Arzen Rose Dulzura

EXCLUSIVE: Jon Santos is grateful that his husband West Stewart is now cancer-free

Article (news)

Rhea Manila Santos

Push Team

<p>After headlining the show <em>Bawat Bonggang Bagay,</em> the Pride Month offering of local theater company the Sandbox Collective, Jon Santos is getting right back on stage as preparations are underway for the musical<em> Side Show</em> which starts its run in late July. After the Side Show presscon last June 25, Jon shared with <strong>PUSH ABS-CBN</strong> an update about his husband, Italian-American West Stewart, who has been battling multiple health issues and had already undergone several surgeries.</p><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-12" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/C97A7BkzwQ3/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=768&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A12%2C%22os%22%3A186521.29999995232%2C%22ls%22%3A62108%2C%22le%22%3A62335.199999809265%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="723" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-12" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>Jon shared that aside from his family’s health condition and his acting commitments, he and West have decided to make the Philippines their home base. The 59-year-old shared how grateful he is that his husband of almost two decades has now been cleared of cancer.</p><p>“I will be spending more and more time in the Philippines definitely because very successful yung mga surgeries ni West, for heart, for cancer. He’s cancer-free and actually doing well so there will be less trips to America and this is just for follow up. And I have his blessing to continue exploring theater pieces. And if life is in Makati and in the province so a little less time in airports and other countries,” he told <strong>PUSH ABS-CBN</strong>. </p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-10" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/C4AeduEv8fo/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=768&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A10%2C%22os%22%3A166513.79999995232%2C%22ls%22%3A62108%2C%22le%22%3A62335.199999809265%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="721" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-10" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-8" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTEJSvehgrU/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=768&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A8%2C%22os%22%3A148455.59999990463%2C%22ls%22%3A62108%2C%22le%22%3A62335.199999809265%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="719" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-8" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>With back to back projects on stage, Jon said he has managed to strike a healthy balance in his personal and professional life with the help of his colleagues in theater.</p><p>“Before, I would focus on the headwind pulling me back. Now, I learned to recognize and trust that there are tailwinds pushing me forward, a fantastic little tribe of family and friends. You get reminded na hindi ka nag-iisa. Nagkataon pa, in the work place, the <em>Bonggang Bagay</em> tribe and in the <em>Side Show</em> tribe, you are surrounded by mental health advocates. They are mental health advocates who value the actors’ wellness above all else. So alam mo yung tired but happy? I’m very tired. A lot of them are very tired. I don’t know 1.5 of the choreography these young kids have to do and it’s amazing. You really have to see it. Nasa setting pa kami ng circus,” he explained. </p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-6" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/C6Y8UQ0uwGn/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=768&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A6%2C%22os%22%3A130107.59999990463%2C%22ls%22%3A62108%2C%22le%22%3A62335.199999809265%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="556" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-6" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/2017/2/11/fresh-scoops/exclusive-jon-santos-shares-the-secret-to-his-last-54559"><strong><u>READ: EXCLUSIVE: Jon Santos shares the secret to his lasting marriage</u></strong></a></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-4" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/CyhISoxOzjC/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=768&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A4%2C%22os%22%3A93745.09999990463%2C%22ls%22%3A62108%2C%22le%22%3A62335.199999809265%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="716" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-4" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-2" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/BO2jAQ_hBKf/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=768&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A76450.39999985695%2C%22ls%22%3A62108%2C%22le%22%3A62335.199999809265%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="719" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-2" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/BMFj5lbBBWu/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=768&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A62446%2C%22ls%22%3A62108%2C%22le%22%3A62335.199999809265%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="719" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>Jon and West were married in a civil wedding ceremony in Toronto, Canada in 2005. In a previous interview with <strong>PUSH ABS-CBN</strong>. Jon revealed the secret to his lasting marriage with West. The couple will also be celebrating their 20th anniversary this August.</p><p>“Respect. Love and respect and separate bathrooms (laughs). No one will wait in the bathroom. Honestly, laughter really. From day one in fact we agreed that there should always be laughter. If you give up on that, life will be more stressful. Laughter really is one of the secret weapons.”</p><p>Way before his husband became a retiree, Jon admitted he was thankful that West understood the nature of his work which made their relationship even more dynamic.</p><p>“Nasanay na ang asawa ko na we work on holidays. Nung panahon ng noontime show television days, there was always work on New Year’s day and Christmas Day and it was a working day for us. So over the years, West and I have figured out na we belong to the audience on these holidays and it is to be shared with them. After all the other 364 days of the year is still Valentine’s. It’s always Valentine’s,” he added. </p>

<p>'Side Show the Musical' star Jon Santos talks about how he is able to work with the help of his supportive colleagues in theater despite the health challenges in his family.</p>

'Side Show the Musical' star Jon Santos talks about how he is able to work with the help of his supportive colleagues in theater despite the health challenges in his family.