Actress Jennica Garcia was about to move abroad with her children when she was offered to join the popular Kapamilya series "Dirty Linen," which ended recently. After the series' success, Jennica revealed that the show had completely changed her life. 

"Binago talaga ng Dreamscape yung takbo ng buhay ko. Bago pa ang 'Dirty Linen' meron na talaga akong plans to work abroad. Ready na ang papers ko and everything. So nakakatuwa na mamahalin pala ng mga tao si Lala. Sobrang overwhelming nung nag trending yung character ko. Ang sarap sa pakiramdam yung pinagtatrabahuhan mo yung isang bagay tapos na-appreciate ito ng mga tao," said Jennica, when asked about how the revenge TV series changed the path of her showbiz career, during a media conference held in Quezon City last Aug. 24.

(Dreamscape changed the course of my life. Before 'Dirty Linen,' I had plans to work abroad. My papers and everything are ready. So it's funny that people will love Lala. It was overwhelming when My character was trending. It's a good feeling when you work on something, and people appreciate it.)

In the series "Dirty Linen" under Dreamscape Entertainment, Jennica portrayed Lala, a former sexy dancer. Despite initial reservations, she accepted the challenge and received high praise from netizens for her performance.

At the launch of her endorsement for Queen White skin care products in Quezon City last Thursday, Aug. 24, Jennica confirmed that she and her estranged husband, Alwyn Uytingco, will not reconcile.

"Yung second chance kay Alwyn, nabigay ko na po yun sa kanya at dumating na po yung point na wala na talaga akong kayang ibigay," said Jennica.

Not getting married again

Jennica, 33, also said that she does not plan to get married again after her heartbreak with Alwyn.

"I don't see myself doing it again. Siguro in the future pero sa ngayon hindi ko po talaga ma-imagine. Kasi nag naisip ko magtitiwala na naman ako ng buong buo sa isang tao. Hindi ko alam kung kaya ko pang i-survive yung next blow of heartbreak. Maybe because I need a lot of healing," she said.

(I don't see myself doing it again. Maybe in the future, but I can't imagine it right now. Because I thought I would trust someone entirely again. I don't know if I can survive the next blow of heartbreak. Maybe because I need a lot of healing.)

Jennica added: "Mahirap na ako ma-in love ngayon. Pa-tatlong taon na tayong single pero habang patagal ng patagal, natututo ka na manood ng sine mag-isa, kumain mag-isa, tapos you also feed others. Nagkakaroon na po ako ng kumpiyansa sa sarili ko. 

(It's hard for me to fall in love now. We've been single for three years now, but as time passes, you learn to watch movies alone, eat alone, and feed others. I'm gaining confidence in myself.)

"Pakiramdam ko po yung bagong pag-ibig, para mahulog yung loob ko sa iba, dapat po magaling po sya. Kasi paano yan magaling na rin ako? Pasensya na kung mayabang ang dating pero ginapang ko talaga itong healing ko eh. Ang layo na ng naitawid ko sa sarili ko, especially with my mental battle. 

(The new love must be good for me to fall in love with someone else. Because how can I be good? Sorry if I sound arrogant, but I crawled this healing. It's a long way from what I went through myself, especially with my mental battle.)

"So pag may darating na bago, I can very much differentiate a red flag from a green flag. I don't want to awaken love. I don't want to look for it. I don't want to date anybody exclusively kasi alam ko na yung weakness ko na ang words of receiving words ko ay affirmation. Sa madaling salita uto-uto po tayo. 

(So when someone new comes, I can differentiate a red flag from a green flag. I don't want to awaken love. I don't want to look for it. I don't want to date anybody exclusively because my weakness is that my words are affirmation. In other words, we are gullible.)

"Masabihan lang tayo na ang ganda mo or ikaw lang ang mamahalin ko, ako naman si oo nga, tama nga. Hindi na tayo ganyan. I don't want to awaken love. If I date one person, mabilis na naman hulog ang loob ko. So aware na tayo. It's so difficult to date right now because I have two kids. So kailangan mo rin tingnan would he be a good father to my children?" she said.

("Some say I'm beautiful or the only one he will love. And I will believe him. I'm not like that anymore. I don't want to awaken love. If I date one person, my heart will fall quickly again ko. So let's be aware. It's so difficult to date right now because I have two kids. So you also need to see would he be a good father to my children?")

Jennica also stated that she does not hold anyone responsible for the end of her relationship with Alwyn.

"Wala akong pinagsisisihan sa lahat ng pinagdaanan ko. Noong una, when my heart was broken, andun yung kinukuwestyon ko sarili ko, at nakakahiya mang aminin, kinukuwestyon ko rin si God, which is wrong of course. I don't want to appear naman I got it all under control. Kalokohan naman yun at walang ganun. 

(I have no regrets for everything I went through. At first, when my heart was broken, I was questioning myself, and even though I'm ashamed to admit it, I was also questioning God, which is wrong, of course. I don't want to appear I got it all under control. That was nonsense and nothing like that.)

Kung papipiliin ako sa noon at ngayon, dito na po ako sa ngayon. Kasi po dati, sobrang duwag ko. Submissive po kasi tayo. When it comes to decision-making, if my husband would make a decision, even if I don't agree with him, I would always go with what he wanted. Not naman na hindi ako magsasalita. Pero ayoko kasi siyang sundin wholeheartedly eh. Pero nagkaroon na ako ng lakas ng loob. May boses na rin ako," she also said.

(If I had to choose between then and now, I would be here now. Because before, I was too cowardly. I was submissive. When it comes to decision-making, if my husband would make a decision, even if I disagree with him, I would always go with what he wanted. It's not that I won't speak. I've got the courage. I also have a voice.)

Jennica also said she's proud of her latest condo unit investment.

"Malapit ko na mabayaran yung condo ko. Rent-to-own lang po yun at naglakas loob lang talaga ako nun. Sabi ko dapat yata magkaroon kami ng bahay ng mga anak ko. I just want to secure my children's future and ang sikreto kung meron man, lalo na yung mga momshies, at single moms, always tell the Lord that Lord you are my husband, you're not just my father, and the father of my children. Magugulat ka na lang basta kailangan lang sipagan mo kasi hindi naman puwedeng hingi ka ng hingi sa Panginoon tapos tatamad-tamad ka. Laban lang talaga sa buhay."

(I'm close to paying off my condo. It's just rent-to-own, and I just got the courage to do it. I said I think my children and I should have a house. I want to secure my children's future.)

Thankful

But despite the breakup, Jennica was thankful for Alwyn, who cared for her and their two daughters for 11 years. The former couple got married in 2014.

"I don't think self-love is selfish at all. Dumarating naman tayo sa buhay na natin na kahit na exert na natin ang lahat ng effort for the people that we like to be pleased. Pero hindi pala talaga lahat pwede mong makuha ang loob. Pumapasok lang ang self-love kasi you tend to be mature. And I get to spot red flags easier now. Kaya ko na rin yung the art of deadma na lang. Sayang yung energy eh. I'm turning 34 in a couple of months. I really like myself now. It's a really good feeling that every decision I make in life will benefit myself. If I am able to put myself first, I'd be able to put the version of myself," she said.

(I don't think self-love is selfish at all. We are getting to the point in our lives that even if we exert all the effort for the people that we like to please, it turns out that you can't win everyone's heart. Self-love only comes in because you tend to be mature. And I get to spot red flags easier now. I can do the art of dead malice. It's a waste of energy. I'm turning 34 in a couple of months. I like myself now. It's an excellent feeling that every decision I make in life will benefit me. If I can put myself first, I'll be able to put the version of myself.)

Surprise visit

At the launch, Queen White CEO Sarah Vidi Payni-Mercado welcomed Jennica as the newest endorser for skin care products.

"She perfectly embodies today's hardworking, strong-willed, and independent Filipinas," said Sarah.

Award-winning actress Jean Garcia also surprised her daughter Jennica, who got emotional during the launch.

"We're both busy. We don't see each other often. So I decided to drop by and visit her," said Jean, as she also wished her daughter the best of everything.