JANICE DE BELEN ON CAREERS AND MOTHERHOOD

She started working at the age of nine as the beautiful child star that ‘70s and ‘80s kids grew up with, watching her every movie and teleserye on television. Janice de Belen has become a household name as an award-winning actress, and as a mother to her children now making names in their chosen careers.

“Hindi ko na sila masyado nakikita kaya siguro nag-iiba na rin ang dynamics kasi habang lumalaki mga anak natin may sarili na sila paniniwala sa buhay, may sarili ng paninindigan, siguro ang pinaka mahirap doon yung nami-miss ko sila (I don’t see them much anymore, so maybe the dynamics are different because as our children grow up, they have their own beliefs in life, they have their own stand, maybe the hardest part is that I miss them),” Janice said.

Janice has this one golden advice she always shares with her kids.

“Do your best, you will always succeed in life if you do your best. Kasi ako mapa-maliit mapa-malaki gawin mo ‘yung best mo mapa-relasyon, sa career, do your best. Mahalaga ‘yun (Do your best, you will always succeed in life if you do your best. Because I’m small or big, do your best in relationships, in career, do your best. That’s important),” she said.

As an actress

With almost six decades of her colorful career in the entertainment scene, Janice shares her personal stories of younger actors still learning the ropes in the industry.

“Sa akin naman kasi kapag hindi mo ako pinansin, kapag magka-eksena tayo sino mahihirapan, ako ba? Di ba ikaw? So okay lang na di mo ako pansinin pero wag sana tayo magka eksena kasi baka mahirapan ka (As for me, if you don’t pay attention to me, when we have a scene, who will be in trouble, is it me? So it’s ok to ignore me but I hope we don’t co-act in a scene because you might get in trouble),” she revealed.

This actress admits the big change in showbiz as an effect of social media, but she said, one must always set a limitation as to what to share in public.

“Yes bilang artista open book ang buhay ko pero may portions na gusto ko na lang sinasarili, ‘yung paggising mo pa lang sa umaga nag-video ka na, hindi ko kaya ‘yun (Yes, as an artist, my life is an open book, but there are portions that I just want to keep to myself, when you wake up in the morning and you’ve already made a video, I can’t do that),” she revealed.

On exploring careers behind the camera

A lot of popular names in the industry explored their talents and luck by trying and crossing over to other fields like directing, scriptwriting and producing. But for Janice, she feels that acting is still her first love and forte.

“There was a time na gusto ko mag assistant director, nag-try ako sa ABS-CBN, sa pagsulat mayroon ako pa drama drama nagsusulat ako pero none of it gets to go anywhere kasi maybe hindi ako para doon (There was a time when I wanted to be an assistant director, I tried at ABS-CBN, when it comes to writing, I tried to write a bit, but none of it gets to go anywhere because maybe I’m not for that),” Janice said.

As mother to Kaila Estrada

Janice is one proud mother to Kaila Estrada, an actress slowly but surely making a name for herself in the industry. With Kaila’s recent teleserye projects (Linlang and Can’t Buy Me Love), she proves that she is her mother’s daughter.

“Sobrang proud! You know as a parent I am the happiest because for me that is an answered prayer I always pray for my children for them to be more successful than I ever was (I am so proud! You know as a parent I am the happiest because for me that is an answered prayer I always pray for my children for them to be more successful than I ever was),” Janice revealed.

On showbiz retirement

Janice also shared her thoughts of slowing down with her acting career and the possibility of retirement.

“‘Yung katawan ko sanay sa ganito so hanggang nakaka-memorya ako ng line, hanggang nakaka-arte ako, hanggang may kumukuha sa akin, I probably would still do it (My body is used to this so until I can memorize a line, until I can act, until someone hires me, I probably still do it),” she said.

For all mothers

With her colorful public and private life as an actress and a mother, Janice shares this thought to all her fellow moms for Mother’s Day.

“First kung ang iniiyakan niyo ay mga asawa niyo, ayoko makialam diyan pero kung ang iniiyakan niyo ay mga anak nyo, tanggapin niyo na magkakaroon ng phase sa buhay na para sa mga anak natin na hindi na tayo ang pinaka-importante. We must accept na that’s a part of life, pero babalik at babalik ang mga anak mo sa iyo pero kailangan bigyan mo din sila ng laya because at some point naging ganoon din tayo (First, if you are crying for your husbands, I don’t want to interfere with that, but if you are crying for your children, accept that there will be a phase in life that for our children, we are no longer the most important. We must accept that’s a part of life, but your children will come back and come back to you, but you also have to give them freedom because at some point we did the same thing),” she said.

Janice is presently in the works for a new teleserye under Dreamscape Entertainment of the ABS-CBN Studios.