Claudine Barretto: on motherhood, adoption and finding life's purpose

CEBU, Philippines - For actress Claudine Barretto, motherhood has tremendously altered her life. “Sobrang nabago ang buhay ko. I guess when you’re ready to be mother, the kids have to be priority,” said Claudine, who is a mother of two—Sabina, who’s 4 years old and Santino, who’s almost two.

Everyday, she says is a balancing act between parenting and work that’s why being a hands-on mother can be really tough. “I can’t say I’m hands-on because I have to have yayas, because I’m a working mom. Given the chance na pwede akong tumutok, I would,” she told The FREEMAN Entertainment in an interview during the grand launch of the Belo Clinic last Tuesday.

“But I’m hands-on in the sense that I know everything that happens in the house and with my kids,” added Claudine, who alternates with husband Raymart Santiago in picking up and sending Sabina to pre-school. 

When asked to describe the antics as well as personalities her children are already developing, Claudine said, “Si Sabina, she was very, very shy. I was in an event and I brought her along and the people began crowding in. Akala niya na tinutulak na ako so she was screaming and screaming. Parang na-trauma siya. So, we had to put her in play therapy.”

“The play therapy worked. Now she’s sobrang malambing, she’s sobrang madaldal that she talks like an adult already.”

“Si Santino naman, he’s the opposite of me and Raymart. I think nag-mana siya kay Kuya Randy (Santiago, brother of Raymart). He’ll try to talk to everybody; he likes to say ‘hi’ and ‘bye’ to everyone. Nag-ma-mano siya, and he’s really makulit. Mahirap din ng lalaking anak.”

When it comes to parenting style, she said she learned a lot from her parents. Her long-time friend, Cristalle Belo Henares, who is Santino’s godmother, attested that Claudine is a “natural nurturer.” “Even with other kids, she’s that way,” Cristalle said.

No wonder—and unknown to many—Claudine is the ambassadress of Bantay Bata. She also has a license from the Department of Social Welfare and Development that gives her the power to rescue abandoned children. This license also allows her to put up an orphanage, which is a lifelong dream of hers. 

Claudine is an advocate of adoption, and it is common knowledge that Sabina came to her and husband Raymart because of such process. To put up an orphanage in the future, she said, was “inspired by the story of Sabina but way back, I’ve always had this desire to adopt because I was the youngest.”

She further said that she’s open to adopting, although she lamented many people’s negative attitude towards adoption. “Why do people say, ampon or adopted to describe your child even when he or she is your legal child na under the law? Kung na-accept namin, bakit yung iba, hindi pa?”

Claudine also shared that the moment she had Sabina, she never hid the fact. She remembers running for the cause for DSWD. “Kami ni Raymart, we always think everything has happened for a reason. It was something that was meant for you… God already knew before you knew it.”

While she avoids talking about it to the world (unless another one opens up about it first, like in our case, it was her friend Cristalle), Claudine has been providing a “half-way home” for rescued infants for two years now in coordination with a foundation.

Just last October 2008 to February this year, 12 infants were left under her care before an orphanage or a foster family was found for them. “It was a very relaxing experience for me. You rest with them, feed them and define a home for them since infancy is the most critical stage.”

The “half-way home” would have to do for now because Claudine’s initial plan to put up an orphanage in partnership with an organization fell through. She said they weren’t ready yet in terms of finances and time. And personally, she feels she has a lot of work to do first. “That’s why I’m always in DSWD, I request director Alice Bonoon and Usec. Alicia Bala to teach and train me how to be a social worker.”

She hopes that with these experiences, they will have more meaning in life as a family. “Our constant prayer really, kami ni Raymart, is ‘Lord, what’s our purpose of life?’ Di siguro sa pag-aartista lang, there must be more to it,” she concluded.