After spending a decade with GMA Network, Althea Ablan is closing one chapter of her career with gratitude—and beginning another without any hard feelings.
The 21-year-old actress recently opened up about her departure from the Kapuso network as she officially begins a new journey with Viva Artists Agency (VAA), in partnership with ALV Talent Circuit.
Speaking to members of the entertainment media following her contract signing on Friday, August 7, at Viva Café in Araneta City, Cubao, Quezon City, Althea stressed that she left GMA Network on good terms.
“I left GMA po on very good terms and we don’t burn bridges po,” she said.
For Althea, maintaining good relationships is particularly important in an industry where artists, producers, networks, and production companies frequently find themselves working together again.
“Alam ninyo naman sa industry natin, napakaliit po ng mundo natin kaya mas maganda na we have good relationship with everyone po talaga. Wala pong tampuhan, wala pong naging problema,” she explained.
Why did Althea leave GMA? While there was no conflict behind her departure, Althea admitted that she eventually reached a point where she began questioning what else she could do with her career.
For the former Kapuso actress, leaving the network that had been her professional home since childhood was ultimately about challenging herself and stepping outside what had become familiar.
“Ayun nga sabi ko, darating tayo sa point ng life natin na mapapatanong tayo sa sarili natin na ano pa ba ’yung kaya ko na ibigay?” she shared.
“And I think this is the best time to step out of my comfort zone and explore new things po.”
Althea emphasized that the decision was hers and that she is embracing her next chapter without resentment toward her former network.
“This is my personal choice po, and I’m happy sa choice ko, and I am entering this journey po with an open heart and zero bitterness po,” she said.
Despite moving on, Althea remains grateful to GMA Network for helping build the career she has today.
“Ten years din ako sa network ko before… ten years na sila po ang family ko,” she said. “Sa kanila ako lumaki, sa kanila ako nakilala, at sa kanila ko natututunan ang lahat ng alam ko sa industriya.”
Althea started working with GMA Network in 2015 when she was only 10 years old.
She initially appeared as the younger version of established characters, beginning with ‘Beautiful Strangers’, where she portrayed the young Kristine, played as an adult by Heart Evangelista.
She later appeared in several Kapuso productions, including ‘Magkaibang Mundo’, ‘Encantadia’, and ‘Mulawin vs. Ravena’.
Her career reached a major turning point in 2019 when she landed one of the lead roles in ‘Prima Donnas’ alongside Jillian Ward and Sofia Pablo. The afternoon drama became one of her most recognizable projects and established her as one of GMA Network’s young leading actresses.
After ‘Prima Donnas’, Althea appeared in ‘Happy Together’ and ‘Pepito Manaloto’ before returning to a lead role in ‘AraBella’ in 2023. She later joined ‘Open 24/7’, ‘Forever Young’, and ‘Maka’.
Now 21, Althea wants audiences to see more of what she can do beyond the roles she played while growing up on television. In particular, she hopes to establish herself as a “character actress” and explore more challenging material.
Her move was formally marked by her contract signing with VAA, where she was joined by her manager Arnold Vegafria, VAA President Veronique del Rosario-Corpus, and Viva Communications CEO Vincent del Rosario.
After 10 years as a Kapuso, Althea is not looking at her departure as a rejection of her past. Instead, she sees it as an opportunity to discover what else she can offer as an actress.
And while she may no longer be managed by her longtime Kapuso home, Althea made one thing clear: she left the doors open—with gratitude, good relationships, and, as she put it, “zero bitterness.”
