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Inspiring childhood stories of Kapamilya celebrities as told in Magandang Buhay

Article (news)

Mary Ann Bardinas

<p>As we watched our favorite Kapamilya celebrities, we surely couldn’t help but wonder how their lives used to be and the struggles they had to undergo before getting to where they are at the present.</p><p>Thus, in light of the Lenten season, let’s get to know more about a few of them and be inspired by them by listening to their childhood anecdotes as they personally told during their respective guestings in <strong><u><a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/magandangbuhay"><em>Magandang Buhay</em></a>.</u></strong></p><div> </div><h3><strong>Iza Calzado</strong></h3><div> </div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="587" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XVclGrX6xCo" width="1044"></iframe></div><div> </div><p>Far from her prim and proper image at present, Iza Calzado confessed that she was actually rebellious and “rock n’ roll” in her younger years. In her pursuit of escaping from their family problems, she revealed cutting her classes, not exerting much effort in her academics, and engaging in various gimmicks with her peers.</p><p>However, she emphasized neither being proud of it nor promoting it, especially to the younger generations who are on the same plane as she was. At the same time, she also wished to inspire them that just like her, they, too, can turn their lives around like she did and reminded them to not let their past dictate their future.</p><div> </div><h3><strong>Vice Ganda</strong></h3><div> </div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="587" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fqW8tM6KvRo" width="1044"></iframe></div><div> </div><p>Before being able to deliver laughter and good vibes to the <em>madlang </em>people through his stints as a host in <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/itsshowtime"><em><strong><u>It’s Showtime</u></strong></em></a> and <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/ggv"><em><strong><u>Gandang Gabi Vice</u></strong></em></a>, the Unkabogable Star used to have a not-so happy childhood as his father got murdered when he was still a young boy. This pushed their Momshie Rosario to work abroad and leave them under the care of their grandfather. Instead of getting close to his older siblings since they only had one another that time, they went on to live different lives, with Vice Ganda veering his focus on his studies as he hid his gender from them until he was in college.</p><p>Now, he’s considered as one of the champions of the LGBTQIA+ community for the inspiration he’s been radiating as one of its most successful and influential members.</p><div> </div><h3><strong>Toni Gonzaga</strong></h3><div> </div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="587" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/12pWZyTVu0c" width="1044"></iframe></div><div> </div><p>Despite growing up to strict parents, seasoned host-actress Toni Gonzaga recalled having a normal childhood in Taytay, Rizal. She used to play outdoors and watched television with her younger sister Alex. She admitted that they both attempted to go against their parents, but they were always reminded by the Bible verse that their Popshie Bonoy instilled to them. Ephesians 6:2-3 – that states “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”</p><p>She also used to get engaged in quarrels with Alex oftentimes, but they’re each other’s number one ally at the same time. The Multimedia Star was not spared from being reprimanded and punished by their daddy, as well, especially that she’s their eldest daughter.</p><div> </div><h3><strong>Nikko Natividad</strong></h3><div> </div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="587" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Oz34og6yZ5g" width="1044"></iframe></div><div> </div><p>He might brandish a sunny disposition as one of the mainstays of <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/itsshowtime"><em><strong><u>It’s Showtime</u></strong></em></a>, but Hashtag member Nikko Natividad used to have a painful and difficult childhood.</p><p>Since their parents’ separation when he was only two years old and his sister was only a baby, they were left in the custody of their paternal kin as their father worked overseas for so many years while their mother already had a new family. In spite of the complicated situation their parents put them in, he admitted neither harboring ill feelings toward them nor bother asking them what happened since their aunts and uncles were able to take good care of them, especially their Aunt Jenny.</p><p>Just when they thought that their life would already be fine, the rift between their dad and Aunt Jenny put them in another tight spot as they were compelled to live with their father and his girlfriend. Their life there was extremely more challenging for he had to work odd jobs in order to support his and his sister needs. But that did not make him hate them because for him, it’s the appropriate thing to do.</p><div> </div><h3><strong>Pokwang</strong></h3><div> </div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="587" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xOX4hZ6QjKg" width="1044"></iframe></div><div> </div><p>As they looked backed to the <em>estudyante </em>days of Pokwang, momshie-hosts Karla Estrada and Melai Cantiveros brought her back to her elementary school in Antipolo City. She reminisced her funny shenanigans whenever she and her siblings had no <em>baon</em> and during their graduation.</p><div> </div><p>She almost wasn’t able to further pursue her education due to poverty, but thanks to one of her teachers, she was able to make her ambition come true. Pokwang was able to support her studies by working as a part-time babysitter to the kids of her teacher’s sibling.</p><div> </div><h3><strong>Kakai Bautista</strong></h3><div> </div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="587" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xPf7ONw-DvE" width="1044"></iframe></div><div> </div><p>Before she’s able to make us laugh with her comedic prowess, Kakai Bautista used to have a difficult life in her younger years. She grew up under the care of their grandmomshie in Laguna since her parents were both working. But their family income wasn’t still enough to support their studies, thus, she did her part as the eldest child by selling random stuff in school and joining various extra-curricular activities in order to maintain her high grades whenever she failed to take their exams.</p><p>Another challenge that their family went through was when their house in Laguna got destroyed by a devastating typhoon, which compelled them to ask their neighbors to let them study and iron their clothes since their electricity got cut down.</p><p>She further displayed her being <em>madiskarte </em>in college by making use of her writing skills and intelligence as she did her schoolmates’ academic requirements in exchange of food or money.</p><div> </div><h3><strong>Ms. Gina Lopez</strong></h3><div> </div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="587" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CS6Fg-OhJOo" width="1044"></iframe></div><div> </div><p>Despite being a scion of one of most affluent families in the country who owns the leading broadcast network ABS-CBN, the late Gina Lopez recalled living with no rules growing up. Their dad Eugenio “Geny” Lopez Jr. wasn’t actually strict nor required them to be prim and proper at all times for he only wanted them to live freely and to maintain good grades. She actually couldn’t recall growing up with rules or she indeed had the time of her life back then.</p><p>And that’s what she’d been applying in raising her two kids, as she believed, “Just let them do what they wanna do. Gano’n dapat ‘di ba? Kasi if you keep on forcing to fit a certain mold, where’s their freedom?</p><p>These celebrities only prove that nothing is indeed impossible as long as we work hard, persevere, and keep our faith burning, and we know how to make sacrifices not only in pursuit of our dreams but of our loved ones as well.</p>

In light of the Lenten Season, let these childhood stories of our Kapamilya celebrities featured in Magandang Buhay inspire you!