Toni Gonzaga Talks On The Joys And Pains Of Motherhood At The Third Anniversary Of 'Home Sweetie Home'

 TONI GONZAGA says she can relate more directly to her role as Julie in the ABS-CBN hit sitcom, “Home Sweetie Home”, now that she’s a wife and mother in real life. “Mas naiintindihan ko na yung pagiging misis at ina. Gets ko na siya. It’s now closer to home at mas alam ko na pati ang tamang paghawak ng bata.”

Her baby boy called Seve is now four months old and she continues to breastfeed him. “Lahat ng food niya, galing sa akin. Mahirap. Before I leave for taping, I pump muna for about two hours and store it para may makain siya habang wala ako. Pero hanggang noontime lang yun, kaya sa set, I pump pa rin then I send it home. Mahirap maging ina kasi mahilig talaga ako matulog. But now, wala na akong deep sleep and I understand what it means to be sleep deprived. Kahit in the middle of the night, kapag nagising siya and he demands to feed, you have to wake up for him. Naiba ang meaning ng buhay ko. I realized the kind of strength women have to give birth to a new life then nourish it and nurture it.”


Why wouldn’t she try mixed feeding with formula? “Kasi ako, I was not breastfed so lumaki kong mahina ang resistencia. Lagi akong nagkakasakit, unlike my sister Alex who was breastfed. Siguro, when he’s 6 months na, mas madali na kasi we can feed him na with solid food.”


To what would they attribute the success of “Home Sweetie Home”? It’s Director Edgar “Bobot” Mortiz who answers: “Maski kami, hindi namin alam ang reason, but we’re glad na umabot kami ng three years. Siguro, people appreciate that it’s not just a comedy show but offers moral lessons about family life that people can relate with.”

We tell him the show is today’s version of the hit sitcom “John en Marsha” in the 80s and Direk Bobot agrees. “Doing the show is a collaboration,” he adds. “Masaya kaming lahat dito lagi sa taping, along with other members of the cast na sina Sandy Andolong, Ellen Adarna, Miles Ocampo, Clarence Delgado, Ogie Diaz, Bearwin Meily, Paul Sy, Jobert Austria, Mitoy Yonting, Nonong Ballinan and Magda Alovera.”

“Home Sweetie Home” is aired Saturdays at 6:30 PM after “TV Patrol Weekend”.