For Sunshine Cruz, ‘aging is a blessing’
Instead of dwelling on the past, actress Sunshine Cruz is choosing to live in the present and look to the future. She’s mum on her personal life but can talk at length about her daughters with ex-husband Cesar Montano. All three are still in school but she’s aware that they’ll soon be grown up and living their own lives. Now is the time to bond with them.
She can talk about her work. She can talk about her children. Or maybe even her ex-husband. But when it comes to matters of the heart, Sunshine Cruz is keeping her lips sealed.
“Am I seeing someone right now? I don’t really want to talk about it anymore. Ibalato niyo na lang sa ‘kin. I’m turning 47...I’m no longer a teenager to talk about it. Magulo lang. What I have or what I don’t have regarding my personal life, I would like to keep it private,” she told reporters at her launch as the endorser of the beauty and wellness brand Thiocell.
In 2023, Sunshine broke up with politician Macky Mathay after six years of dating. While she tried to keep that one lowkey, it still ended up being public. And it didn’t really do them any good.
“My last relationship I wanted to keep quiet. Unfortunately, it got out and became very open... Wala din namang napuntahang maganda,” Sunshine said, adding that she “doesn’t owe anyone an explanation about my private life.” “It’s good to have something to keep for yourself.”
Meanwhile, she couldn’t be more thrilled about the relationship between her ex-husband, Cesar Montano, and their three daughters: Angelina, 22; Sam, 19; and Cheska, 18. Sunshine is also happy that she gets to spend time with Cesar’s current partner, Kath Angeles, and their children, during special occasions.
“Dati, grabe ang gulo namin at issue. But all wounds, no matter how deep they are, heal over time... Our 13 years together gave me three beautiful, wonderful and smart daughters. That is a blessing and something to be grateful for... What’s done is done. Instead of looking back to the past, we should focus on the present and future.”
Sunshine’s face always lit up whenever the conversation shifted toward her children and their achievements. Angelina and Sam are both dean’s listers at De La Salle University. Cheska recently passed the entrance exam to Ateneo de Manila University.
‘Kind and honest kids’
And while she’s a protective mother, she allows her daughters to go on dates. “I allow them. After all, they know their priorities in life. They respect their curfew. And they are kind and honest kids,” she said.
She is a bit worried about her youngest who intends to stay at a dorm once she starts college.
“Cheska got into Ateneo (Quezon City). We live in the south (of Metro Manila), so she will be staying at a dorm. Of course, I’m scared because all her life she has been with me at home.
“I said the first thing I would do is install a CCTV,” Sunshine said, laughing. “But I raised my children to be independent. If they need something for school, they can manage it on their own,” she said.
That’s why the actress tries to make the most of their time together while they’re all still at home. This month, she plans to spend Mother’s Day with her “princesses” and treat them to dinner.
“My mom will also be with us. We will have dinner, go out and bond together. Simple lang,” she said. “Our house is happy and loud and fun. We watch movies, cook together and play with our seven dogs... just trying to enjoy time with family. Because before you know it, they’ll be all grown up, with their own lives and friends.”
Hard work
Throughout the event, Sunshine was constantly teased and likened to a “vampire” that seemingly never ages. While compliments like that are flattering, maintaining her good looks and physique takes hard work. “You have to work out, eat healthy, get some sleep and love yourself. Avoid alcohol and other vices,” she said.
Sunshine has never gone under the knife. But she’s open to non-invasive facial treatments and taking supplements, like Thiocell’s Glutathione Lozenges, which claims to boost the immune system and minimize photoaging in skin.
At the end of the day, aging isn’t something to be afraid of,
Sunshine said. The goal is to stay healthy, so that she can be with her family for as long as possible. “There are people who are afraid of getting old. But I want to age gracefully. I have never hidden my real age,” she said.
“Aging is a blessing because not everyone reaches the age of 46 with good health... I’m blessed because it means I can stay with my family longer,” she said.
Mental health is also an important part of the equation. She pointed out that, at her age, hormonal imbalances can creep up. And so, she tries her best to stay away from negativity.
“If drama is what you bring, I keep my distance,” she quipped.
“I divert my attention to things I enjoy doing, like crocheting,” Sunshine related. “I don’t want to focus on things that will affect my mental health.
That way, I can give my best.”
Our house is happy and loud and fun... Because before you know it, they’ll be all grown up, with their own lives and friends
Sunshine Cruz
Actress