Paul Christian Ocampo

Shamaine Buencamino honors her late daughter Julia on her birthday: ‘She would have been 25 today!’

Article (news)

Rhea Manila Santos

Push Team

<div><em>Content Warning: The following article includes mentions of self-harm and suicide.  </em></div><p>After losing her daughter Julia Buencamino to suicide more than a decade ago, actress Shamaine Buencamino continues to honor her memory through their mental health advocacy called The Julia Buencamino Project which they launched in 2026 and also by fondly remembering the late teen actress online. Last December 5, Shamaine shared a photo of her daughter playing her first lead role in theater on what would have been her 25th birthday.</p><p>In her Instagram post, Shamaine wrote, “She would have been 25 today! This is Julia as Tracy Turnblad in <em>Hairspray</em>. Her last role on stage. She was a natural! She always performed with such joy and confidence.I love you my baby. I will always miss you. May your soul rest in peace.”</p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-5" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DR3rMS2j22a/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=607&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A5%2C%22os%22%3A2112350.600000143%2C%22ls%22%3A115047.40000009537%2C%22le%22%3A115431.70000004768%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="927" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-5" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17651892908011.png" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div><em>Photo credits to @hoolianabanana on Instagram</em></div><div><br/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17651893246612.png" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div><em>Photo credits to @hoolianabanana on Instagram</em></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/2021/12/8/fresh-scoops/shamaine-and-nonie-buencamino-remember-daughter-ju-197308" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: Shamaine and Nonie Buencamino remember daughter Julia on her birthday: ‘My grief is proof of my love’</strong></a></div><p>Before her passing, Julia was part of the cast of the popular ABS-CBN teen drama series <em>Oh My G!</em> which also starred Janella Salvador and Marlo Mortel. In the show, Julia played the role of Aimee Chua.</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17651893413613.png" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div><em>Photo credits to @hoolianabanana on Instagram</em></div><div><br/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17651893576214.png" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div><em>Photo credits to @hoolianabanana on Instagram</em></div><div><br/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17651893722795.png" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div><em>Photo credits to @hoolianabanana on Instagram</em></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/2020/11/6/fresh-scoops/shamaine-buencamino-remembers-late-daughter-julia-189534" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: Shamaine Buencamino remembers late daughter Julia, calls for end to mental health stigma</strong></a></div><p>Through her advocacy with her husband Nonie Buencamino, The Julia Buencamino Project continues to help children suffering from mental illness and promote mental health awareness.</p><p>Last year, Shamaine shared with ABS-CBN in a previous interview how she took to art journaling as a way to connect with her late daughter. Talking about one of her art pieces called &quot;To Have Faith is to Have Wings,&quot; Shamaine shared how she used sheets and pages of a book that her late daughter Julia used to read entitled &quot;Where Your Wings Were.”</p><p>“When she died, she left some brushes so ‘yun ‘yung ginagamit ko nung nag-start ako during the pandemic. So I always felt that I was connecting to her every time I do it. I wanted to introduce or make ‘art journaling’ accessible and popular to those who suffer mental issues, to calm yourself, meditate, nakaka-relax kasi eh,” she explained.</p><p>She continued, “During the pandemic we did it online, we gave free ‘art journaling’ classes. That’s my first step, to write on an empty canvas. Whatever you want to say, whatever you’re feeling at the moment. Then hopefully, from playing with that and the colors, the form comes out. It makes me happy. Allows me to listen to my thoughts. The art journaling is a very spiritual thing for me. I often forget to pray, but the journaling part of it is talking to God.”</p><p>* If you or a loved one is in need of help, contact the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) crisis hotline nationwide at 1553 or 1800-1888-1553; via Smart/TNT at 0919-057-1553; and via Globe/TM at 0917 899-8727.</p>

<p>Shamaine Buencamino shares one of her fondest memories of her late daughter, former Oh My G! actress Julia Buencamino, on what would have been her 25th birthday last December 5.</p>

Shamaine Buencamino shares one of her fondest memories of her late daughter, former Oh My G! actress Julia Buencamino, on what would have been her 25th birthday last December 5.