Growing up in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte, Sylvia Sanchez took a leap of faith and risked it all to pursue her dreams in Manila to become her family's breadwinner at the age of 14. The veteran actress shared that she was often bullied for her thick Bisaya accent, to the point where she became too shy to pronounce her own name when she was just starting in showbiz, worried that she might say it as "Selvia Sanchiz." Determined to overcome her insecurities and improve her Tagalog fluency, she made it a daily habit to read comics aloud.  

Almost four decades later, she looks back with gratitude as she talks about the strength, struggles, and heart that come with being the backbone of a family in an episode of the Bisaya talk show "Kuan On One" hosted by Melai Cantiveros.  

Now at 53, Sylvia is still her family's breadwinner, and she openly admits to feeling exhausted on some days. "Minsan umiiyak ako sa pagod. Bakit in-embrace ko ang responsibilidad na 'to? Napapagod ako," she confessed. "Pero ang iniisip ko, kaya ko ba na hindi ko pansinin ang pamilya ko? Kaya ko ba na hindi sila bigyan kung okay naman ang buhay ko?" 

"'Pag breadwinner ka, normal na matatag ka," she said. But it doesn’t mean breadwinners aren’t allowed to show weakness.  Sylvia emphasized that feeling tired is normal, and she herself cries—but she could never turn her back on her loved ones. Crying, for her, is the only way she releases pent-up emotions, otherwise, she believes holding everything inside will only cause her feelings to explode in chaos later on.

"Umiyak ka, ilabas mo lahat ng sakit para pagtayo mo ulit, may space ka ulit na pwedeng punan ng sakit. Kasi kung hindi mo 'yan ilalabas, magpapatong-patong na 'yan," she explained.  

When younger people come to her for advice about being a breadwinner, the first thing Sylvia tells them is to assess if they can truly handle the responsibility. She stresses that being a breadwinner is a challenging role with no clear end in sight. That’s why it’s crucial to understand what you’re getting into from the very beginning and to know your emotional capacity. If you recognize that it’s something you can’t sustain, she advises setting boundaries, and, most importantly, communicating these boundaries clearly with your family to avoid unrealistic expectations on both sides. 

Sylvia believes that she got her strength as a breadwinner from her mother, who modeled resilience, a prayerful life, humility, and generosity. She vividly recalls an event when she was in sixth grade, an elderly neighbor knocked on their door asking for food because she had nothing to eat. Sylvia's mother had only six small pieces of fish—just enough for her six children—but she still gave two pieces to the neighbor.  When asked why, her mother explained that they could divide the remaining four among themselves; what mattered was that their neighbor would not go hungry. 

"Nagpapasalamat ako na nakuha ko ang ugaling 'yun sa nanay ko," Sylvia reflected, thankful that, even though her mother didn’t leave behind material wealth, she passed down something far more precious—a heart of gold. Now, Sylvia strives to instill the same kindness in her own children. However, she points out that generosity should have limits, especially when it’s clear that people are beginning to take advantage of your kindness.  

Anyone who knows Sylvia off-camera can attest to her humility, a trait she credits to her mother as well. For her, humility means never forgetting where you came from. One of Sylvia’s favorite things to do is visit her hometown, where she’s reminded of the joy of simple living, like when she used to run barefoot to the sea as a child.  

Sylvia shared that she's not treated like a celebrity whenever she visits her province. In her hometown, she's just an ordinary person who can freely go to the wet market and mingle with her neighbors, who have become so used to her presence that they no longer get starstruck but treat her like any other Bisdak member of their community.