| Unofficial Website of Ms. Janice de Belen |
| Janice and Pops Lost and Found Veron Dionisio |
| WHAT is it in a marriage that makes a woman forget herself? Why does it seem to take a marital breakup to make a woman rethink and reconsider her options in life? Why can a woman be a mother and a wife and also have a successful career? Look at Pops Fernandez and Janice de Belen. They both rediscovered more things about themselves as individuals after their separation from their husbands. While their families, particularly their kids, remain their priorities, these two women firmly believe that their careers serve as "the windows that God opened when He closed the doors." Pops has realized her full potential not just as a performer but also as a woman. She even becomes more daring and less inhibited as an artist, bent on making a go of her acting career that she put aside for the sake of her marriage. In her words, she has "lost and found herself." She has found refuge in her career. It gives her a sense of security not just for herself but for her kids. She once said in an interview, "Yes, while I believe that Martin will never neglect his responsibilities, it�s inevitable that he�ll find his own family someday. And if that happens, I want to be ready." She married early. At the age of 19, Pops took on the responsibilities of a woman of the house. She admits she missed growing up to womanhood and the normalcy that goes with this stage. "Hindi ako nagdalaga," she sighs. In most separations, the woman is the target of malicious talk. While separated men can move on and date other women and not be crucified by society, women are scrutinized. Every single perception of impropriety is held against them, a minus point in the rating scale of morality, a disgrace to proper womanhood. Pops has been a victim of society�s myopic double standards. While Martin can live in with the woman who caused the breakup of their marriage, Pops is perceived to be "a woman on the loose, a cradle snatcher," who doesn�t appreciate how her children would be affected by these controversies. The issues are slowly dying down, but despite the annulment of their marriage, people still tend to look at Pops in a bad light. She�s a single mom and she has every right to date, right? Nonetheless, the question is, would she be the woman she is right now, more sure about herself, more confident about what she can do, with a deeper sense of self-worth and self-esteem, had she remained married? Everybody knows that Janice was at her peak as an actress when she gave it all up when she married John Estrada a decade ago and gave him five kids. Yes, she was never out of show biz. She appeared in soap operas and guested in various drama anthologies and series. We saw her in TV ads once or twice. However, she never created a stir. She's been one among the many faces on television for the past 10 years. Yes we did watch her. We saw how she neglecting herself, putting on more weight than she should. |
| Slowly, it appeared she was not interested in her show biz career anymore. She seemed contented in raising her kids and being a devoted wife to John. And then the separation came. Amidst denials and pronouncements, we saw how Janice coped. All of a sudden, she pinch-hit for Lyn Ching on "S-Files". The feedback was so great that, when Ching decided to concentrate on public affairs, GMA management took Janice in as a permanent co-host. In her younger sister Gelli�s words, "Janice has found a new career." Many critics have been impressed with how Janice has been handling her hosting chores. They claim she has given a show a new thrust, a new look, a fresher treatment. We now have a quieter, less talkative show biz talk show host who knows how to listen to her guests, who does not cut her guests off just to appear knowledgeable, and who�s attentive enough to catch clues in voice tone and facial expression. If we believe her photos in ads on newspapers, she seems to be on a weight management program now. Janice looks lighter now and it appears that she�s on her way to achieving a slimmer and fitter form. After all, she has to look good on the TV screen. "I�m so happy with the way my career has been going. I never planned this, I never even imagined it. It just fell into place. But I�m so grateful that I�ve been given a second chance. "I�ve never done hosting before, that�s why I find new challenges everyday. My brain constantly works, the adrenaline is sometimes unstoppable," smiles Janice. "As a host, I have to be on my toes all the time. I�m truly enjoying it." However, she can�t help but ask, "Ito ba ang kapalit ng lahat? If my marriage hadn�t failed, would this have happened? At the end of the day, is this what I really want?" Janice answers her own question: "Of course, my family is still my priority. And if God would ask me to give this all up for my family, I would, without a doubt. Kahit ngayon din. I�ve always wanted to have a complete family." But lest she be misinterpreted as a martyr, she cautions, "But if I think there�s no hope anymore, then I�d be the first one to make it final." As of now, Janice claims annulment is farthest from her and John�s minds. "It�s a long and tedious process we�re not ready to face yet," she sighs. These two women has gone through the fire and emerged as fighters. One has somehow achieved some kind of closure, while the other is still in the process of determining the end of her journey as a newly-separated woman. |
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