MAXENE ON PIA MAGALONA: MY MOTHER, MY BEST FRIEND
Royal Gem has for years sought the most flawless diamonds and precious jewels and fashioned them into fitting pieces that not only inspire, but are inspired by the strong spirit and beauty of women. Celebrating Mother’s Day and the inner brilliance of women, Royal Gem captures the special bond that mom Pia Magalona shares with her daughter, Maxene.
Not every parent can be a friend. But as Pia Magalona and daughter Maxene can attest, you don’t need to see eye to eye, if you’re willing to see heart to heart. Even as mothers and daughters, you can definitely find a best friend in each other. “From among my siblings, ako na yung pinakamatigas ang ulo!” laughs Maxene, the daughter of the late Francis Magalona and wife Pia. “My mom is my best friend talaga. I’m not afraid to tell her anything.”
Despite being such a cool mom, Pia has always been firm and clear in her role as a parent. “I like that I’m close to my kids and they’re open to me, but I’m also very strict. I’m authoritative — as opposed to being authoritarian — as a parent. I’ve always believed that as a mother, it’s your responsibility to guide your children and teach them the right ways. You can give them the freedom to make mistakes and support them as they grow into their own person. But at the same time, when they’re out of line, you have to call them out,” shares Pia.
When it comes to choosing between being a friend or a parent to your kids, Pia always prioritizes her role as mother. “As parents, we are the only ones they can count on to learn from. Whatever the elders do, the kids follow. It’s important to set an example,” shares Pia. She quickly adds, “However, you can still be both — a friend and a parent — to your kids.”
As a mother of eight, Pia has become the light of the home, the moral compass and the pillar of strength that all her kids look up to. “It’s hard sometimes to call out your kids when they do something wrong. But if from birth you’ve made that bond, it comes easier and natural to correct them, because they know that what you say comes from a place of love and concern. You need to be generous with praise as well. If all you do is call your children out on their wrongdoings, it breaks their spirit and they feel worthless.”
With Maxene, Pia shares a very unique and close bond because they’re very similar in terms of personality. “We’re (both) headstrong; we speak our minds, we’re articulate,” Pia says. Their relationship became even stronger when Pia took charge and supported Maxene in her dream of entering show business.
“Even when Maxene was still a child, she had always wanted to be a performer. And of course as a parent, I supported her completely,” Pia says. Pia would take Maxene to auditions and tapings, put together all the requirements for the shoot, and would even do Maxene’s makeup when she was younger. So it was during these days together, on long drives and long days on set, that they nurtured a greater respect and admiration for each other as women and individuals. “I went to every taping and schedule with Maxene, ever since she started showbiz at age four. It was only when she turned 21 that I stopped going,” laughs Pia.
Expressing what every mother wishes for her family, Pia shares, “When it comes to my children, I just want them to be happy. I love seeing them grow up and grow into such strong, unique individuals. I urge them to find what makes them happy and content. I remind them that it’s okay to have self-doubt, but I want them to know that they’re ‘enough.’ Embrace what makes you unique, live and follow your passions, and be happy in your own skin. And know that I will always be here to support you.”
“My mom is such an inspiration, not just to me but everyone else,” adds Maxene. “Especially when my dad passed away, she really served as the pillar of strength for our family. She showed the world how, even in loss, you can embrace the pain and move on with life. She’s the strongest person I know, and at the same time, the most genuine and the realest. She’s a mom in the deepest and richest sense of the word.”
This Mother’s day, show how much you deeply care for the most important woman in your life with the perfect jewels from Royal Gem — from diamonds to pendants, and other delicate jewels. Until May 28, find the gift that best captures your enduring love for your mother, which like her, is one-of-a-kind.
Visit Royal Gem in Metro Stores located in Ayala Center Cebu, Alabang Town Center, Market! Market!, Marquee Mall in Pampanga and Metro Legazpi. Mother’s Day deals also available in MyGold stores in E-Mall Cebu, Colon Street Cebu, Southpark, SM Makati, SM Ortigas, SM Fairview, SM Sucat, SM Dasma, and SM Ortigas. Also available in MyGold in Metro Stores in UP Town Center, Fairview, Calbayog, Bacolod, Maasin Leyte, Imus Cavite, Lucena, and in Cebu – Toledo, Lapu-Lapu, Carcar, Bogo, Naga, Mambaling.
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