MANILA -- Motivational speaker Bo Sanchez recently opened up about surviving COVID-19 in an interview with host Toni Gonzaga.

Speaking with the Kapamilya talent in her latest vlog, Sanchez said he struggled with severe COVID-19 for more than a month as the rest of his family and household also contracted the virus.

• ‘With Him by our side, we will overcome’: Bo Sanchez, family test positive for COVID-19

"I was the hardest hit and no one expected [it] because everybody felt I was healthy," he said. "I've been a semi-vegetarian for 30+ years, I exercise, I feel that I'm healthy. Pero 'yung COVID, ganoon talaga eh. Siguro meron akong weakness sa immune system, I don't know. But it hit me hard, lasted more than a month."

"Akala ko kayang-kaya ko. First day, slight fever, konting ubo. 'Yun pala second day, third day, may severe diarrhea, 20 times going to the little boy's room. Really, really bad. And the splitting headache," he added.

"Tapos ayun na, at a certain day, hindi na ako masyadong makahinga nang normal... Parang [after] more than a week, it happened. Bumaba na talaga 'yung oxygen level ko."

Sanchez said his doctor has been asking him to seek treatment at the hospital, but the motivational speaker noted that most health care institutions are already at full capacity amid the pandemic.

He also said it was his personal preference to recover at home. "Sinabi ko, lalabanan natin dito sa bahay as much as possible," he said.

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Sanchez said that on top of the virus symptoms, he also went through mental and emotional struggles during his COVID-19 journey.

He was able to find peace in what he referred to as the "surrender place," which he realized can be discovered by anyone who is undergoing a crisis.

"A crisis pushes us to a fork, an intersection. Pipili ka eh, magsu-surrender ka ba o susubukan mo na mag-control pa nang mag-control?" he said. "Ang liit-liit ng ating control... Akala mo we control our children, ang asawa natin? We have no control. Pero some people, they will try and take that path."

"May stress pa, takot, anger kapag 'di ka nakapag-control. Take the other path," he went on. "Surrender mo sa Panginoon. A crisis is the first way of bringing you to that surrender place. Anyone who has a crisis right now, it can bring you closer to God and to surrender."

Sanchez said his ordeal with the coronavirus reminded him that faith is a "lifelong journey."

"Hindi mo puwedeng sabihin na, ako 42 years na ako sa Panginoon so nadaanan ko na lahat, mature na spiritually. Hindi, we will always be spiritually immature," he said.

"It's so powerful when you realize [na] ang ikli ng buhay, di ba? Live for the most important things. That's what happened to me," he stressed. "Ang hirap ng COVID, sobrang hirap ng COVID. I would not want to go through it again, pero nagpapasalamat ako na dumaan ako doon [dahil] nagbago 'yung buhay ko, pananaw ko sa buhay."

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