HERLENE BUDOL:
A Girl Like No Other

Herlene Budol opens up about her hard-knock youth, her lucky entry into showbiz, her unexpected rise to fame, and the deeply personal reasons why beauty pageants have become her redemption.

Text by Jansen Ramos
Photos by Cyrus Panganiban
Shot On Location At Brittany Hotel Bgc

It’s a calm Thursday morning when Herlene Budol arrived at our shoot location at the Brittany Hotel in BGC.

Quite unexpectedly, she was timid and shy, a far cry from the loud, animated, and frisky persona that we would normally see on TV and in her YouTube vlogs.

After introducing herself to the shoot team and exchanging pleasantries, Herlene, asked what she was going to do for the day. Like a student, she listened with rapt attention as the shoot director went through the concepts, occasionally nodding her head to signify she understood the instructions. Her sentences were peppered with a soft “po” and “opo,” something that has been ingrained in Herlene by her Filipino parents.

But the “quiet” and “timid” persona was short-lived. Turns out, she was just warming up and conserving her energy. As soon as she got dressed and had her makeup on, she transformed into the Herlene that Pinoy viewers have grown to love: attractively lively and hilariously candid.

Herlene would be first to say that she’s no natural when it comes to hosting and performing before an audience, much less in front of the camera. In fact, being an artista was not exactly her dream. Truth be told, she only saw TV, particularly variety game shows, as just one of the many means to earn a quick buck.

“First audition ko po sa may Wowowin, ’di po ako pumasa pero nag-try pa rin po ako. Pangalawa ko pong try, nakasali na po ako. Sabi ko re-reject-in lang ako n’yan pero pinilit po kasi ako ng nanay ko kasi manalo matalo, may sampung libo. Siyempre, mahirap lang din po kami kaya naging praktikal lang din po kami. Wala na kaming hiya-hiya, wala na kaming pride-pride. Rektahan kaagad.”

“Hindi ko po nakita ‘yung sarili ko na mag-aartista pero madalas po akong nag-a-acting sa harap ng salamin,” she said.

With no talent in acting or singing, Herlene thought of auditioning for a spot in Willie Revillame’s Wowowin. She thought that if she got her foot in the door, she had the chance of bringing home some hard cash.

“First audition ko po sa may Wowowin, ‘di po ako pumasa pero nag-try pa rin po ako. Pangalawa ko pong try, nakasali na po ako,” she recalled. “Sabi ko re-reject-in lang ako n’yan pero pinilit po kasi ako ng nanay ko kasi manalo matalo, may sampung libo. Siyempre, mahirap lang din po kami kaya naging praktikal lang din po kami. Wala na kaming hiya-hiya, wala na kaming pride-pride. Rektahan kaagad.”

In 2019, Herlene appeared on TV as a contestant in Wowowin’s Willie of Fortune segment, where contestants would show their talents first before battling for the grand prize money. During the “interview” portion of the game, Herlene proudly introduced herself on national TV as “hipon,” a slang term defined by urbandicitonary.com as “a person who has a sexy bod but a really ugly face.”

“Papasok ako ng walang baon, uuwi ako ng may pera kasi nagkikilay na ’ko sa mga kaklase ko, inaahitan ko, kinikilayan ko sila sa halagang sampung piso. Tapos ’di ko ginagastos ’yung kinita ko, pinambibili ko lang ng lapis para may pangkilay ulit ako sa mga kaklase ko.”

Her self-deprecating humor, matched with her lively personality and oftentimes coarse expressions and gestures, endeared her to the audience in an instant. Shortly after becoming a viral sensation, Herlene was offered a hosting stint in Wowowin, an opportunity that she snapped up without hesitation.

Herlene came to be known as a “squammy,” a euphemism for “squatter” or “someone who is trashy or classless” because of her “laking kanto” demeanor. While “squammy” was an insult to some, Herlene embraced it and used it to her advantage.

“Dati ‘budol’ lang talaga ‘yung tawag sa ‘kin kasi, bukod sa apelyido ko po s’ya, siguro nagkataon lang po. Ewan ko kung bakit nauso ‘yung word na ‘budol’ kapag halimbawa nanghihingi ka,” she said. “Papasok ako ng walang baon, uuwi ako ng may pera kasi nagkikilay na ‘ko sa mga kaklase ko, inaahitan ko, kinikilayan ko sila sa halagang sampung piso. Tapos ‘di ko ginagastos ‘yung kinita ko, pinambibili ko lang ng lapis para may pangkilay ulit ako sa mga kaklase ko.”

Herlene’s resourcefulness came out of necessity. Admittedly, she grew up poor, so she had to learn to be quick and clever in finding income. Before she became a TV personality, she took on odd jobs, even multiple jobs at a time, just to earn enough for herself and her family.

“Sobra-sobra po akong nagpapasalamat araw-araw dahil ’di ako makapaniwala na may endorsement ako, may billboard na po ako. Sobrang grateful po ako na pinagkakatiwalaan po nila ang isang kagaya ko na galing sa hirap na hindi mo akalain na aangat din po talaga.”

“Madami po akong naging trabaho, basta sa limang araw, lima ‘yung trabaho ko. Una no’n, sa golf course, munisipyo ng Angono. Marami na ’kong na-experience na trabaho,” she recalled. “Unang sahod ko no’n, pumapalag ako no’n dati one hundred pesos per day, 3,000 monthly. Sa isang buwan naman, hindi lang po ‘yun ‘yung sinasahod ko, may mga sideline pa para makapagbayad po ako sa eskwelahan. No’ng college na ‘ko, kailangan ko na po pag-aralin ‘yung sarilli ko.”

Early on in life, Herlene taught herself to become self-supporting. It’s a trait she carried on well into her adult life.

“Hindi na lang po ako nanghingi kasi feeling ko masyado na ‘kong pabigat kaya kumikilos na lang po ako nang sarili ko na hindi na nila ‘ko iisipin kung anong babaunin ko, anong kakainin ko. Minsan sineswerte, may ulam. Kung wala, e ‘di wala.”

Acting debut

From being a “hipon” and a butt of jokes, Herlene is now an in-demand endorser and the face of beauty brands. To this day, she couldn’t believe where life has led her.

“Sobra-sobra po akong nagpapasalamat araw-araw dahil ‘di ako makapaniwala na may endorsement ako, may billboard na po ako. Sobrang grateful po ako na pinagkakatiwalaan po nila ang isang kagaya ko na galing sa hirap na hindi mo akalain na aangat din po talaga.”

She is now officially an actress as she marked her acting debut (and a starring role at that!) via the 2023 GMA Afternoon Prime series Magandang Dilag, in which she shares screen time with experienced actors Benjamin Alves, Bianca Manalo, Maxine Medina, Adrian Alandy, Sandy Andolong, and Chanda Romero.

Herlene couldn’t quite believe the long and many transformations that she has gone through in her showbiz career. “Noong una, binu-blur ‘yung mukha ko hanggang sa naging extra po ako, naging host po ako, naging pambansang best friend po ako. Ngayon po, sa ‘kin na nakatutok ‘yung camera. Makakakita po kayo ng bagong ako. Hindi ko akalain na ako ‘yung title role. Bakit ako nandyan? May question pa rin e, deserve ko ba? Karapat-dapat ba ‘ko? Mabibigyan ko ba ng justice? Grabe po ‘yung trust sa ‘kin ng GMA bilang isang baguhan e. Pinagkatiwaalan po agad nila ako kaya ‘di ko po sasayangin.”

In Magandang Dilag, Herlene plays the role of Gigi, a simple girl who later on transforms into a beautiful “dalaga” and exacts her revenge on those who fooled and belittled her.

“’Kala ko po joke lang no’ng una tapos no’ng nalaman ko na Magandang Dilag na ’yung title, nagulat ako kasi dati napangalanan ako bilang ‘hipon.’ So ang tingin ko sa sarili ko, hanggang dito ka lang, ’di ka pwedeng umangat pero binigyan po ako ng pagkakataon ng GMA na ma-experience ko po kung anong feeling ng pagiging artista, kung ano ang showbiz talaga kaya nagpapasalamat po ako. Step by step din po talaga ang pinagdaanan ko.”

“Ngayon, minahal ko na ’yung pageant industry so gusto ko nang kariren na nagawa ko naman, baka meron pa ’kong mas kayang ibigay pa.”

Another shot at pageantry

In 2022, Herlene had her first attempt in national pageantry. After scoring many special awards during the pre-finals round of competitions, She finished first runner-up in Binibining Pilipinas 2022. At the time, she was no longer a host of Wowowin.

Though she came up short of winning a crown, Herlene chose to have a positive mindset.

“Feeling ko ang crown na nakuha ko is ‘yung respect sa ‘kin ng ibang tao, ‘yung parang nadagdagan ba. ‘Yung approach ba, sobra ko silang na-apreciate kasi dati tatawagin nila kong ‘Hoy Hipon, kamusta ka?’ ganyan. Ngayon tinatawag na nila kong Miss Herlene, Miss Nicole. Para sa ‘kin, bilang gago lang din naman ako, na-appreciate ko ‘yung mga maliliit na bagay.”

Pageantry taught her a lot of things. She can’t help but thank her manager, Wilbert Tolentino, for it.

“Actually wala talaga ‘kong alam sa mga national pageant kasi ‘yung mga sinalihan ko lang talaga dati mga barangay-barangayan lang ganyan. Tapos no’ng may nagpamulat sa ‘kin gaya ni Sir Wilbert Tolentino, ‘yung manager ko, no’ng una ayaw ko talaga sumali ng Binibining Pilipinas e pero merong kapalit na bahay at lupa, sinalihan ko. Walang tanga na tatanggihan ‘yung bahay at lupa,” she said, referring to the house and lot that Wilbert gave to her as gift back in mid-2022.

“Hindi ko akalain na ako ’yung title role. Bakit ako nandyan? May question pa rin e, deserve ko ba? Karapat-dapat ba ’ko? Mabibigyan ko ba ng justice? Grabe po ’yung trust sa ’kin ng GMA bilang isang baguhan e. Pinagkatiwaalan po agad nila ako kaya ’di ko po sasayangin.”

“Nong una, sabi ko nangangapa pa ’ko kasi mga sosyal, magaganda, sexy ’yung mga nakakasama ko do’n. Talagang ’yung manners sobrang nakaka-inspire, tapos sabi ko ang layo ko sa kanila. So do’n ko rin na-discover na pwede palang magbago ’yung tao, na pwede palang mapag-aralan ’yung mga bagay-bagay, saka ang ganda kasi no’ng nangyari sa ‘kin sa Binibini, ang dami kong natutunan, ‘yung kapatiran, ‘yung sisterhood nga, dumami ’yung kaibigan ko. So sabi ko ay pwede pala mangyari ’yung mga gano’ng bagay, pwede pala ’kong tropahin ng mga sosyal na mga babae. ’Di ko naman sinasabi na ’di sosyal ’yung iba kong mga kaibigan, kumbaga iba lang ’yung environment do’n sa Binibini na napag-aralan ko. So sa’kin ang ganda kasi ng proseso na nangyari sa Binibini so hindi nagkamali ’yung manager ko kung saan n’ya ko gusto dalhin. So ngayon, minahal ko na ’yung pageant industry so gusto ko nang kariren na nagawa ko naman, baka meron pa ’kong mas kayang ibigay pa.”

Herlene is not done yet and she is ready to give pageantry another shot.

As she goes on with her new endeavor, she will bring to the Miss Grand Philippines 2023 stage everything that she has learned from the past as she vies for the crown on July 13 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

“Feeling ko deserving akong manalo kasi ’yung mga experience ko sa buhay kaya kong i-share sa kanila at saka gusto ko marami silang mapulot sa ‘king aral kasi ‘yung mga pinagdaanan ko is hindi rin biro. Hindi naman ako gano’ng ka-perfect na tao e, gusto ko lang ma-inspire sila sa buhay ko na talagang walang susuko, habang may buhay, may pag-asa at lahat ng bagay napag-aaralan kaya kung kaya ko, nagawa ko, kaya mo din.”

As she banners her own teleserye and tries her luck in pageantry again, Herlene proves that anything is possible with hard work, dedication, and faith.

“Expect the unexpected kasi totoo po ’yung mga bagay na dadating sa inyo na ma-experience n’yo kahit ’di n’yo pangarapin. May mas magandang plano sa ‘yo ang Panginoon. Kung nawawalan ka ng pag-asa, ’wag mo iispin ’yon dahil walang ibang tutulong sa’yo kundi ikaw lang din.”

Love her or hate her, Herlene is her own person and that is what makes her beautiful.

“Hindi naman ako gano’ng ka-perfect na tao e, gusto ko lang ma-inspire sila sa buhay ko na talagang walang susuko, habang may buhay, may pag-asa at lahat ng bagay napag-aaralan kaya kung kaya ko, nagawa ko, kaya mo din.”

Shoot Producer: Gabby Reyes Libarios | Styling: Chanda Espiritu | Makeup & Hair: Joseph Bangkat | Digital Staff Assistant: Andrea Gadaza | Layout Design by Alvin Lacabra | Special thanks to Armina O. Mangune

HERLENE BUDOL:
A Girl Like No Other

Herlene Budol opens up about her hard-knock youth, her lucky entry into showbiz, her unexpected rise to fame, and the deeply personal reasons why beauty pageants have become her redemption.

Acting debut

Another shot at pageantry

Shoot Producer: Gabby Reyes Libarios | Styling: Chanda Espiritu | Makeup & Hair: Joseph Bangkat | Digital Staff Assistant: Andrea Gadaza | Layout Design by Alvin Lacabra | Special thanks to Armina O. Mangune

More Profiles

Kapuso Profiles Inside Page