Kapuso comedienne and TV host Chariz Solomon became emotional as she publicly shared the trauma she endured as a child, including physical, verbal, and sexual abuse, in an interview on ‘i-Listen With Kara David’ aired on January 14, 2026.
In her candid conversation with broadcast journalist Kara David, Chariz looked back on the painful chapters of her early life, which began when her parents separated and her mother left to work in Japan when she was just six years old.
She recalled that she and her three siblings were left under the care of a house helper who eventually left, forcing them to live separately with different relatives.
When asked how difficult it was to grow up without her parents by her side, Chariz said: “Natatandaan ko lang is malungkot ako. Tapos sa school, lagi kong sine-share na wala akong parents. Tapos, parang napatawag pa yung guardians ko kasi bakit daw ganoon yung sinasabi ko. Alam kong malungkot lang ako. Tapos, sa bahay, alam kong hindi ako masaya.”
Chariz then bravely revealed that she experienced abuse at the hands of relatives she trusted, recalling that she was in Grade 3 when it happened.
“Hindi ako lumaki sa masayang environment. Meron kasing verbal abuse, merong physical abuse. Tapos, hindi nila alam na naiintindihan ko yung ginagawa nila sa akin. Mayroon ding time na naranasan ko rin yung sexual abuse. Hindi ko alam kung alam ng iba kong relatives.”
She chose not to name the relative involved, explaining that the person later apologized to her when she was around 13 years old—an apology that made her realize the abuse had truly happened.
“Alam mo yung [feeling na mapapatanong ka ng], ‘Totoo bang nangyari ito?’ May ganoong coping mechanism. Hindi mo alam kung talagang nangyari yon. Grade III ako noon. Tapos nag-sorry sa akin, thirteen na yata ako. Doon ko na-realize, ‘Ay, totoo siyang nangyari.’”
Chariz admitted that the trauma deeply affected her emotional and mental health. At a young age, she resorted to self-harm as a way to cope.
“Hindi talaga ako proud dito, pero nag-self-harm ako noong bata ako. Parang eleven ako noon nang nag-self harm ako. Hindi ko naman gustong mamatay.”
She explained that she wanted her internal pain to manifest physically.
“Noong paglaki ko, inisip ko kung bakit ko yon ginawa. Tapos naisip ko, ‘Ah, gusto kong lumabas siya as physical pain. Yung nararamdaman ko inside na hindi ko malabas, masigaw.’”
Aside from self-harm, Chariz also admitted going through an angry phase where she became violent and a bully.
“Naging violent ako, may phase akong ganun. Naging angry ako, naging bully ako, at hindi ako proud dun. ‘Yung parang naging defensive ka, konting ano lang sa’yo nung classmate mo, galit ka na agad, gulpihan na agad.”
Looking back, she shared how she eventually learned to forgive herself.
“Noong nagkaroon ako ng forgiveness sa sarili ko, sabi ko, ‘Kasi siguro bata pa ako noon. Siguro kasi hindi ako nagkaroon ng maayos na environment sa bahay.’”
Despite the pain she went through, Chariz said her experiences became a source of strength and resilience.
“Ang natutunan ko, marami talagang bagay na hindi natin makokontrol. But you can work your way around it. Mayroon kang power. I have the power to change my life, my future, my present.”
She ended with a message of faith and hope.
“Don’t let it have control over your life, the bad things. Because bad things will happen. There is no light if there’s no darkness. Doon pumapasok si Lord. Trust your God. Bad things will happen, it will. Pero you have to be strong and know and acknowledge your strengths, and you choose happiness as much as possible.”
