Allyzza Kay Trinidad

Let's look into the real-life lessons from Charo Santos' nostalgic and candid ‘Story Time’ videos!

Article (news)

Liezel Dela Cruz

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1748198115249real-life-lessons-from-Charo-Santos-nostalgic-and-candid-Story-Time-video-.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>Charo Santos, the host of the country&#x27;s longest-running drama anthology “<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/maalaala-mo-kaya" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u><em>Maalaala Mo Kaya (MMK)</em></u></strong></a>,” has always had a gift for storytelling. And lucky for her followers, she&#x27;s been bringing that gift to a more accessible space—her Instagram Reels.</p><p>In her Story Time videos, Charo opens up about real-life events from her past, offering glimpses into the experiences that shaped her both on and off screen. From heartbreaking moments to career challenges and quiet realizations, each story is told with the grace and wisdom she&#x27;s long been admired for. And what makes these stories truly special are the life lessons tucked in between.</p><p>Here are some of the best “Story Time” videos the icon has shared so far.</p><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJ3-W4wT_PH/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=675&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A3846824%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" 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><p>In one of those reels, Charo opened up about a memory from the 1970s that nearly changed the course of her career. She recalled traveling from Calapan, Oriental Mindoro to Manila with her mother for what was supposed to be her first television appearance. It was Rikki Jimenez, the man who discovered her, who had invited her to appear on Channel 13&#x27;s “Seeing Stars with Joe Quirino,” where she was simply meant to walk down the ramp.</p><p>But the moment she stepped into the dressing room and saw the other girls—confident, city-bred models who spoke fluent English—Charo was immediately overcome with insecurity. She felt so out of place that she broke down in tears inside the comfort room. &quot;Naku itong probinsyanang ito biglang na-insecure. Kinabahan ako. I felt so out of place na ayaw ko nang gawin,&quot; she narrated.</p><p>Noticing her hesitation, Rikki approached her mother and asked what was going on, pointing out how far they had traveled only for her to end up crying in the studio.</p><p>And then, two of the models walked up to her and asked why she was crying. When she admitted she was nervous and wanted to quit, the girls reassured her, &quot;[Sabi nila], &#x27;Charo naman, maglalakad ka lang. It&#x27;s okay. This will not kill you. You will not die.&#x27;&quot; And that was all she needed. She took a deep breath, wiped away her tears, and, with renewed confidence, walked down the ramp.</p><p><strong>Our takeaway: </strong>Sometimes, it only takes one small gesture, even one act of compassion from a stranger, to help us gather the strength we didn’t know we had. In Charo&#x27;s case, it was a few words of reassurance that helped her push past the fear and self-doubt. It’s a reminder that while fear can be overwhelming, kindness can be powerful enough to silence it.</p><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-1" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJB5qJ0TLUs/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=675&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A3846831.600000024%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-1" 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><p>In another Story Time video, Charo recalled a childhood memory that, while a little chaotic, left a lesson that stayed with her for life. It happened during one of their summer vacations when her family returned home to Calapan, Oriental Mindoro from Manila. As they arrived at the pier, the usual crowd of porters rushed toward the ship, eager to grab passengers’ luggage and earn tips. Her father had gone off to the baggage compartment to retrieve their things, while she and her four sisters and one brother stayed in one spot. They slowly became overwhelmed by the pushing and shoving from the crowd of workers.</p><p>Feeling scared and physically cornered, they shouted for their father, who was too far to reach them quickly but could hear their cries. &quot;Natakot kami at sumigaw kami, &#x27;Dad, natatakot kami dito, sinisiksik kami.&#x27; Eh, &#x27;yung tatay ko, nandu&#x27;n sa bag compartment, malayo sa amin. Sumigaw talaga siya, &#x27;Suntukin n&#x27;yo!&#x27;&quot;</p><p>And while no punches were actually thrown that day, that moment carved itself into Charo’s memory. Later that evening, as they sat down for dinner, their father asked the girls to stay a little longer at the table and explained the lesson behind his reaction. &quot;Sinabi niya, &#x27;Alam n&#x27;yo, mga babae kayo, and I will not always be around. You have to learn to fend for yourselves.&#x27;&quot; And this incident helped shape Charo into the strong, independent, and self-reliant woman she is today.</p><p><strong>Our takeaway: </strong>The world won’t always be gentle, and in those moments, you can’t always wait for someone to protect you. There are situations where you have to defend your space and make yourself heard, even if your voice shakes. &quot;Sometimes life throws punches—sometimes you throw back,&quot; as Charo wrote in the caption.</p><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-3" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJT7Qd7h_T8/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=675&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A3%2C%22os%22%3A3865582.7000000477%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-3" 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><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><p>There&#x27;s also a Story Time reel where Charo took her followers back to her days as a young beauty queen. It was 1976, and she was just 20 years old and a fresh college graduate when a friend encouraged her to join the “Baron Travel Girl” pageant. She did, partly because it didn’t require contestants to wear swimsuits. After getting the green light from her parents, she joined the pre-pageant activities and eventually made it all the way to coronation night.</p><p>Naturally, she wanted to look her best. Before the event, she had her hair and makeup done at a nearby salon. Well, she ended up standing out, but maybe a little too much. With her full-on beehive hairstyle and glam look, she arrived at the venue only to be met with panic from one of the organizers. &quot;Naloka! [Sabi niya] &#x27;Hay Charo, ano ba &#x27;yang itsura mo?&#x27; Talagang full-blown beehive hairstyle, while the other contestants looked very natural. Na-tense &#x27;yung contest organizer, talagang binrush down &#x27;yung hair ko,&quot; she reminisced.</p><p>Still, she didn’t let that rattle her. Instead of shrinking back in embarrassment, she kept her composure and reminded herself why she was there. She kept her eye on the prize. &quot;Chill lang ako, hindi nawalan ng pag-asa,&quot; she looked back. &quot;I showed up on stage with confidence at sinabi kong, &#x27;Nandito na ako sa laban na &#x27;to, I will give it my best shot.&#x27;&quot;</p><p><strong>Our takeaway: </strong>Setbacks will always find their way into moments that matter. But how we respond to them makes all the difference.</p><p>Kapamilya, what other lessons did you pick up from Charo’s nostalgic and candid stories?</p>

<p>These nostalgic and candid stories from Charo Santos might just change how you see life!</p>

These nostalgic and candid stories from Charo Santos might just change how you see life!