Dimples Romana and her husband Boyet Ahmee celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary last June 14. But the actress says their marriage is not made in heaven, and she's willing to share the secret to marital success.
"If we were to add the two years that we've been together before we got married, we would have been 21 years. But to be exact, we have been married for 19 years. My husband and I would never look at our marriage as a perfect one. I think that's the key. You should never have unrealistic expectations of your spouses. We are always bound to make mistakes. We are always bound to change as people. I think it is encouraged na magbago tayo bilang mga tao," says Dimples, during the launch of her latest endorsement for Generika Drugstore via Zoom recently.
Dimples, 37, says her relationship with her husband is solid and going strong despite an eight-year gap.
"Paano pag sinabi natin sa asawa natin na nagbago ka na? If you're looking for forever, when it comes to marriage, dapat yung salitang nagbago ka na should be looked upon, as something that is positive. You are supposed to grow.
"I think ang gamot d'yan, for example, nilalagnat ka, konting yakap-yakap sa asawa mo. Kung inuubo sya, bigyan ng maraming tubig. Kadalasan ang asawa natin, inuubo lang yan kapag may gustong i-add to cart or i-check out. Inuubo bigla. Nagkakasakit bigla kapag may gustong bilhin. Siyempre yung asawa mo, may sakit, at may gustong bllhin, ibibigay mo na.
"Sa tutoo lang for me, marriage is not about to give and take. It's giving and giving. If you were to look at it as taking, sometimes it becomes very selfish. For me and my husband, it works for us. Malayo rin po yung agwat ng aming edad. Hindi lang halata kasi mukhang bagets si Papa B. We had an eight-year gap.
"But my husband would always tell me, this is very true though, every time he tells something I will not like, he drinks water. And he keeps that water inside his mouth until he forgets what he's about to say. So kung may gusto siyang sabihin sa akin na hindi maganda, hahayaan lang niya 'yung tubig sa mouth niya at hindi niya lulunukin. And then bati na kami kasi hindi na niya sasabhin yun at hindi na ako na-hurt.
Dimples also says that she always put his husband first, and he knows it. She admits she may not be the best parent around, but she always makes it a point to be with her family when they want her around.
"Sabi ko nga dati, pag sinabi ng husband ko na mag quit na ako sa trabaho, wala na tayong magagawa dyan. Masyado na niya akong pinag bigyan and he's been an amazing father to his children. I cannot say I'm a hands-on parent kasi lagi akong nasa teleserye but I try my best to be with them especially during the time that they need me most as a mom.
"So I think yun ang pinaka mabisang gamot sa lahat. Tubig. Kasi minsan ang pinaguugatan talaga ng away ay yung mga salitang hindi magaganda," says Dimples.
The award-winning Kapamilya star also reveals that respect is one of the keys to a successful career in show business.
"Respeto sa katrabaho, respeto sa sarili. respeto sa industriya. Kasi yung pagmamahal follows na rin if you respect someone, and you respect the people that you work with. Tulad ng Generika, para sa lahat, walang pili. Sa industriya natin, may estado tayong itinuturing. May mga labels tayo sa ating industriya, mapa-tao man or sa mga ginagawa natin.
"In the 25 years that I have been in the industry, dito na rin ako lumaki, at ang nakita kong gamot diyan para sa mahaba, steady at mabungang karera ay respeto para sa isa't isa. If you respect yourself enough, and you respect the people you work with, you will experience the same respect.
"I feel blessed hindi lang po sa mga proyekto kundi pati na rin sa industry natin. Kaya hindi ako makapaniwala sa mga sinasabi nila na mahirap makahanap ng tunay na kabigan sa industriya kasi hindi ko po yun na-experience. Grabe po magmahal yung mga kaibigan ko. Walang pinipili at malalim na ang samahan namin kaya in the same way with the other brands, including Generika, I apply the same purpose and the same kind of care not just for one brand of family but for all," adds Dimples, who is ready to give birth to her son Elio in the coming days. This would be the third time that she would become a mom.
* Ginhawang Generika
Oftentimes when Filipinos feel unwell, they don’t go directly to consult with a doctor; more so going into a drugstore to buy medicine, because everything is just too pricey for the average Filipino. The end goal is to feel “ginhawa”: a Filipino term that encompasses comfort, relief, or peace of mind. But more often than not, to experience this “ginhawa”, entails having to spend a lot. Fortunately for us, Generika Drugstore continuously serves its social purpose to provide access to quality and affordable healthcare to Filipino families.
Ginhawang Generika: Abot-Kaya at Dekalidad na Gamot, Para sa Lahat is just what we need during these times when supply of medicine became scarce. Generika has been able to keep up with the challenging demand for much-needed medicine and supplies.
President and CEO of Generika Drugstore, Atty. Josette A. Abarca, shared “We have generic equivalents for those branded medicines and have ample supply for them. If the generic counterpart has gone through the required FDA approval, the difference is just in the brand name. The efficacy is the same since the active ingredients are the same.”
Going beyond medicine, Generika also offers Plus Services such as Libreng Konsulta with Partner Doctors, a service that provides free medical consultations onsite or through the phone, FREE BP Monitoring and scheduled basic diagnostic services with mobile laboratory-partners.
With every transaction, customers are also given a Gamot Guide, a printed reminder on the proper intake of the medicine. For those who are constrained from getting out of their homes, Ginhawang Generika takes on convenience with its Generika Drugstore Mobile App, which can be downloaded via the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Customers can also avail of MEDpadala, an electronic gift certificate exclusively used for the purchase of medicines and medical supplies at any Generika Drugstore, in-store and online.
As a member of AC Health, an Ayala company, Generika has a partnership with HealthNow, a healthcare app that allows doctor consultations and ordering of medicines provided by Generika. Together they fulfill the commitment to bring the healthcare costs down.
This year, the brand is spicing things up by introducing Dimples as their new brand ambassador.
Generika Drugstore gives value to Dimples’ desire and drive to take care of her family, just like how Generika is committed to taking care of its customers and their families.
Being the dedicated mom that Dimples is, she will surely encourage more Filipinos to join the cause of Generika: to provide much more than the medical needs that they can offer, but also give customers the proper care and relief that they truly deserve.
For more information, please visit https://generika.com.ph/, or follow Generika Drugstore on Social Media; Facebook: Generika Drugstore (@GenerikaDrugstorePH), Instagram: Generika Drugstore (@generikadrugstore) Twitter: Generika Drugstore (@generikaPH), Tiktok: Generika Drugstore Official (@generika_drugstore).