Twelve years after the historical film ‘Lakambini’ was first announced, actor Paulo Avelino finally set the record straight: he’s no longer part of the project.
On May 9, Paulo reacted to a fan’s now-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter), which congratulated him for his supposed involvement in the upcoming release of Lakambini, set for November. Paulo reposted the tweet and wrote: “I’m not sure how this surfaced, but for everyone’s information, this movie didn’t push through.”
He later clarified in a follow-up post: “To clarify, it probably is pushing through but I won’t be part of the cast. I wish them all the best.”
The post in question reportedly linked to a teaser poster of ‘Lakambini’ — a long-delayed historical film centered on the life of Gregoria de Jesus, with Lovi Poe as the lead. Paulo had been attached to play Julio Nakpil, the second husband of de Jesus, alongside Rocco Nacino as Andres Bonifacio.
The teaser, which briefly circulated on social media, led many fans to believe that the project was finally pushing through with its original cast. This prompted Paulo’s clarification.
Some fans thanked the actor for speaking up.
Paulo’s mention of a “former agency” being the source of the teaser also raised eyebrows. While he was previously managed by the late Leo Dominguez under LVD Talent Management, it remains unclear if he is still affiliated with the agency, now handled by its remaining team.
Adding to the mix was a certain “Ate Cheryl,” who apologized publicly on X: “We sincerely apologize for the confusion caused by our recent post regarding the movie Lakambini starring Paulo Avelino.”
She reposted Paulo’s statement and added: “Copy po relayed to direk and producers who have been trying to be in touch with you matagal na po. Thanks for the clarifications @mepauloavelino.”
Paulo Avelino Global, a fan group, also issued a statement accepting responsibility for sharing the information too early: “We acknowledge that further clarification and strict counter-checking should have been done prior to posting. We take full responsibility for the oversight…”
Despite the confusion, fans were quick to defend Paulo, emphasizing that the trailer and announcement misled even the most well-meaning supporters.
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Initially planned in 2012 and formally introduced in 2015, ‘Lakambini’ was supposed to commemorate the 140th founding anniversary of the Philippine Commission on Women in 2025. But after years of delays, and with cast changes now confirmed, the fate of the film remains uncertain.
As of today, it’s clear: ‘Lakambini’ may still push through — but not with Paulo Avelino in the cast.
