Nagbalik-tanaw si Rica Peralejo, 41, sa itinuturing niyang “dark past” ng kanyang buhay.
Wala siyang alinlangan upang pag-usapan muli ito dahil buo na ngayon ang kanyang paniniwala sa Diyos.
Sa Surprise Guest with Pia Arcangel podcast ng GMA News Anchor na si Pia Arcangel na lumabas noong December 9, 2022, hindi na nagpatumpik-tumpik pa ang actress-turned-vlogger na magkuwento tungkol sa kanyang nakaraan.
Pahayag ni Rica, “I cannot be this authentic about my past if there was no redemption to begin with.
“Because then, I always think na, ‘Oo, tao lang, tao lang.’ But if hindi kasi tayo nagbabago at walang transformation, ang hirap pag-usapan, e, ng isang bagay kasi andun ka pa rin.
“So, pagka nagkaroon ka na ng change sa buhay, kaya mo na siyang pag-usapan eventually kasi alam mo na past na yun, e.
“And I’m not saying that I’m perfect, ha. There are still many broken parts about me.
"But I think that 's what fate does to you, you’re able to face your brokenness head on na hindi ka na nahihiya na, ‘Ay, mali po ako, palya-palya po yung puso ko.’
“I’m not perfect and there’s so much to be changed about me. And when you experience that first ano, change in your life na, ‘Ay, kaya mo palang magbago. May hope pa pala after such a dark past,’ di ba?
“Nae-encourage ka, e. Nae-encourage ka to just keep moving forward.
"And even there are new problems that come along the way, I’ll always call that the red sea.”
“NAMAMATAY NA AKO”
Kasunod na tinanong ng GMA news anchor kay Rica tungkol sa reference niya sa “darkest or lowest point” ng kanyang buhay.
Nagsimula sa showbiz si Rica via defunct ABS-CBN youth-oriented afternoon show na Ang TV noong 1993.
Read: Ang TV, Gimik, and G-mik teen and child stars: where are they now?
Taong 2001 naman siya sumabak sa pagpapa-sexy sa pamamagitan ng pelikulang Balahibong Pusa. Nasundan pa ito ng Dos Ekis at Tatarin sa kaparehong taon.
2002 naman niya pinagbidahan ang daring movie na Hibla.
Read: Rica Peralejo reveals why she had her breast implants removed; regrets stint as a sexy star
Saad ni Rica, “Well, I think it had that big effect on me. First of all, that I had to start early in life, like, no one should be carrying that much of a load at 12 years old.
“And you don’t know that when you’re 12. You’re just like doing stuff, that’s one.
“Second is when I turned, like, into a sexy star. So from wholesome image, gumawa ako ng movies where I had to bare some flesh and all that. And you know, that takes away from the dignity of a woman.
“So back then, of course, ang iniisip ko lang, ‘Nagtatrabaho lang po ako.’
“Totoo pa rin naman yun na nagtatrabaho lang din naman talaga ako but, you know, I mean, this is our body.
“This is the age of really knowing na our bodies, it’s very important to our wholeness.
"Hindi siya puwedeng iniisip mo lang or emotionally stable ka lang.
“Lahat, dapat integrated, di ba, pati yung physical. So siyempre, may effect yun sa akin."
Patuloy niya, “And through the years, the way that I would address this is, like, ‘Let’s keep working, let’s keep working. Let’s just do whatever we need to do to survive.’
“Pero deep down inside, namamatay na ako, and I would cover it up with what, relationships, a whole lot of drinking, partying... Yung ganun.
“Na, I guess, hindi rin naman kasi nakikita ng ibang tao yun, dahil buti na lang walang social media nun. Baka kung anu-ano na yung na-post ko nun, di ba? Na mga lasing-lasing ako sa club. Ganyan.
“And I think it’s normal for everyone to go through that transition. Tama naman yun. Meron naman talaga tayong, parang lahat tayo pag nagdadalaga, adulting.”
Paglilinaw ni Rica, hindi niya pinagsisihan ang pagpasok sa showbiz sa murang edad dahil kailangan niyang tulungan ang kanyang pamilya.
Nalugi raw kasi ang negosyong palaisdaan ng ama nang pumutok ang Mt. Pinatubo.
Dagdag pa ni Rica, “It was a very difficult kind of life, di ba, na parang, ‘Hindi naman ako parang normal na bata, e, na nag-eskuwela lang, tapos sinasabi ng magulang na ganito.’ Ibang-ibang iba yung buhay ko.
“And I think that kind of life aggravated wherever I was in life.”