MANILA -- Even though they no longer work together, Bianca Gonzalez remains close friends with Mariel Rodriguez and Toni Gonzaga.

“Yes [we’re still friends]. We actually have a chat group — and the chat group is still called even to this day, even if ako na lang ‘yung natira, ‘Kuya’s Angels,’” she said in an episode of Push Bets Live.

Every time she reflects on their special bond, Gonzalez said it gets really overwhelming because they first met each other when they were in their early 20s.

“Ibang ibang stage of life pa kami nun. I remember the first time we met, we were all heartbroken. I remember it was a trip to Hong Kong, nag-iiyakan kasi meron kaming mga bagong… parang break lahat in some way, shape, or form,” she said.

“And that, like, I think truly started the bond. And then of course, different life stages. More relationships, eventually isa isa kaming kinasal. Isa isa kaming naging nanay,” she added.

For Gonzalez, it’s important to have women in one’s life “who know you especially in the public sphere.”

“It’s so important to still be connected to friends who knew you from the start, ‘yung kilala ka before you were whatever in your position, in whatever field you’re in. Because they know who you really are. They keep you grounded. … So they will always, always be that to me,” she said.

Gonzalez said they just haven’t been hanging out lately largely due to their busy lives as mothers.

“Actually it’s ironic kasi ‘yung work, kaya pa ‘yung busy-ness ng work. Pero nung mga naging nanay na, oh my gosh. ‘Yun na ‘yung talagang wala, ang hirap na talaga. Kasi I think, if anything, all of us, even we work, we’re very hands-on with our kids,” she said.