‘Filipiñana’ team appeals for support as lead star Jorrybell Agoto battles cancer

Filipiñana team

Just over a week after Filipiñana’ earned the Philippines’ Oscar nod, lead actress Jorrybell Agoto is now in critical care following lung surgery

AT A GLANCE

• Actress Jorrybell Agoto is battling lymphoma and is currently in critical care after lung surgery, prompting the film team of Filipiñana to seek financial support and prayers for her recovery.
• Friends of Agoto have launched an Instagram account called 'Jorrybell Beats It' to help crowdsource funds for her medical expenses, while industry figures express their support and encouragement.
• Agoto's health struggles come shortly after her film Filipiñana was announced as the Philippines' official entry for the 2027 Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category.

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MANILA, Philippines – The team behind the film Filipiñana called for support for actress Jorrybell Agoto as she battles lymphoma, a type of blood cancer that affects the immune system.

On an Instagram post on Thursday, September 24, Filipiñana’s official account sought financial assistance and prayers for Agoto and her family.

“The mounting medical expenses have become overwhelming, and we are asking for your help to give her the strength to keep fighting,” the Filipiñana team wrote. 

Agoto is currently confined at St. Luke’s Hospital and is under critical care after undergoing lung surgery. According to the post, the indie star is relying on a Blake drain to “manage fluid in her lungs and help her breathe.” 

Film Development Council of the Philippines CEO and chairman Joey Javier Reyes also expressed support for Agoto as she recovers in the hospital. 

“Heartbroken. Life can be so unfair,” Reyes wrote in response to Agoto’s confinement. “But who are we to question? In the end, all that happens serves a purpose. In the end, we will understand. We are with you, Jorrybell. You are meant for greater things. Laban lang (Keep fighting).” 

Agoto’s friends have started an Instagram account called “Jorrybell Beats It,” which is dedicated to crowdsourcing funds to help cover her growing medical expenses.

Producer Jane Danting also mentioned in an Instagram post that those who would like to help Agoto can directly message her or her other friends, Chen Mangle-Saez, Camille Lipnica, and Juan Karlos, who have all promised to help the actress attend to other matters as she seeks treatment in the hospital.

“This is a heartbreaking and challenging time for Jorrybell. Her treatment, hospital stay, procedures, medications, and other medical needs continue to bring significant expenses,” Lipnica said. 

Agoto’s medical battle comes just over a week after Filipiñana was announced as the Philippines’ official entry to the 2027 Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category. 

In Rappler’s recent interview with Agoto on the sidelines of the Film Academy of the Philippines’ Oscars announcement, she had expressed deep gratitude to her team and the people who continuously support her in her career.

“Ako po, sobrang saya ko lagi at sobrang suwerte ko sa mga nakaka-work ko, lalo na mga directors (I’m always happy and lucky with the people I work with, especially the directors),” Agoto said.

In the black comedy film directed by Rafael Manuel, Agoto plays 17-year-old Isabel, a tee girl at an exclusive golf club in the Philippines. It offers a critique of the country’s class divide. 

The 2020 short film version of Filipiñana was only Agoto’s second short film project since she started acting in 2019. She then reprised the same role for the 2026 feature-length adaptation.

Her career breakthrough in 2023 included significant roles as complex characters under working-class narratives, showcasing her ability to portray political themes. 

She also starred in other feature films such as When This Is All Over by Kevin Mayuga, Tether by Gian Arre, and Sam Manacsa’s labor drama Cross My Heart and Hope to Die where she earned her Best Actress award at the 2024 Tokyo Film Festival. – Angel Camille Dio/Rappler.com

Angel Camille Dio is a Rappler intern studying BA Journalism at Polytechnic University of the Philippines.