How Sharon’s 2-month health break brought her back to senses

Cuneta says she is working toward semiretirement. —MARINEL CRUZ

I think it’s about time,” said actress Sharon Cuneta on the decision of her husband, former Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, to file a cyberlibel case before the Department of Justice against a YouTube channel. The channel uploaded a series of videos claiming that Pangilinan physically abuses his wife and children, including stepdaughter KC Concepcion.

“Yes, you choose your battles because you know that there are things that will just die out in the end, but there are things that are already far too much. I think that even a hundred people will believe the lies—those who think everything that is posted online is true. It’s because of them that we have fake news,” Sharon told Inquirer Entertainment shortly after the fifth anniversary celebration of the InLife Sheroes program for women empowerment.

“This YouTube channel is implying that Kiko and I have already broken up because he did something to my eldest daughter. This is so disgusting. I said, ‘How could this be when I’m still out of prison and Kiko is still alive?’ Because if this was true, I would’ve killed Kiko a long time ago,” the actress declared.

Volatile relationship

Sharon and Kiko have two daughters, Frankie and Miel, and an adopted son, Miguel.

Meanwhile, Sharon regretfully said she has not seen KC since the latter’s appearance in “Dear Heart,” her reunion concert with KC’s dad, Gabby Concepcion, in October 2023. KC is currently based in the United States.

“We were texting and then not anymore. Before October, I hadn’t seen her for eight or nine months,” said Sharon, who has always been open to reporters about her volatile relationship with her eldest daughter.

“I guess since she grew up, she became very independent—you can’t blame her, but don’t blame me either. I did my best as a mom. In fact, my other kids think the world of me. If she has another opinion then there’s really nothing I can do about it, but our last chat was considerably OK.”

Despite their personal differences, Sharon said she is very proud of KC, who is currently pursuing her Hollywood dream. KC recently starred in the Hollywood indie movie “Asian Persuasion.”

“Whatever KC does for her betterment, I will always be proud of her. When the film was offered to her, she didn’t feel like doing it. I was the one who told her, ‘Do it, anak, so you have exposure there,” Sharon said.

Sharon recalled that while she was raising KC on her own, she would teach her daughter everything she knew about financial independence. “I would say to her, ‘You should not need a man to make a living for you when you grow up,’” said Sharon, who is an InLife Dreamweaver along with youngest daughter Miel

“That’s exactly what KC did, so maybe that rubbed off on her because she saw me working. There was nobody there to help me raise her, except my mom and dad, but they would be giving gifts and not necessities,” she recalled. “The one thing I told my parents was if I don’t leave your home now, I will never learn. What would I teach your grandchild? I really wanted KC to grow up knowing how to fend for herself.”

Health issues

At the InLife event, Sharon also revealed that she has been struggling with a hip injury since January. “I have had a pinched nerve in my back since 2013 and been getting pain management from an orthopedic surgeon since. But in January, the pain radiated already. Apart from that, I have lower lumbar thrombosis and osteoarthritis, which apparently runs in the family.

“For two months, I would just lie down with hot water bags. I’ve only been able to stand up for three days, in time for this event, but I’m getting better,” Sharon declared. “I’m so aware of how frail we are as human beings, and at 58, I’m more aware of my own mortality. That’s why I want to do as much good as I can while I’m still in the business—and when I get the chance, to enjoy my family and travel with them.”

Sharon Cuneta–SHARON CUNETA/ INSTAGRAM

This was why she said she is now working toward semi retirement. “I’ve been working for 46 years, and while I love what I do, there are other things I still want to pursue. Maybe someday, it will get to a point when I would just do a movie once every two years, or only if the material is really good,” she declared.

In the two months that Sharon was placed on bed rest, she got to “check” herself. “I detoxed from social media. It was then also that I realized so many embarrassing things. Because of social media, I started becoming somebody I didn’t like at all. In the early days of Twitter, when I was starting, I felt like I was a mommy who was scolding her wards for being so rude. I would say, ‘Why are you talking like that to an older person? That’s wrong!’ I realized, especially when people would hurt me with their words, that my tendency as a human being was to get mad. I regret that—I should risen above that.”

The actress said she eventually learned not to be bothered by bashers. “These are people posting anonymously so they have a false sense of power. Why will you engage with them? I realized so many things. Another is that, ‘Why am I posting everything about my life? I never used to do this.’ This brought me back to my senses. I’m very glad that in the two months of rest that I had, that’s all I got to do—think.”

Aside from Sharon, the InLife Sheroes anniversary was attended by executive chair Nina Aguas, Mitch Valdes, Aryn Cristobal, Nicki Morena and KaladKaren, who hosted the event. INQ