Janice de Belen and Priscilla Meirelles. Image: Instagram/@super_janice; screengrab from YouTube/GMA Network
Priscilla Meirelles disclosed that while she doesn’t share a close relationship with Janice de Belen, she admires and appreciates the actress for reaching out to her during the former’s “trying moments” in 2023.
Meirelles spoke about her relationship with de Belen, the former wife of her actor husband John Estrada, in an interview in “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” on Monday, May 13.
“When it comes [to] Ms. Janice, never kami naging close pero na-appreciate ko siya nang sobra kasi last year, actually, nag-reach out siya sa akin—and I hope it’s okay to share,” she said. “Woman-to-woman, she was very kind and I appreciate that.”
It can be recalled that it was last year when Meirelles and Estrada went through a rough patch in their marriage. Meirelles, however, opted not to share more details about her interaction with de Belen.
“We’re never close; we did work before together but of course, I’m married to her ex. Although I’m not the reason why they separated—let’s make this clear,” she stressed. “‘Yung pagpasok ko sa buhay ni John, they were already annulled [for many years].”
“But woman-to-woman, I think she can feel me and I think she understands where I’m coming from,” she continued. “And I think she appreciates the fact that I’m good to her kids [Inah, Moira, Kaila and Yuan], and they love me and I love them.”
Abunda then underscored, “For someone to reach out to you during your trying moments, it means a lot.”
Meirelles nodded in agreement, “That means a lot, and that means it shows who she is as a person. I admire her for that and I thank her. She’s a wonderful woman.”
Rough patch
Speaking about the learnings she had after her rough patch with Estrada, Meirelles said, “Ang dami kong natutunan tungkol [sa] sarili ko… I’m very easygoing [but] lahat ng tao may limit. Dumating ako sa limit ko.”
“[Do’n] sa nangyari, ang natutunan ko [ay at] the end of the day, ‘yung pinakaimportanteng bagay sa buhay natin is peace of mind,” she continued, adding that without peace she cannot function because she is unhappy.
Meirelles then underscored that she will fight for Estrada and their marriage for as long as she deems it’s “worth it.” She further noted that Estrada vowed to do his best after their misunderstanding, and that she believes in him.
“But again, tao lang tayo. I’m in a situation right now where—of course, we’re married pa rin and we were just laughing and having a great time yesterday. But I’m not gonna take anything of what I already took up to this point,” she clarified.
“Alam niya na nasa limit na ako so whatever happens from this point on, it’s on him. I’ve done my part,” she said.
