August 19, 2025 | 12:00am
May mga nanlilibak, pero mas massive ang suporta na nakuha ni Liza Soberano sa kanyang mga rebelasyon sa “Can I Come In” podcast hinggil sa naranasang pang-aabuso noong bata pa siya.
Kaya naman nag-post siya ng pasasalamat.
“To everyone who has commented or messaged privately, thank you so much for the kind words and the thoughtful empathy that you have conveyed to me. The world is a better place because of people like you,” sabi niya sa kanyang Instagram stories.
Naging emosyonal din ang mensahe ng aktres para sa kanyang four-year-old self kung saan pinasalamatan niya ang sa sarili sa pagiging matatag noong bata pa siya at sa pagsisikap na bumuo ng magandang buhay sa kabila ng pinagdaanan.
“To 4 year old Hope, who’s in the midst of a painful, upside down world, just trying to stay a child, thank you. Thank you for staying determined and strong, for choosing to keep pushing ahead, to build a beautiful life worth living. I know you must be wondering why I’m sharing our story, why now, and why this?” sabi niya bilang Hope sa kanyang sarili.
Inilahad din niya ang statistics tungkol sa child abuse at exploitation na nagaganap sa Amerika at Pilipinas.
“According to the US Department of State: As of 2022, 1.48 million Filipino children agec 5 to 17 were working, much in hazardous conditions.
“As many as 100,000 Filipino children are exploited in prostitution, and thousands more in forced labor.
“Philippines is one of the largest known sources of online sexual exploitation of children in the world.
“One study found 2 out of 10 Filipino interne using children ages 12-17 years were subjected to OSEC (Online Sexual Exploitation of Children).
“The 2023 Global Slavery Index estimates about 859,000 people in the Philippines are @trapped in exploitative circumstances, including human trafficking, forced labor, a sexual exploitation,” post ni Liza.
Kinailangan daw niyang magsalita upang maging boses ng mga kabataang dumaranas ng pang-aabuso. “As an actress my job is to entertain. But as a public figure, my responsibility is to speak up on the things that matter, from a place that matters. All of me dreads sharing the most intimate parts of my soul, just for people to judge and diminish my experiences,
“But if I don’t speak up out of discomfort or fear, what chance does all the scared and voiceless women and children that are still in dangerous situations have?
“So it is a privilege and honor to be able to share my experience so that even just one little girl out there can feel encouraged to speak up,” katwiran niya sa desisyong ilantad ang mga pinagdaanan noon.
Kaya ang payo niya sa mga tulad niyang inabuso, ‘wag maduwag.
“So for anyone who needs to hear this, People may try to guilt you or shame you for speaking up. Don’t let them, only those with hardness in their hearts would discourage your voice.
“Cruel people will try to discredit your story, they’ll say you are exaggerating for being self serving, don’t mind them. Only weak people would respond to stories of pain with doubt and interrogation,” she said.
“Worst of all, some will even try to exploit you story for their personal gain, responding to your pain with gossip and attention-seeking, making it a source of entertainment.
“They will hijack your hardships to seek attention and self-importance. Pay them no mind. Only those with no light of their own need to use the sadness of others as fuel for their egos. You will shine and they will fade away,” pagtatapos pa niya.