While many think the ultimate glow-up comes with having a significant other, actress Bianca Umali reminds everyone that beauty isn’t tied to romantic love.
The 24-year-old star recently opened up about her take on Filipina beauty and self-worth in an interview with The Philippine Star, sharing a piece of wisdom she’s learned from her own experience with self-doubt and low self-esteem.
Navigating a cut-throat industry like showbiz, Bianca admitted she once struggled with self-acceptance and was overly critical of herself. “I actually went through that for a very long time, and it’s okay,” she shared, highlighting the importance of patience when it comes to learning self-love.
“You don’t have to rush yourself, and you don’t need to think, ‘I’m wrong because I don’t love myself,’” she added.
Her advice to young girls having self-image issues: surround yourself with love.
“Kailangan mo lang din isipin na maraming nagmamahal sayo, at isa yun sa malaking rason kung bakit dapat mong mahalin ang sarili mo. You will find yourself happier and more beautiful when you tend to yourself because you cannot tend to the whole world if you are from an empty cup,” she explained.
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While Bianca has been in a relationship with actor Ruru Madrid for seven years now, she rejected the notion that a romantic partner is the ultimate source of validation.
“Nakakaganda ang pagmamahal, and it is not necessarily the romantic kind of love only,” she said.
Addressing the younger generations directly, she added, “Ayoko rin namang sabihin na lalo sa bagong henerasyon na dapat may boyfriend ka o may girlfriend ka para lang isipin mo na, ‘Ay, maganda ako.’”
For Bianca, romantic love isn’t a requirement for self-worth. Instead, she values the love that comes from family, friends, and even colleagues.
“Hindi requirement na may lover ka. Ang mahalaga, meron kang pagmamahal sa buhay mo coming from family, from the people you work with, from friends. That support system ay yung masasabi kong form ng pagmamahal na nakakaganda,” she said.
