in the quiet after the storm—after we’ve said our goodbyes, after the hospital rooms have emptied—that we begin to see life with clarity. For actress Janine Gutierrez, that clarity came in waves. Not one, but three, as she mourned the loss of her grandmothers, Pilita Corrales and Nora Aunor, and her uncle, Ricky Davao, all within a span of three weeks.
“Siyempre, malungkot pa rin. Sobrang ano kasi… nagsabay-sabay,” she admitted, holding back tears during the launch of iCare at St. Luke’s Medical Center in BGC. “We lost three family members in three weeks. It’s a testament to how important family really is. I wouldn’t have made it through without their support.”
The timing was still fresh, and emotions were raw. St. Luke’s was the same hospital where her uncle Ricky had been confined in the ICU. “Actually, kinakabahan kami coming here,” Janine revealed. “Parang medyo fresh pa. But I guess, it’s also part of my message. You never really know what’s going to happen. No matter how prepared you think you are, it’s so important to have people to rely on.”
Janine’s message resonated with the room. Grief, after all, spares no one. But what made her story even more compelling was how she chose to respond: not with withdrawal, but with purpose.
On April 9, 2025, during Araw ng Kagitingan, ten orange-sailed paraws floated across the waters of Boracay. It was a stunning sight—so stunning that many onlookers thought it was a proposal between Janine and her real-life partner, actor Jericho Rosales.
“People thought we were getting engaged,” she laughed. “But it wasn’t a love story—it was a life story.”
That moment marked the beginning of Janine’s new role as brand ambassador for iCare, one of the most trusted and affordable HMOs in the country. And as poetic as the visual may have seemed, the partnership was born not out of glamour, but of alignment—of shared values, and a shared mission to say yes to better health.
“I guess that’s really my message to the public,” she said. “You should really take care of your health and live life to the fullest. Always find the best partner. At the end of the day, it’s really the people around you who can lift you up in times of need.”
Why She Said Yes
Janine’s decision wasn’t a business move. It was personal—deeply so. Years before becoming a household name, Janine said she entered showbiz to help someone who raised her.
“I don’t usually talk about it,” she admitted, “but I entered showbiz to help my second mom, my yaya since birth. She had cancer, and I saw firsthand the stress—not just from the illness but also the medical bills.”
That experience shaped how she viewed healthcare. Today, Janine makes sure her entire family, including her siblings, has HMO coverage. “Every year, HMO is part of my budget. Even when you take care of yourself, things can still happen unexpectedly.”
It’s a lesson she’s seen echoed again and again—especially in the entertainment industry.
“Nakita ko sa ibang tao, especially in showbiz, na tuloy tuloy lang sa work kahit may karamdaman ka,” she said. “Everybody is more health-conscious now, especially after the pandemic. It’s important that we take care of our health.”
The iCare Connection
For iCare President and CEO Geronimo “Ronnie” Francisco, Janine was the perfect choice to amplify their message. “At iCare, we don’t just offer health plans. We build safety nets,” he said. “We create solutions for families, freelancers, businesses—for people who are often left behind by traditional models.”
“She is a voice of purpose, and we are honored to have her amplify our message,” Francisco added.
Carol Dominguez, iCare board member and sister of the late talent manager Leo Dominguez—who managed Janine and was also an iCare member—described the partnership as something “deeply personal.”
“My brother, Leo, was a man of unwavering principles. He believed in artists with soul—people who had something to say, who led with substance, and who made their craft matter. Janine was one of those artists,” Carol said.
Leo’s final days as an iCare member helped redefine the brand’s mission: to show up for people during life’s most meaningful transitions.
“Thank you for leading with heart. For standing by our family when we needed it most,” Carol told the iCare team. “And to Janine… you’re not just a brand ambassador. You’re part of a legacy. One that believes in meaning over marketing. People over personas. Purpose over everything.”
The Health Crisis We Don’t Talk About
During her speech, Janine also touched on one of the most painful realities of Philippine healthcare: the burden of cost.
“I’ve visited loved ones in the hospital who, instead of focusing on their recovery, were focused on how they could pay the bills,” she said. “It doesn’t help because your mental health is as important as your physical health.”
She believes that having peace of mind starts with having a reliable health partner. “If I do have a question in mind about my health or, God forbid, may aksidente sa set or anything, hindi ako mag-aalala sa babayarin ko. I can just focus on getting better.”
And that, she emphasized, is what makes iCare different.
“Healthcare is more than just coverage,” Janine said. “It’s about innovation, care, and accessibility. iCare is committed to making quality healthcare more accessible and tailored to the needs of every Filipino.”
That includes their growing suite of services: a user-friendly app, a newly launched telemedicine platform called Telemed7, e-commerce features, and partnerships with the country’s most trusted providers.
The results speak for themselves. In Q1 2025, iCare reported a 210.89% jump in net income, with P104.3 million—placing it among the Top 5 HMOs in the country.
Finding the Strength to Move Forward
Despite her packed schedule—she’s currently filming The Accused with Jericho Rosales and working on a documentary about her grandmother Pilita Corrales—Janine says she’s learning to heal, one Sunday at a time.
“Before, our Sunday was with Mamita. Every Sunday, we spent it in her house. Now, we’re trying to figure out how to keep that tradition alive,” she said. “Baka ako na lang ang mag-volunteer. Marami lang akong huhugasang pinggan. Pero kaya natin ’yan.”
Her takeaway? Don’t delay the things that matter.
“Lesson learned talaga: if you think of something you want to do, do not procrastinate. Gawin mo na agad. Sign na ’yun ng universe.”
As Janine Gutierrez continues to grieve, grow, and give back, her story becomes more than a celebrity endorsement—it becomes a call to action.
Take care of your health. Listen to your body. And most of all—say yes to better health. Because sometimes, from the hardest goodbyes come the most meaningful beginnings.
