FILE Ria Atayde
Veteran actress Sylvia Sanchez on Monday clapped back at critics of daughter Ria Atayde whose recent endorsement of a liquor product was met with body shaming comments by some netizens.
Atayde was chosen as a 2023 calendar girl of one of the leading liquor brands in the country, wherein she was featured in three different poses and in three different revealing outfits.
In one version, the 30-year-old actress was lying down in a black one-sided cut-out slip dress; in the other, she was in a white bikini bottom and matching open-buttoned shirt with the hem ruched up to reveal her full figure; and the third, a fire-engine red halter bikini, partly covered by a synthetic coat of the same color.
While the photos were tastefully done, some netizens still had something to say about her curves, prompting Sanchez to push back against her daughter’s naysayers.
“Merong namba-bash kay Ria pero wala akong pakialam sa kanilang lahat. You know why? Masaya ang buhay ng anak ko, masaya kaming pamilya. Okay ang anak ko. So bakit ko iintindihin ‘yung mga taong bashers na mga walang mukha?” the award-winning actress told reporters in an interview in Pampanga. “So mas priority ko ang kaligayahan ng anak ko, mas importante sa akin si Ria kesa sa mga bashers. Ngayon may kasabihan nga, kapag inggit, pikit!”
Sanchez further said that she is proud and supportive of her daughter’s achievement “one-hundred percent” that she had all three versions of the calendar framed. She also hailed the brand’s decision to choose Atayde as its brand ambassador, along with the message of promoting body positivity.
“‘Yung plano kasi nila kay Ria, ang ganda ganda. In-explain nila ang ganda, ganda, ang sosyal sosyal. So sabi ko, ‘Why not, ‘di ba? Kasi for me, hindi naman sa pagiging payat ‘yung pagiging sexy. Tumitingin ako sa pagiging sexy sa tao, papano siya mag-alaga ng kapwa niya, paano siya bilang tao, kung mabuti siyang tao. Ano ‘yung talino niya. Ang katawan kasi puwede kasi ‘yan i-exercise eh, puwede kang maging sexy. Pero para sa akin, ang kabuoan ng pagiging sexy sa akin, kung mabuti kang tao. Ang sexy sa akin ang puso ng tao,” said Sanchez.
“Mas gusto kong makita ‘yung sa sinasabi niyong may laman or voluptuous kesa sa payat na masama ugali. Mas gusto ko sa voluptuous na merong mabuting puso. ‘Yun ang sexy para sa akin,” she further said.
‘Missing the point’
Meanwhile, Atayde also took to Instagram as she fended off those who chose to find something ill to say about her figure.
“Too thicc for your narrow mind? Think you missed the point,” she said, using a slang which means “curvaceous.”
“It took years for me to embrace my body — and I’m honestly still learning to love all parts of me. I was inspired by so many confident women, I hope I can do the same. Thank you to everyone that has been so supportive with this calendar, it was out of my comfort zone but I’m so glad I did it. Thank you White Castle family for choosing me and for pushing for body positivity. I am forever grateful for this opportunity. Yieee she’s a calendar girl… akalain nyo yun? Hahahaha,” she said in another post.
Fellow celebrities rallied behind Atayde, praising her for her endorsement and the advocacy behind it.
Among them is Carmi Martin, who also used to endorse the liquor brand that Atayde is now ambassador of.