As we rest and remember the sacrifices of Jesus this Holy Week, let us also reflect on how we can use his hardships as a lesson to do good with the gift that is our lives. Let’s admit, we can’t always wait for blessings and good things. After all, they are called “fruits of labor” for a reason because our efforts and sacrifices will bloom into something great eventually. 

For a token of inspiration, our fellow Kapamilyas have their own stories of sacrifices and hardships which they shared on Magandang Buhay. The stories are not only filled with heartfelt moments, there are also some wonderful gems of advice on how to go through life. Find out about them in this special feature.

 

Mommy Pinty’s sacrifices for Toni and Alex Gonzaga

 

We all know Mommy Pinty as the very hands-on manager and mother of Toni and Alex Gonzaga, but all the challenges it took to make her daughters that success they are now were tremendous. 

Toni looked back on the time when they were starting out as artists and remembered the amazing support their mother had, “Bukod sa siya ang nagbigay ng buhay naming dalawa, siya ang unang-unang tao naniwala sa amin.”

Apparently, nobody wanted to manage them at that time but since Mommy Pinty believed in her daughters’ dreams, she risked quitting her day job and became their full-time manager. With little to no idea of the entertainment industry but a lot of knowledge on managing finances, Mommy Pinty worked hard for her beloved children.

“Nag-quit siya ng trabaho niya from being a boss to our PA, driver, to being our manager. Gano’n ko nakita ‘yung klase ng nanay na meron kami… Ginive up niya ‘yung sarili niyang dreams para sa dream naming kapatid,” Toni continues to share and she and Alex couldn’t help but tear up with their deep appreciation for their mother. 

 

Rabiya Mateo’s difficult years in the past

 

Model and beauty queen Rabiya Mateo may be living a dream come true life, but that’s because she went through a lot to make it happen. 

Before she got into the business, she was living a difficult life in Iloilo where sometimes they wouldn’t even have electricity for days. As Momshie Karla commended her for how far she has come from those moments, she asked the Miss Universe Philippines 2020 title-holder where she got her grit. 

Rabiya credited it all to mother who always looked on the bright side and fought to give the best for their family. She even recalls, “’Yung mama ko, kahit wala kaming pera, sinasabi niya, ‘Ok lang kakayanin ko ‘yan! Mahal ko ‘yung anak ko, gusto ko talaga ‘yung best future para sa kanya’” 

Because of the hardships their family experienced and her mother’s powerful words, Rabiya is the strong, risk-taking woman she is today. 

 

Nash Aguas’ family struggles

 

We have known Nash Aguas for several years because we’ve seen him on TV since his Goin’ Bulilit days yet few of us know what goes on behind the screen. During his guest appearance on the talk show, he opened up about his parent’s separation when he was younger. 

It was devastating for a child, but he said, “Nung nag-aaway sila, sinasabi ko pa na ‘Kaya natin ayusin. Ayusin natin.’ Pinipilit ko kumbaga po. Na-realize ko, parang unfair sa kanila kung i-pilit ko so until unti-unti natanggap ko po.” 

The Magandang Buhay hosts sympathized with Nash and asked how he coped with such challenges. He cited the role of faith and his family’s, most especially his Lola Carmen’s, guidance. 

 

Hardships of Jeremy Glinoga’s mother and family

 

The Voice Teens alum Jeremy Glinoga lived in America before moving here to the Philippines. Many may think that he was living the American dream, but he and his family went through some trying times.

His grandmother got diagnosed with dementia so his mother had to resign from her job and take care of her kids and family full-time. Since this meant that they only had to rely on their father’s income, it was a drastic economic change and struggle to pay bills. 

Jeremy, his mother, and their family had to make ends meet by doing what they could to help, such as selling their things and sacrificing their wants. Though one thing Jeremy’s mother couldn’t sacrifice was her children’s dreams so she really gave everything to ensure that Jeremy would be able to pursue his passion for music and supported him in every venture. 

 

The sacrifices of Vina Morales’ family

 

Veteran actress and singer Vina Morales has been in show business a long time now but she never forgets how grateful she is to her family, “Kung hindi sa kanila, hindi maaabot ang pangarap ko.”

Despite their comfortable life in Cebu where they have a nice house and a decent business, her parents decided to leave all that and move to Manila for Vina’s dreams to be an artist. As she looks back now, she is grateful for the success she has achieved because she can give back to her family for all their sacrifices and make a positive change in their lives. 

 

Sacrifices Ruffa Gutierrez made as a mom 

 

When we see the lavish and fabulous life of the former beauty queen and actress Ruffa Gutierrez, we sometimes forget to see the hardships she had gone through to get there. Even now when her family is living a good life, she is still making sacrifices of her own for her daughters.  

“Kailangan talaga mag-sacrifice para sa pag-aaral ng mga anak natin,” Ruffa shares, claiming how she wants the best education for her daughter but to have that, the tuition and other fees will be costly. So since Ruffa is a single working mom, she had to cut back on her usual luxuries to ensure that she could save for her daughters’ education. 

These sacrifices are all worth it for Ruffa because her daughter Lorin expresses her incredible admiration and appreciation for her mother, “I know how much she had to go through, but everyday, she’s still the happiest, the most bubbly, most enthusiastic person I know.”

 

Kylie Versoza’s struggle with depression

 

Stunning Miss International 2016 Kylie Versoza doesn’t always have the bright and sunny life we see on social media. She once struggled with a case of depression in her early 20s that lasted for months. 

In retrospect, Kylie feels that the cause of her emptiness was an accumulation of her problems, “I was very young. So I was in the middle of, ‘Ano ba purpose ko dito? Masaya ba ako sa trabaho ko?’ Ang dami kong kine-kwestyon sa sarili ko yung ‘Gusto ko ba ‘yung line of work ko? ‘Yung trabaho ko? My purpose in life?’”

To get through the darkness, the model-actress shared that the first step was recognizing she had a problem, a disease, and had to seek professional help. From there, she was able to see that she wasn’t alone and she found comfort in her close family and friends. The medical help also enabled her to be more aware of her triggers, manage her disease better before things get worse, and live a beautiful and happy life. 

 

Melai Cantiveros’ pregnancy struggle

 

Magandang Buhay host Melai Cantiveros also experienced her own heartbreaking struggles. At the height of her career, she found out that she was pregnant. She was ecstatic to find out and hear the baby’s heartbeat, yet was also quite anxious because she is working full-time and was worried for the baby’s health. When she bled mid-pregnancy, her fears were confirmed as they found that there was a problem with the growth of the placenta. Fortunately, they were able to catch it soon and safely give birth to her adorable baby. 

Watch the videos to know more about the touching stories of celebrities who faced difficulties in life while making incredible sacrifices for their loved ones.