Actress and book author Rita Avila finally addressed persistent rumors about their dolls and “anak-anakan.”
In an Instagram post on Wednesday, March 1, Avila set the record straight for those who believed that she went “crazy” after their son died and treated her dolls as their children.
According to her, contrary to the popular notion, the dolls came first before they had their son, who eventually died due to a congenital heart defect, and then met Kate, their “anak-anakan” whom they treated as their daughter.
“After 17 years of correcting a wrong issue, many stayed in believing the wrong. So this is the correct sequence: dolls, baby, then Kate,” Avila wrote.
“But I am glad that there were some who have been saved from ignorance and sin.
“Sana nasalba ka ngayon mula sa iyong maling paniniwala. 
Hindi baby muna tapos dolls,” she added.
View this post on Instagram
Before her latest post, the actress already talked about the issue during her interview with Ogie Diaz on his YouTube channel in May 2022.
During her interview, Avila corrected popular beliefs about their dolls relating to the death of their son Jesu.
“Ang alam ng iba kaya kame nag-doll kasi namatay yung anak…hindi, nauna yung mga dolls.”
She also shared that many people did not understand the way they treated the dolls, but her friends and others who also have a penchant for the toy know where she’s coming from.
“Syempre hindi ito naiintindihan ng ibang tao pero yung mga mayron din manika alam nila yung sinasabi ko.
Meanwhile, when asked by Diaz if the dolls somehow became therapeutic for them, the actress quickly affirmed.
“It is, it is. At saka dolls are really therapeutic. Nagreasearch kasi ako kasi nga dahil gusto kong may basehan kapag sumagot ako dun sa mga nagsasabi samen na hindi kame normal. Therapeutic sila tsaka symbol sila ng harmony.”
