Ashley Ortega's heart already OK after breakup with Mark Alcala

Sparkle artist and Hearts On Ice star Ashley Ortega admitted that she has broken up with Lucena City Mayor Mark Alcala last year. Despite this, the actress assured everyone that her heart is okay and that she's “really happy.”

In her interview on the Updated with Nelson Canlas podcast, Ashley said that they'd broken up last year and that she has “recovered from the break up already.”

“I didn't tell anybody, so ngayon na you know I'm confirming it to people, I think I'm ready to... it's about time na rin,” she said.

The Sparkle actress admitted that one of the reasons why she confirmed the breakup was so that people won't have to ask her why she's not visiting Lucena anymore, or if there were any third parties involved.

“So i think it's all the best to confirm it and, yeah, my heart is okay, I'm very happy and I have nothing against him. Naka-recover na ako sa heart break,” she added.

Ashley first confirmed their break up in an interview on Fast Talk with Boy Abunda where she also revealed that the reason for their breakup was the lack of communication and connection.

“Siguro Tito Boy, naging busy kami sa work, and siguro isa sa mga naging problem was 'yung distance. He was in the province. He was the newly elected mayor, I was busy with work, kakatapos ko lang ng Widow's Web no'n and then I started training for Hearts On Ice sa skating so medyo nawala siguro 'yung connection and communication,” she said.

However, she clarified that the breakup was mutual and that both of them “decided to better ourselves individually” and to focus on their respective careers.

Asked during the podcast if the former couple are friends, she gave a definitive “no.”

“I have nothing against my ex. It's just that it's hard to say that we're friends, 'cause after the breakup we never saw each other again and we never really talked to each other,” she explained.

Ashley also said that while it was hard for her to answer the question at first and how hard it was to move forward during the first months, it was her friends and family who helped her get through it all.

“I'm not gonna lie, it was very difficult for me kasi when I started living alone that was the time also that I just had a breakup, so parang I really felt physically, emotionally and mentally alone,” she said.

She added, “Some of my friends were ano naman, they're all there. I actually know the people who are there for me. I will never forget the people who are there for me at my lowest.”

While Ashley admitted that it was a “very tough year” for her, she was able to move forward after learning to love herself more.

“The process of really accepting everything and telling yourself na you have to, kailangan mong panindigan ginawa mong decision,” she said.

Ashley added, “I was able to recover from that kasi inacknowledge ko talaga 'yung pain. And it's okay to acknowledge your pain, it's part of life. And then after that I realized, I was actually so proud of myself na wow I actually did it.”

GET TO KNOW ASHLEY'S EX-BOYFRIEND MAYOR MARK ALCALA IN THIS GALLERY: