Actress Rhen Escaño revealed that she has experienced being cheated on “harap-harapan,” which made her more cautious and selective when it comes to relationships.
During the press conference for ‘Akin Ka Lang’, Viva’s upcoming vertical microdrama for the new streaming platform Viva Movie Box, Rhen was asked whether she could still forgive a partner who cheats—a timely question amid public discussions on celebrity breakups.
Rhen answered frankly: “Honestly, napagdaanan ko po before na kahit harap-harapan kang niloloko ng isang tao, nandoon ka pa rin sa part na ‘Baka magbago, bigyan natin ng chance.’ Pero narealize ko during that time na ’di pala dapat ganon.”
According to the actress, a person who cheats clearly does not value their partner.
“In the first place, hindi niya nakita talaga ’yong worth mo kaya siya napunta sa part na kinaya niyang gawin sa’yo ’yon.”
She emphasized that she refuses to give a second chance to someone who has already proven capable of hurting her.
“Kung lolokohin ka ng isang tao, ibig sabihin hindi ka niya ganu’n kamahal. So paano ko siya bibigyan ng second chance? Para mas maparamdam niya sa ’yo na hindi ka talaga kamahal-mahal?”
Rhen added, “Kung mahal mo ko, dapat ako lang. So no, hindi ko bibigyan ng chance ’yong taong kayang magloko, kayang manakit, na kaya kang ipagpalit. For me, kapag mahal mo, mahal mo dapat siya. Kung hindi, then let go and I know my worth.”
Rhen also offered a message to those who have experienced cheating: “Girl, you don’t deserve that. Mas mahalin mo ang sarili mo, mas alagaan mo ’yong sarili mo, at darating ang tamang tao para sa’yo.”
She believes self-worth attracts the right people into one’s life.
“Kung ano ’yong ina-allow mo sa self mo na mangyari sa’yo, ’yun din ’yong na-a-attract mo. You have to level up and really love yourself para high value men ’yong maa-attract mo.”
“Ikaw dapat ’yong maging lesson sa mga tao na ’yon na ‘This is my worth!’” she added.
Rhen stars as Kendra in ‘Akin Ka Lang’, alongside Nathalie Hart (Clea) and Albie Casiño (Alfred). The story follows a married couple hoping to start a family until Clea suffers a miscarriage. Alfred’s mother, Martha (Shirley Fuentes), becomes desperate for an heir and pushes the couple to take in Alfred’s ex-girlfriend Kendra as a surrogate—triggering tension and emotional turmoil.
The microdrama is directed by Christian Paolo Lat and is one of the launching titles of Viva Movie Box, alongside Elisa: Batang Kabit and Maid for Revenge. Viva Movie Box is now available on Google Play and the Apple App Store, offering short-form episodic content in 1–3 minute “microdrama” formats for on-the-go viewing.
