Her character Osang Abiog in the afternoon soap opera “Pira-Pirasong Paraiso” indeed never fails to amuse us with how a tough yet caring mother she is to her adoptive children. However, did you know that seasoned actress Sunshine Dizon is somehow the same kind of mom in real life? It was what she revealed in her interview with Bernadette Sembrano-Aguinaldo in the news magazine show, “Tao Po.”

According to her, she’s able to identify with her role because just like Osang, she also emanates tough love towards her two kids, Doreen and Anton. She imparted that there are times when she really has to “discipline and let them understand what life is about,” just like what other moms like her do. But, at the same time, she’s a self-confessed “spoiler,” who loves to provide them with the stuff they want. Besides, she has also taught them the value of respecting their “angels” at home, who take good care of them whenever she’s at work.

And this endearing trait of treating others with kindness was among the good manners that her beloved mom Dorothy Cansancio, who used to be producer and a member of the Producers Guild of the Philippines, has ingrained to her ever since she was still young.

Sunshine related, “Parating inuulit-ulit ng Mama namin, huwag kang [nangmamaliit] ng tao kasi baka ‘yong kausap mo ngayon, bukas mas mataas na sa ‘yo. Parati niyang sinasabi noon na walang permanente sa buhay. Lahat ng meron ka ay hiram lang.”

Similar with other families, her relationship with her late father, Isagani Bengzon Dizon, who died last March, was never perfect. Nonetheless, she knows in her heart that her Papa loves her and is so proud of her. She described him as the type of father who would always check on her and look after her, especially every time they had the chance to spend time together. Through their bonding moments, she’s able to discovered that they had several similarities, with regard to their habits, such as how they would flatten a pandesal for it to be more chewable.

“We all realized noong wake, dad was never selfish. ‘Yong oras niya para sa mga kaibigan, sa pamilya, sa lahat, and he made sure to share it with everyone. He really lived the full life. Sana ako din, pagdating ng panahon, ‘di ba? Hindi ka man perpekto, pero marami kang taong natulungan, natutunan sa buhay mo, at napasaya mo sila in your own way. Sana,” she stated.

The 40-year-old multi-awarded actress may be known by her loved ones and other people around her as cheerful and affectionate, but she’s actually been suffering from various mental struggles, which began to physically manifest after the pandemic. She noticed how her hands would tremble, her breathing becomes difficult, and she tends to be really nervous.

She’s diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, major panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder, which surprised her, particularly the latter, since she’s been in showbiz for almost four decades already. Her panic attacks usually get triggered every time she sees a lot of people unknown to her, as well as she needs to be aware of the location of the exits and to see her driver and bodyguard most of the time for they know all too well how to make her calm. To combat these, she divulged undergoing therapy and medications.

“Sabi ko, tama na ‘yong taboos. I don’t wanna be just another number. And I hope, parents now are more open to it. Maraming bagay na hindi nakakaya ng usap lang. May mga bagay na kailangan na rin talagang maggamot, like me,” she said.

Sunshine also decided to open up about her struggles to her children, which is her way of encouraging them to speak up and seek help as well, when the time comes that it would ever happen to them.

The Pira-Pirasong Paraiso star firmly believes how important her being a proactive parent is, which she does by listening to them intently and being hands-on them. Despite her busy schedule at work, she makes sure to regularly check on them everyday and remind them that they can open up to her about everything without any judgment.

Even though she is a public personality, she always tries to draw the line, especially when it comes to her children. And just like other parents, she assures that she would courageously retaliates to anyone who would attempt to bash or pick a fight on them. At the same time, she has also trained Doreen and Anton to defend themselves and fight for what they know is right, as long as they would do it in a diplomatic and polite manner.

In the past four decades that she’s been in the industry, Sunshine has indeed portrayed various characters. But among the roles that she has taken on, it’s being a strong and doting mom in real life that is the most important of them all.

“You know, it’s funny when people ask me, ‘how can you be so strong?’ You know, my answer is so simple – because I have to survive, because I am a mother, and I have two beautiful kids,” she told Bernadette.

Catch Sunshine in Pira-Pirasong Paraiso, Mondays to Saturdays on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, and A2Z.