Gina de Venecia

A truly resilient woman, Gina de Venecia takes pride in her role as wife, mother, and public servant. The partner to former Speaker of the House Jose de Venecia Jnr became the president and chairperson of the Congressional Spouses Foundation Inc, putting

Can a man/woman really have it all?

In 2004, I thought I had it all. My husband Joe was the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Our children, my mum, and siblings were all alive and well. I was making a dent in socio-civic circles having finished the construction of The Haven for Children. But bliss, I learnt, had an equaliser: tragedy. My world collapsed December of the same year when our daughter, KC, died in the fire that gutted our home.

What gives life meaning?

Living a purpose-driven life keeps the embers of your soul on fire, puts a smile on your face, and lights up your heart. Aside from my roles as wife and mother, I also chose to champion the causes of abused women, street children, and orphaned mothers.

What’s something new you learnt about life? About yourself?

die. But with the support of family and friends, I was able to recover from the grief. So, whenever I have the opportunity to contribute to raising someone’s consciousness to look upward rather than downward, I consider myself truly blessed.

At what age did you finally feel comfortable in your own skin?

I was in my early 40s when my understanding of my life’s purpose had fully evolved. Being the president of the Congressional Spouses Foundation Inc accorded me an opportunity to be of service to others.

What’s the best/worst decision you have ever made?

The best decision was marrying Joe. He said that I am his “Rock of Gibraltar.” Our marriage brought out the best in me. Without my husband’s support, many of my dreams would have remained just dreams.

What’s the best advice you would give your younger self?

It’s from a song in the Broadway hit

Annie: “The sun will come up tomorrow. So you gotta hang on ‘til tomorrow.” No matter how bleak the present circumstance might be, there will always be a tomorrow to look forward to. And who knows what luck a new day might bring?

What would you want your legacy to be?

Having upright and successful children is the best legacy any parent could hope for. For these treasures in my life, I am profoundly grateful. I have worked on plenty of initiatives, but the project I consider closest to my heart is the INA Healing Centre at the DSWD Compound in Quezon City, which was built as a result of my personal heartache.