As we adhere to restrictions and strict guidelines during these trying times, most of us find ourselves just fantasizing or daydreaming about the things we used to do and have. Angelica Panganiban talked about these dilemmas with Ivana Alawi, in this episode of “Ask Angelica.”

Even the “Hugot Queen” has her own list of lockdown fantasies. To travel is number one. Of course, it’s coupled with the wish to have someone to travel with. While waiting for Mr. Right, Angelica hustles hard with a teleserye, online shows, and a movie project with Coco Martin.

Since she’s discussing fantasies, Angelica enlists the help of Ivana, whose “Pantasya ng Bayan” tag will make for a legit problem-solving episode. But first, Angelica and co-hosts Kean Cipriano and Via Antonio got to know the online sensation.

There’s more to Ivana than her sexy figure – and she’s many times talked about this. And as we hear stories about her good deeds, the claims become easier to swallow. Recently, Ivana washed buses as a response to a dare of late vlogger Lloyd Cadena prior to his demise on September 14. Ivana posted the video on YouTube and promised to donate the revenue from the upload. In another act of kindness, Ivana garnered praises after gifting her brother a plot of land where he can build his future home.

Ivana was surprised by the netizens’ reactions. Naturally kind and family-oriented, she thinks it was no big deal. She always puts her family first, thus helping them is just typical of her.

Ivana’s talent and good heart have already vindicated her from unfair assumptions. But if you are still curious about her reason for not wearing a bra, Ivana casually retorted that she’s uncomfortable with using bras at home. She only owns two brassieres. On her bikini photos, Ivana mentioned that she loves to swim and take lots of snapshots.

She also talked about her tattoo – a butterfly image on the nape. She had it inked during a dark phase, thus the butterfly which symbolizes rebirth.

If Ivana is everybody’s fantasy, there are definitely men she fantasizes about. The alluring actress confessed that she has a crush on Korean actor Hyun Bin, and Coco Martin, whom she had the chance to work with in FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano as her director.

In the next segment, the gang tackled love issues from the netizens. The first dilemma was from 20-year-old Shannon Madacat, who fantasizes about having a boyfriend despite her parents’ rule on no-relationships-before-graduation. She added that all her siblings played by the book and became successful after finishing their studies. Angelica told Shannon to look at where her siblings’ obedience brought them to. Besides, a man with good intentions will patiently wait. Ivana shared that her mom’s strict dating rules helped her figure out her priorities, adding that Shannon must focus on self-love and education first.

The pandemic has indeed resulted in changes, pressure, and fear. A netizen named Maryden Rubio could relate with the fear of missing out on romantic relationships as she imposed a timeline for her love life. Angelica stressed that such things are beyond our control so there’s no use putting a deadline. At the end of the day, only God knows when we are truly ready. But while waiting, we must continue to pray for our heart’s specific desires.

Lastly, Emma Silva sought Ivana’s advice on building confidence like a true “pantasya ng bayan.” Before she became the public’s fantasy girl, Ivana used to be insecure. Her ex-boyfriends cheating on her and leaving her would ignite more self-doubt. Then, Ivana listened to her mom’s advice on self-love. She embraced her true self, flaws and all, and that’s when she finally built unbreakable confidence.

In the “Video Mo, Tanong Mo” segment, a female netizen reported that she’s bullied for being flat-chested. The ladies agree that small breasts have more advantages. Angelica stressed the importance of focusing on people who matter over the haters. Besides, others will always have something to say. Even Angelica felt insecure growing up with big breasts while Ivana is often bashed for her ‘gifts’ as well.

On the next case about being the cause of a lovers’ quarrel, Angelica’s focal point is choosing one’s battles. She revealed that a guy friend’s girlfriend stole her mobile phone just to check out her messages in a desperate attempt to prove something. While she’s pissed off, she simply chose to ignore the incident. There was another instance when she was in a relationship and she fell in love with another committed guy. Knowing it was wrong, she distanced herself.

Ivana receives death threats from female followers claiming that her sexy photos spark relationship breakups. But she swears that she’s never been a third party. “I’d rather be single kesa mang-agaw,” she said.

The last video was sent in by a netizen who just found out that his lover tied the knot with someone else prior to their reconciliation. While Angelica understands the sentiments of a person deeply in love, she stressed that saying ‘no’ is a sign of self-respect. Ivana asked the confused sender, “Pinaglaban ka ba niya para ipaglaban mo siya?”

Angelica ends the episode by sharing her takeaways about body positivity and self-respect. First, she emphasized that a beautiful soul lasts more than a beautiful face. Then, you cannot build your happiness from other people’s misery. On Ivana’s part, she underscored that it’s better to be single than lose your sense of self-worth in a relationship.  

Catch “Ask Angelica” every Friday at 8 PM on Star Cinema’s social media platforms.