When Diana Dayao sat down for a TV interview on "Its Showtime," she thought she was sharing a personal chapter of her life—a story of three engagements that never led to marriage. What was meant to be an anecdotal segment about relationships turned into a powerful moment that peeled back the layers of what it means to be a strong, self-aware woman in today’s world. 

But as soon as the episode aired, the internet had its say. The segment exploded across social media, racking up millions of views and thousands of comments, shares, and debates. Men and women from all walks of life flooded her inbox, thanking her for saying out loud what they had silently lived through: the courage to walk away when something no longer felt right and the integrity to hold on to high standards despite the consequences of heartbreak.

Diana was not just another guest; she became a mirror for so many women who have been judged for their choices, questioned for their standards, and pressured by a society that often expects women to settle or conform.

But not everyone saw it that way. A vocal minority twisted the narrative, questioning why her relationships fell apart. “They all asked her to marry her, hindi lahat natuloy, si girl ang problem,” some comments read. They speculated, judged, and assumed. In another interview she gave to another popular network following the "It's Showtime interview," the host even commented on her story and said, “Ang ganda pa naman nya, sayang.”

On a prettier note, some pointed out how graceful she was for not blaming her exes on national TV, which would have been the easiest way to champion herself. The headline was almost guaranteed to make her look like the bad one, and yet, the majority of those who heard the story saw the quiet value of self-respect, choosing the more challenging path, and not conforming with society’s expectations of women that Diana embodied.

“It was eye-opening,” Diana admits. “I wasn’t expecting that level of engagement, let alone the polarizing reactions. Some people called me strong, and others saw me as the problem. And that, to me, was the real conversation—why would someone automatically blame women? Why is a woman’s worth still measured within the limits imposed on her by tradition, culture, or societal expectations?”

“Women are often told they can be strong, but only in palatable ways, still conforming. If challenging na sa kakayanan ng iba, we risk being labeled difficult, ungrateful, or unworthy.”

“The real struggle is that many women who want to step outside of these limits—who want to walk away from relationships that don't want to meet them at their level, who want to pursue ambition without guilt, who want to define their lives on their terms — are often held back not just by external pressures, but by their own internalized fears,” Diana added.

Yet, one thing became clear in the sea of opinions: her voice carried weight. And that wasn’t something new.

The woman and her voice

Long before she was a trending topic, Diana Dayao was already captivating audiences—not with controversy, but with her voice. A natural-born performer, she first found her footing as a singer-songwriter. She credits her songwriting career to the late American RnB producer/composer/singer Keith Martin, her ex-fiance and father of her only child, Dion James Martin. Diana wrote hits for major artists such as Kyla, Jed Madela, Ronnie Liang, and Zsa Zsa Padilla. 

When it came to vocals, Diana’s sultry mezzo-soprano vocals, rich with soul and storytelling, set her apart, evoking shades of Toni Braxton's signature soulful tone. Her original songs blend pop R&B, with catchy and introspective lyricism. Her upcoming release, “Virtues,” in collaboration with producer Jason Haft, carries themes of perseverance and faith, drawing inspiration from a time when her father was critically ill. “It was one of the hardest times in my life, and I didn't know the harder part was yet to come, that's when my Dad passed away a few weeks later last September. When Jason told me that the song is about to be released in March, sabi ko there couldn't be a better timing, this song speaks to me more than it did when I wrote it,” she shares.

But music is just one part of her artistic identity. Diana is also a speaker and dynamic multiplatform host, commanding stages with a charisma that’s both effortless and magnetic. From corporate galas to digital tech shows, her presence transforms an event. “Hosting is all about connection, too,” she explains. “It’s about making people feel something—whether it’s excitement, nostalgia, inspiration, etc. My signature style? Authenticity, I get to be myself and highlight a side of me when I host, vs taking on a role.”

Her ability to own a room, whether through song, event hosting, interviews, or when invited to speak, has made her a sought-after albeit low-key figure in the industry. Yet, her most powerful performance may have been in that now-viral interview—where she stood unfiltered in front of the world and told the truth to inspire women, especially. That even a woman of her “stature” - goes through the same crap every other woman goes through.

The woman and her heart

“I never wanted to be in politics,” she confesses. “But I also never wanted to sit on the sidelines while things remained the same.”

Since 2015, Diana poured herself into Manila Street Love, a grassroots initiative that started as a simple act of kindness. What began with her personally handing out food and essentials to the homeless turned into an organized movement, drawing volunteers, donors, and changemakers who believed in a more compassionate way of helping.

“We didn’t just want to give—we wanted to restore dignity,” she explains. “We want to remind the homeless families, the growing streetkids, the sick children and their parents, even the juvenile delinquents, that there are people who still see them as people - needing help, needing understanding, needing opportunities to change, needing love.

As she worked on the streets, Diana saw how policies failed the most vulnerable; she realized that advocacy could only go so far without representation in government.

And so, she did the unthinkable. She filed her candidacy for Councilor in District 5 of Manila last October.

“I was still deciding, thinking hard about it. Then, my Dad suddenly passed away. He’s bilin was not to run if I would have no financial backer because I would look kawawa in the sea of vote buying, she recalls.

"I don’t come from a political dynasty. I don’t have a war chest of campaign funds. But what I have is the perspective and understanding of what needs to change. What I have are the qualifications to serve and the necessity to do it dahil ako mismo at ang mga mahal ko sa Buhay affected. Pahirapan bago makakuha ng benefits ang mga seniors. Ang dumi ng kalye, kulang sa suporta ang mga estudyante at PWDs, no solid support for single parents. Lahat yan affected ako because I'm part of that,” she added.

And yet, as a woman she’s been told to change—to soften her opinions, to alter her image, to speak differently so she doesn’t alienate voters. “I’ve been advised to ‘blend in,’” she says, shaking her head. “But that’s exactly the problem. Why run if I’m just going to become what I’m trying to change? I think playing the game so you can “do what's right later” is a crappy strategy. It defeats the purpose. Here we are again, we look up to what magic women can do but we want to dictate how she does things. We say we believe in a candidate, but we want to change her,” she added.

Diana’s political strategy is as unconventional as her career path. She questions entitled voters and thinks if the community wants change then they have to support a candidate like her, instead of making their support and votes utang na loob. “Why? Because this isn’t about me—it’s about us.”

Her slogan, Kasali Ka, speaks to this belief: governance should be participatory, inclusive, and grounded in real human experiences.

The idea that people's stories matter is at the core of everything—whether through Manila Street Love, politics, or her creative work. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, people want to be heard. And when you truly listen, you start seeing the solutions right before you.”

Tribute to all women

There’s a saying that “intelligent women are often misunderstood.” But in Diana’s case, she doesn’t just want to be understood—she wants to shift mindsets. She has made it her mission to correct the myths and double standards that have trapped women in silent suffering for generations. Women who are beautiful and outspoken are often labeled as intimidating. Women who are kind and understanding are often mistaken as weak. But Diana proves you can be both—soft yet strong, sharp yet warm, outspoken yet full of grace.