Like her character as Jengjeng in the coming-of-age iWantTFC series Tara, G!, Vivoree Esclito is everyone’s bubbly girl, confident of her talent and beauty. But the truth is she had to put in the work to achieve the kind of confidence she has right now.

In this special feature from Tara, G!, we’ll get to know Vivoree's story of wiggling her way from being a shy and bullied caterpillar to a beautiful, self-assured butterfly.

Whenever asked about her childhood, the first thing that comes to Vivoree’s mind is the amount of bullying she received due to her excessive body hair, “Kino-compare nila ako sa mga hayop. It wasn’t easy talaga. Sobrang hirap talaga siya mentally, emotionally.”

Somehow she had accepted her physical appearance but comparing herself to other girls was inevitable, resulting in low self-esteem. Because she didn’t want to bother other people with her struggles, she only relied on herself for motivation. What she thought she lacked in looks, she made up for with her school achievements. At home, a part of her strived to be the perfect role model to her siblings since she is the eldest. But reality dawned on her that she can never be perfect.

Vivoree’s big dreams helped her power through, hence her moniker “Go Getter Girl ng Bohol” in Pinoy Big Brother Lucky Season 7 in 2016. She says helping her family financially and sharing her talent was her motivation for joining. But she gained something more valuable – her confidence. The reality show transformed not only her looks but best of all her mindset.

“After showbiz, marami ng tao na sumusuporta sa akin. That’s when I realized na it’s okay to be different and unique and be completely yourself. That’s what makes you beautiful,” she reflects. “I became the person na pinapangarap ko dati pa lang, a transformed person and an inspiration din sa ibang tao na nabu-bully at mababa ‘yung self-esteem.”

Although there were still rejections, she turned them into her power tools to help her become a better person and an artist. As ‘Kuya’ always reminds his housemates, the real challenge would come in the outside world. True enough, Vivoree was in limbo after getting evicted as she didn’t receive any project offer.

What she got instead was an ultimatum from her dad, “If within a month wala pa rin akong project, pauuwiin na niya ako sa Bohol. Babalik ako sa pag-aaral and not pursue my career anymore.” It served as her wake-up call that if she really wants to pursue showbiz, then she must act serious about it. She signed up for workshops and thankfully got an offer before her dad’s deadline.

Vivoree has been playing remarkable roles since 2016. She currently stars as Jengjeng in the barkada series Tara, G! She reveals that her character resonates with her in numerous ways. Both of them are driven, optimistic, creative, and independent to the point of keeping their feelings to themselves. She relates that Tara, G reminds her of the importance of dreams for oneself and the family.

She says La Guerta, the fictional community in the series, will forever have a special place in their hearts because it’s where they formed their reel and real-life barkada.

“Sobrang refreshing talaga ‘yung vibes ng lugar, mga tao. Iba rin ‘yung temperature, talagang malamig. Pero doon sa Atok, kahit na malamig, you somehow feel warm and safe,” she describes their taping location in Atok, Benguet.

Visit La Guerta with Team Wise – Vivoree, Anthony Jennings, Kaori Oinuma, JC Alcantara, Zach Castaneda, CJ Salonga, and Daniela Stranner – by watching Tara, G! via iWantTFC.