Before she entered Kuya’s house, Lou Yanong started as a kiddie model at the age of 7. Her sisters thought it was the best way to overcome her boyish nature then. Thanks to their persuasion, Lou found the perfect path for her.
Lou, a young soul up for adventures, joined Pinoy Big Brother without any expectations. She simply loved the setup and the idea of exploring her social circle, just wanting to see what’s outside the modelling world. With an observant attitude and a penchant for reading other people, she thought PBB was a good way to explore.
Fans secured Lou’s stay inside the house longer than she expected. That was a turning point where she thought, “Kailangan kong lumaban.” More than the BIG 4 finish, Lou left the house with fruitful lessons about life and a character sharpened by the weekly tasks. She became loaded with patience, perseverance, respect for others, self-love, and humility.
Her romance with housemate Andre Brouillete added color to the PBB life. It’s been an eventful one and a half year for LouDre. Just like any other couple, they get into petty fights mostly sparked by jealousy. At the same time, they trust each other and they’ve both come out stronger yet malleable enough to have space for learning.
“Hindi pa full force kasi marami pa kaming pwedeng matutunan. Pero the trust is there. We had a long talk about our relationship and about how we can’t let fights turn into a big deal. Kasi hindi namin lagi nakikita ang isa’t isa. Wala doon ‘yung love language na touch, quality time, and acts of service kasi nga LDR,” shared Lou.
The Kapamilya artist used to dwell on the consequences of a long-distance relationship. But, surprisingly, she now experiences the dreaded relationship setup. There’s no room for complaining. Lou just wants to make sure this works out for the both of them.
There are cultural differences as well. The key, according to Lou, is compromise. They both make an effort to adjust to each other’s needs and wants.
Lou still hasn’t been used to the public attention, and most especially the bashing. Naturally opinionated, she makes an effort to watch her words and actions, knowing that people are looking up to her. She has the precious power to influence others. At the same time, the public will always have something to say. There are weaker days of course. Yet, she motivates herself harder on the days when she feels like giving up.
In times of hurt, Lou draws her strength from Andre and her family. Above all, she holds on to her faith as the most potent weapon. When the noise becomes overwhelming, Lou simply listens to her favorite worship songs.
Lou would like people to see her as someone real and comfortable in her own skin. “It’s good to change for the better pero not everything. Hindi ko iche-change’ yung sarili ko para lang magustuhan lang ako ng tao. What you see is what you get,” she stressed.
Giving up is never an option for this strong survivor. Her goals and purpose are clear, thus she’d remain unbothered whatever she encounters along the way because she believes that even mistakes have a purpose to serve.