The “Filipiñana” star remains in critical condition at St. Luke’s Medical Center as her family struggles to cover mounting medical expenses.
Stephanie Mayo··2 MIN READ
ALL PHOTOS: Jed Agoto/Facebook
Actress Jorrybell Agoto, who stars in “Filipiñana,” the Philippines’ official entry for the upcoming Academy Awards, remains in critical condition at St. Luke’s Medical Center due to lymphoma, according to a public appeal for financial assistance posted by her brother, Jed, on Friday, 23 October.
In his latest social media update, Jed said his sister had been returned to the hospital’s Critical Care Unit (CCU) for closer monitoring after her blood pressure dropped significantly and her heart rate reached 170 beats per minute.
Agoto also underwent a procedure to insert bilateral Blake drains to remove fluid from both lungs. Her brother said doctors had also found three tumors in her left lung.
Due to the severity of her pain, her doctors decided to intubate her to allow her body to rest, according to Jed’s post.
The family is appealing to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Sen. Imee Marcos and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Sandro Marcos for assistance, noting that Agoto and the Marcoses are all from Sarrat, Ilocos Norte.
Jed said the family was struggling to cover the mounting expenses for his sister’s CCU stay, medical procedures and medications. Agoto is the family’s breadwinner, while their parents are senior citizens, he added.
The family is accepting financial donations through Agoto’s GoTyme Bank and GCash accounts, as well as a GoFundMe campaign.
Jed also urged the public to share the appeal and include his sister in their prayers as the family continues to hope for her recovery.
Filipiñana, directed by Rafael Manuel, was selected as the Philippines’ official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards.
Jorrybell Agoto began her acting career in 2019, initially appearing in short films, including The Slums and the 2020 short film Filipiñana, in which she played Isabel.
Her film credits include When This Is All Over and Tether, both screened at Cinemalaya in 2023, and Cross My Heart and Hope to Die, which earned her the Best Actress award at the 2024 Tokyo Film Festival.
Her other credits include Sisa, P77, Haplos sa Hangin, and Bar Boys: After School. She reprised her role as Isabel in Rafael Manuel’s feature-length Filipiñana, which premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival and was selected as the Philippines’ entry for the 99th Academy Awards.
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