Dingdong Dantes talks about 'DOTS Ph's lock-in shoot and the struggles that come with it

Staying committed to his job as an artist, Dingdong Dantes continued taping for Descendants of the Sun as the world transitions to the so-called new normal amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his Instagram account today, September 7, the Kapuso Primetime King got real about the struggles he and his co-stars, and the production staff and crew are experiencing as they participate in a closed group procedure where they wouldn't go home until they finish shooting all the required scenes as a safety measure.

"We are at Day 7 of our lock-in shoot here in Rizal to finish Descendants of the Sun PH. The initial few days of the shoot was challenging because we were all adjusting to the new protocols," Dingdong, who plays the lead male role of Captain Lucas or Big Boss in the Kapuso series, shared.

"Pero bonus talaga that the team has already established a good and smooth working relationship, kaya naging mas madali ang adjustment," he continued, adding that they easily adapted to the new normal of taping.

As someone who juggles between being an actor, family man, entrepreneur, and chairperson, one challenge that Dingdong has to deal with is the poor mobile reception as they are staying in a remote area in the mountainous province of Rizal to distance themselves from the crowd.

The 40-year-old actor had to search for a place where signal is stable to reconnect with his family while overseeing his soon-to-be-launched delivery app business and attending to his other obligations.

"I had to ride a few kilometers to get some signal within the property. Kahit mahirap ang connection, it's time to check on my family - my wife and kids, who i truly miss; @dingdong.ph,
which has an ongoing dry run; and @aktorph," Dingdong said.

Descendants of the Sun will resume airing before the year ends, after it was suspended last March due to COVID-19 community quarantine.