Candy Pangilinan recalls the struggles of being a working single mom
Actress Candy Pangilinan is one of the most inspiring moms in Philippine showbiz, as she survived raising her son Quentin as a working single mom.
Candy's adorable son Quentin was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
During Candy's recent guest appearance on Mars Pa More, she recounted the struggles she had to go through as a working single mom.
The Bilangin ang Bituin sa Langit star revealed that the challenges she faced as a single mom began as early as less than a month after Quentin was born.
“Less than a month I had to bring Quentin back sa hospital.
“Eh 'pag ganun pala, ICU, 'pag less than a month.
“May mga visiting hours lang eh.
“So, chinika ko sila nang chinika. Binarkada ko sila.
“Pinapadalhan ko sila ng food, 'yung morning shift, afternoon shift, at saka night shift, para mabantayan 'yung bata.”
Candy also said that it was her mother who advised her to develop a close relationship with all the nurses who looked after Quentin.
“So, I think I survived also because ang mommy ko rin ang nagturo sa'kin na 'Candy, dahil wala ka don, ang gawin mo, kaibiganin mo lahat ng nurse, para hindi nila pabayaan 'yung bata..”
The celebrity mom also recalled what fellow actress Maricel Laxa advised her when she had just given birth.
“Ate Maricel Laxa was my first visitor, siya 'yung una kong visitor sa hospital.
“Sinabi niya sa'kin, 'Candy, before you go in the room of your baby, you have to relax. Inhale and exhale.'
“So, bago ako pumasok, inhale, exhale muna ako. Para 'pag pasok ko, kalmang-kalma ako, bilang hyper akong tao, di ba?
“Eh 'di pagpasok ko dun, 'yon ang pinakakalma ako, 'yung papunta na ko sa tranquilizer mode, 'yung ganun. 'Yung kalmang-kalma 'ko. (laughs)”
Candy said she honestly had no clue how she maintained a work-life balance when she was a new mom.
“Actually, hindi ko alam how I handled it. Parang nangyari na lang siya. 'Yung totoo. Nangyari na lang siya.
Na-balance naman siya. Wala namang kailangan i-give up. Kasi hindi ko kayang mag-give up ng anything eh.
“Hindi ko kayang mag-give up ng work, 'di ba? I really had to work. Then, hindi ko kayang hindi puntahan.
“So, ang tawag dun “give up sleep” ata.”
She also said that she had to be resourceful as a parent.
“Umabot ako sa point na 'pag wala ako at hindi ko puwedeng makasama si Quentin because I'm working, pinapa-record ko everything that's happening.
“'Yung therapy is recorded. Kasi para pagdating ko, I know what happened and at the same time, puwede ko rin gawin sa bahay.
Candy also gave credit to Quentin's therapist, whom she's very grateful for.
“I'm very blessed to have a good therapist nung time na 'yon, so parati kaming may quarterly meeting.
“Para kami ano, meron kaming mission-vision, parang ganyan.
“'Ano'ng goal natin ngayon? Ah! Kailangan niya makapagsalita, so ano sa motor skills niya ang kailangan i-develop para ma-develop ang speech.' So, may ganun.
“Ang galing. Ang galing ni Lord kasi (napadalhan) ako ng mahuhusay na tao na very helpful, and alam mo 'yon, very caring, ganyan.”
Find out what other celebrity moms like Valerie Concepcion and hosts Iya Villania and Camille Prats shared about being a parent for the first time in the Mars Pa More video above.
If the video above is not loading properly, you may watch it HERE instead.
For more celebrity features like this, tune in to Mars Pa More from Monday to Friday, at 8:45 a.m. on GMA-7.
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Get to know inspiring celebrity mom Candy Pangilinan in the gallery below.