Maureen fulfills grandma’s wish
After her successful foray into the modeling world, Maureen Wroblewitz, the first Filipina to win Asia’s
Next Top Model (AsNTM), sashays her way into the local TV scene as the newest addition to the Eat, Bulaga! family.
The half-Filipina, half-German beauty surprised many when she made her noontime TV debut in the program’s hit segment Barangay Jokers. Since then, the 20 year old dabbles in different portions of the show.
Maureen disclosed that she had to decline offers from two competing networks when she decided to join
Eat, Bulaga! She said the driving force behind her decision was the longtime dream of her 82-year-old maternal grandmother, Iluminada Pojas, to see her regularly in the country’s longest-running noontime variety show.
“I’ve known the show since I was little and I know that it is being watched by millions worldwide. As a matter of fact, my grandmother religiously watches it. It’s her longtime wish to see me regularly on television and me joining Eat, Bulaga! is, in a way, fulfilling that wish. At the same time, I want to try something new, venture into an unknown territory — live television. And what bet- ter way to do that than to be part of the longest and most successful program in the country,” she said.
Jeny Ferre, SVP for Creatives and Operations of Eat, Bulaga!, said that she and the management were impressed by the model’s determination, passion and fighting spirit. And that Eat, Bulaga! likes to give opportunities to young people who dare to dream, just like Maureen.
“She’s a natural and has so much potential. When you talk to her, she has that charm and you’ll really feel that she’s here to prove something of herself. We like that attitude. She’s eager to show what she can do and at the same time very open to new ideas,” she said.
Maureen added that nowadays, bashers rarely get to her nerves as she grew a thicker skin after joining AsNTM.
She recalled that early on in the competition, when she started opening up to her co-models, some said negative things behind her back while others accused her to be unworthy of her spot in the model search.
The bullying, Maureen said, motivated her to perform better. She wanted to prove not just to her co-models, but also to herself that she could win the competition. “It’s very rare that you see short models in the runway but I used that to challenge myself to do better and to prove to everyone that even though I’m not the tallest girl, I can do things my way. I just took that as a motivation and I will never let that bring me down.”
Asked for advice to people who are having a hard time fitting in, the model who lost her mother at the young age of 11, said it is better to surround yourself with people who are close and dear to you.
“You just have to focus on the positive things. What I like to do is I focus on the good things, especially those that will uplift my spirit. It also pays to surround yourself with positive people and those who truly believe and love you, like your family and friends. Keep a small group of people whom you know and trust deeply. At the end of the day, you count on people who care.”