NEW mom Toni Gonzaga says she has yet to hit the sweet spot when it comes to motherhood, but she is thankful she learns things every day—whether from her own mother or from her friends.
Surprisingly, she also learns a lot from the role she portrays in her weekly sitcom Home Sweetie Home on ABS-CBN. In the show, Toni plays Juliet, a typical Pinoy housewife who struggles with everyday issues that comes with married life.
From managing finances, making decisions regarding the household and now raising a child, Toni feels her character Julie mirrors what she and thousands of other moms watching her program go through. “Pero isa sa pinaka-importante na ini-espouse kasi ni Julie is that family will always be first,” Toni says. “Pinoy na Pinoy nga ’yang trait na ’yan, pero with what’s happening and minsan with the influence of others, nakakalimutan na minsan nating mga Pinoy that family should come first.”
Toni as a mom is very hands-on with her baby, Seve, who is now almost 5 months old. She continues to breastfeed him, which she says is more difficult than how it’s usually portrayed in TV and the movies. “Before I leave for work, I would pump for almost two hours para kahit wala ako, may makain siya. But that would last only around lunch time, kaya kahit at work, pump pa din ako and I send it home right away.” Her lifestyle has drastically changed too, as Toni is a sleepyhead. However, with Seve now dominating her life, “Wala na ang tulog! [Laughs] Kahit in the middle of the night, kung magutom si Seve or mag-alburuto, you have to be there for him.”
But Toni says all the hardships is worth it, as motherhood has changed her. She says it has given more meaning to her life and made her stronger in the process. “Cliché na kung cliché na motherhood transforms you pero totoo talaga lahat ng sinasabi nila. Motherhood makes you a better person,” Toni says.
The actress reveals that these new insights in her life are some of the things Home Sweetie Home has been espousing. And since the program teaches and entertains at the same time, Toni says that is one of the reasons the show has lasted for three years, and continues to enjoy a strong showing in the ratings.
“Every episode has a moral lesson,” Toni says. “At siguro ’yun ang na-appreciate ng audience. Lessons na nakaka-relate talaga sila. Importante talaga sa akin kasi ang content. Gusto sana namin may natuturo kami, especially to young people.”
Besides content, Toni also reveals the secret to the success of Home Sweetie Home is the camaraderie of all the people working in the show. “Walang pressure. Happy kami lahat!”
Included in the show are John Lloyd Cruz, Sandy Andolong, Miles Ocampo, Clarence Delgado, Ogie Diaz, Ellen Adarna, Bearwin Meilly, Paul Sy, Jobert Austria, Mitoy Yonting, Nonong Balina and Magda Alovera. Home Sweetie Home airs every Saturday, 6:30 pm, after TV Patrol Weekend.
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AFTER an almost two-year hiatus, Empress Schuck returned to television last week via ABS-CBN’s Ipaglaban Mo. The actress reveals she missed acting, so she was raring to go and give it another shot. “I was nervous at first but I’m glad that everything came back naturally,” Empress says.
Empress took social media by storm last weekend when she played the role of Lenny, a victim of domestic violence.
I’m glad Empress is back as she had an auspicious start as a child actress until she graduated into teen roles. She took a break to give birth to her child and while she disclosed that motherhood is still her priority, she is excited to be back in showbiz.
Welcome back, Empress.