Herlene “Hipon Girl” Budol received quite a surprise after having a jewelry set from her “Wowowin” days examined, discovering that the longtime gift could be worth around ₱900,000.
During her visit to Charo Cordial of Maddox Jewelry, Budol brought along a jewelry set that she said had been given to her years ago by a “special person.”
Her goal was simple: to find out whether the stones were genuine and whether the gift she had kept for years actually had significant value.
Budol opted not to identify the person who gave her the jewelry, saying she did not want to stir another controversy. She even jokingly wondered whether the expensive gift meant the mystery person truly loved her at the time or simply had a “crush” on her.
The examination, however, delivered an unexpected result.
According to Cordial, the pieces were made of 14-karat gold and featured natural amethyst and natural diamonds. The set could have an estimated market value of around ₱900,000, although its actual worth would still depend on a formal valuation.
After initially joking that she might sell the jewelry because she was “gipit,” Budol eventually decided that keeping it might be the better option.
“Tago muna… may investment naman pala ako,” she said.
The conversation went beyond the mystery jewelry as Budol also reflected on her journey from joining Binibining Angono in 2017 to building a career in entertainment.
She recalled how the “Hipon Girl” nickname began and how, rather than running away from comments about her appearance, she eventually embraced the moniker and made it part of her showbiz identity.
Budol also addressed one of the criticisms that has followed her since her pageant stint—being called “bobo” because of an answer she gave during a competition.
For the actress and beauty queen, one mistake should not define a person’s intelligence or character.
“Isang beses ka lang magkamali, yun na po yung tatatak sa kanila. Hindi yung mga tama mong ginawa,” Budol said.
She acknowledged making mistakes but stressed that these should not prevent anyone from continuing to learn. For Budol, intelligence also involves knowing how to respect, understand, and deal with other people.
She likewise looked back on her early showbiz career and credited Willie Revillame for playing an important role in her development as an entertainer.
Budol described Revillame as a father figure in the industry, saying she learned a great deal while working as a co-host on “Wowowin.”
Behind her comedic and outspoken public persona, Budol also revealed that she once balanced her studies with work. She confirmed that she has completed college and is interested in pursuing a master’s degree, possibly in business, as she also dreams of eventually running her own enterprise.
As for her love life, Budol admitted that she currently has suitors but said she is in no rush to enter a relationship.
The identity of the “special person” who gave her the jewelry during her “Wowowin” years, meanwhile, remains a mystery. What Budol now knows is that the gift she had kept for years may be considerably more valuable than she initially thought—giving her another reason to keep both the jewelry and its story safely tucked away.
