Marian Rivera talks womanhood—explicitly and boldly.
As we sat down with Marian Rivera for an interview, she made me realize something right off the bat. The way she handles pregnancy made her bloom. Her eyes sparkled with an unfaltering smile throughout the shoot. She made me see how beautiful it was like to have a woman bear a whole life in her womb and still look amazing—if not her best. Now conversing with her was a whole new experience. It was as if she was telling, “strong woman, it’s okay to be weak sometimes.”
After giving birth, Marian has realized what it’s like to be a woman and she admits, it’s hard. “Hindi pala biro maging isang ina,” she tells us. She adds that it pays off being a good child to her mother. Becoming a mother has been a challenge for her, especially the first time. “Kumbaga dati asawa mo lang iniisip mo—minsan sarili mo nga hindi pa. ‘Pag may anak ka pala, ‘yun yung magbubuo ng pagkatao mo.” To Marian, pregnancy is a blessing. She doesn’t want to look at it as a sacrifice as if you’re giving something up in exchange of it. To her, it’s a beautiful and magical experience to be able to bring life to the world. Having been an only child, as a child she already decided that when she grows up to become the mother she has always dreamt about, she would want to bear more than one child.
By becoming a wife and a mother, Marian shared that she’s only found more love than she’s ever wished for. “Alam mo, nung nagasawa ako, nagkaanak ako, at ngayon na buntis ulit ako, isa lang sinasabi ko sa sarili ko: mas minamahal ko yung sarili ko ngayon,” Marian shares. To her, the more she loves herself, the more love she can give to the people around her and her family. Marian believes that in taking care of herself, people won’t have any reason to disrespect her.
It’s amazing how Marian juggles her life as a TV personality, a wife, and a mother—not to mention a creator and a woman herself. While it seems impossible, Marian Rivera does all these things with the right mindset. “‘Pag gusto mo, ‘pag mahal mo talaga, gagawan mo ng paraan.” Knowing your priority will always help you find the right path to take and what steps to make. As she does all these, there are only a few words to explain where she’s at right now. She’s happy, content, and fulfilled, yet willing to go for more.
