MANILA -- Actress Bianca de Vera could not hold back her emotions as she looked back on what she has achieved in the past year -- including earning a best actress nomination in the 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival.
De Vera earned the nod for her work in her debut movie, "Love You So Bad," where she stars opposite Dustin Yu and Will Ashley.
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"This day, this time last year, last Christmas, honestly, akala ko ‘yun yung huling Pasko ko na maging artista kasi parang I was really about to give up," de Vera said Sunday, after a block screening organized by her fans.
"Parang feeling ko kasi wala pa akong napapatunayan. Feeling ko napag-iiwanan ako. Feeling ko nahuhuli ako," she admitted.
"But here I am now, di ba? Living my dreams now. I have my own movie."
She dedicated her recognition to her parents, saying: "To my parents, to mommy and daddy if you're watching, na-nominate ako for Best Actress."
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For Bianca, her current success would have been unimaginable a year ago, and she is in awe of how much her life has changed in a year.
She offered a few words of advice to people who may also be struggling with self-doubt: "Kaya sa mga kabataan or people that are the same age as me or even older than me, don't stop dreaming. Huwag kayong susuko. Huwag kayong susuko sa pangarap niyo. Huwag kayong susuko sa sarili niyo."
"Because there are so many big things ahead of you. Your dreams are waiting for you. Kaya huwag kayong titigil," she stressed.