3 PH artists forced to cancel concert in Israel, return to Manila

GMA Network artists Julie Anne San Jose, Rayver Cruz, and Boobay are currently en route to the Philippines after being forced to stay in shelters in Israel after a government-imposed lockdown caused by a surprise attack from Hamas forces in the country's north over the weekend.

As a result, the «Luv Trip Na, Laff Trip Pa» concert featuring the trio, originally scheduled for October 7 at the Smolarz Auditorium at Tel Aviv University, had to be canceled.

In an Instagram post, GMA's talent management arm, Sparkle, issued a special advisory stating that San Jose, Cruz, Boobay, and the rest of the Filipino concert organizers were all safe despite the ongoing conflict.

They wrote, «In light of the recent reports we have received from Tel Aviv, Sparkle's management would like to announce that Julie Anne San Jose, Rayver Cruz, Boobay, and the Sparkle Team, who are currently in Israel for a concert, are all safe.»

«The show has already been canceled, and the entire GMA team will depart for Manila as planned. We thank everyone for their well wishes as we pray for their continued safety and protection,» they added.

Before the concert's cancellation, San Jose and Cruz shared photos of themselves enjoying the sights of Tel Aviv and its many locations of religious significance.

Part of their itinerary included visits to museums, the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River, and the Dead Sea, where they took photos of themselves floating due to the water's high concentration of dissolved salt.

Organizers stated that a new date for the concert would be announced once the situation in Israel stabilizes.

In a Facebook post by one of the production members named Maris Gonsalez on Sunday, Cruz, San Jose, and Boobay were safely escorted to the airport in Israel on their way back to the Philippines.

In a video, San Jose said in Filipino, «To all our fellow countrymen here in Israel, we hope you're all okay. We are praying for your safety and the safety of your families and friends. We're sorry the show didn't push through.»

«Of course, safety comes first, not only for us but also for you. But we are looking forward to coming back here. We promise to return to give you a great show and, of course,