Sometimes, we end up with a job which requires a certain type of personality. Being in showbiz, for example, is one way of expressing oneself in a way that is very different from how one is in real life.
We all have our own little secrets that we only expose to certain groups of people we deal with in everyday life.
These are things people behind the camera know about. Artists usually act differently when other people are watching. A good example is Melanie Marquez.
Ate Mel has such a bubbly, transparent personality on TV because of her very upfront comments, but she hasn’t really ‘stripped’ hersel totally. She manages to keep her mystery intact.
Behind this very hip, sexy personality on TV is a serious, responsible woman with a good heart.
She is now proudly 44, and claims to have the heart of a seven year old.
Ate Mel started working when she was only seven, when she didn’t even dream of being in showbiz or becoming a beauty queen.
She had always wanted to be a lawyer and an athlete. She even thought of becoming a nun!
But ever since, people around her have always made her join beauty pageants. She was only 13 when she joined Bb.Pilipinas.
"At that time kasi, they were giving away cars. I thought na pag mag-join ka, you automatically get a car. So I joined and won the car!" she explains.
It was so funny how she said that because when I joined Hiyas Sa Kadayawan, I actually just wanted to get the money so I could buy a cellphone to call the States! Hahaha!
Luckily, I won. Anyway, Ate Mel won a Lancer that time. As she got older, she still continued to join pageants.
She got married and had her six very controversial kids: Manuelito, 23, Mazenn, 15, Maxine, 13,Michelle, 10, Adam, three and Abraham, two.
Ate Mel is now busy living her dreams. Even though she didn’t become a lawyer, she still ended up with a lawyer. She is now Mrs. Lawyer.
Even though she didn’t become a nun, she does workshops for her church to help women become stronger in the household.
She says, "Ang ina talaga ang nagbubuo ng pamilya, at haligi and ama. Ang ina rin ang dapat maging inspiration para maturuan ang mga anak nila ng family values."
She loves kids. Most of all, she loves her family very much. All her kids, except Manuelito, who is now studying in the US, live with her.
Despite her busy schedule in showbiz, business and the church, Ate Mel always finds time to personally cook for her husband and kids. She also personally prepares her children’s clothes before they go to school. It’s quite hard to imagine Ate Mel being that way.
I was so surprised when Ate Mel actually invited me to join her and her family last Friday to a club.
They were having fun swimming and enjoying their family day. It was so nice to see them hang out together. They looked so happy.
Seeing Ate Mel play and interact with her kids explains it all. She’s a great mom.
She’s just as funky when it comes to English. Ate Mel just does it so perfectly. Not too much, but with enough mistakes to make you smile.
How does she do it? "I can easily develop naman my English if I want to. But I don’t want to. I still want to be imperfect. I can speak five languages – grammatically wrong!" she says.
Go girl! Ate Mel is the definition of confidence. And we love her for that.
She knows she has "it" but is humble enough to point out her imperfections.
How does she manage to live such a blessed life?
"We shouldn’t be judgmental. Respect others in order to get respect. I believe I shouldn’t judge anyone because I myself am not perfect. I always believe we should mind our own business for us to be successful," she declares.
"The best thing is to love God above all else," she adds.
Ate Mel is very thankful for everything she has now. She admits that she has nothing to complain about.
I’m very thankful to see her on TV as well. She’s one of those who adds color to boring Saturday nights at home though Showbiz Stripped with Tito Ricky Lo.
At the end of our conversation, I feel like I found a second Mommy. Rock on, Ate Mel!
(You may email me at julianapalermo785@yahoo.com).