The good life from the reigning Queen of the Road

If there’s someone with a true rags-to-riches story in showbusiness, it would have to be the indefatigable Love Añover. We know of very few who have climbed the ladder of success by sheer force of determination, hard work and belief in oneself.

Known to many as the Reyna ng Kalsada, the loud-mouthed upbeat traffic host on GMA 7’s Unang Hirit, Love has two other shows on the network – Lovely Day (Saturdays, 10 a.m.) which presents positive and inspiring features, and her personal reality show Love Life (Fridays, 10 p.m. on QTV 11) where she portrays the lives of everyday Pinoys.

On Unang Hirit, Love hits the early morning TV audience in a wardrobe so ostentatious only she could get away with. One day, we caught her on the road wearing a tiara like a queen. In another day, she had made herself up like an Indian princess. On Lovely Day, she heads the LD Force with three kids as co-hosts, and is mellower. However, she makes the instructional/educational features much more interesting with her antics. We caught her on a visit to Hong Kong’s biggest temple, and a visit with wushu martial arts instructors. On Love Life, we could only admire her for joining the kaminero flood control workers by going down into the smelly manhole herself, and digging at the trash and manure.

Her audience appeal is outstanding. Masa. And yet her pronouncements are full of lessons in life, told in her own inimitable lingo.

In Love’s own words "Lumaki akong mahirap. Once nagising kaming bigla hatinggabi na nakababad na pala kami sa tubig baha. May nagmagandang-loob at pinatira kaming walang bayad sa isang kuwarto na nakalubog na sa lupa. Pinalayas kasi kami nung dati naming tinitirhan, tapos nataon pa na wala talaga kaming kapera-pera. Grabe feeling ko noon na sobra kaming kawawa."

Love is consistent in retelling the story to all who would care to listen. It served to motivate her to strive hard to give her family a better life; to one day leave the squatter’s home in Sta. Mesa and have a comfortable home.

She decided that education was the answer. "Kahit na pautay-utay, iginapang talaga ng mga magulang at mga kapatid ko ang pag-aaral ko. Mula sa pangungutang sa Bombay, pagtitindera, labandera, konduktor, tricycle driver, construction worker, pag-i-isda – lahat ng raket pinasukan ng mga magulang ko. Pagtitinda ng basahan sa kalsada, pagtitinda ng plastic sa palengke – yan niraraket naming magkakapatid para makatulong." And by dint of hard work, Love acquired an AB Filipino, Minor in Mass Communication at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

A requirement for her course was an internship for Probe Team, where she soon graduated from production assistant to host of the segment Pasakalye. Her innate intelligence and industry caught the attention of TV executives, and soon she was traffic host of Unang Hirit.

This opened the doors of opportunity. Other shows followed like reporter for 24 Oras, her own radio program Magandang Balita on DZBB. She became an endorser. She even became a recording star.

Perhaps due to the difficulties of reaching her current stature in life, Love has kept her feet firmly on the ground "Paa sa lupa. Walang idudulot na maganda ang kayabangan. Dami na akong nakitang lumaki ang ulo. Lumagpak nang pagkasakit-sakit. Hiram ko lang lahat ng kung anong meron ako ngayon. Isang pitik lang puedeng mawala ito. Kaya, humble tayo diyan."

She is also grateful to those who helped her along the way. Leading them are her father Jose and mother Lydia who she calls the Queen of Hardworkers; Cheche Lazaro who gave her the break in Probe and "has made a difference sa buhay ng mga Pilipino at sa Pilipinas,"; GMA 7’s Marissa Flores, "my own personal manager"; Nessa Valdellon who opened other opportunities at GMA; Mike Enriquez, "he’s one anchor na hinahangaan ko kasi iba ang banat ng lolo mo"; Joey de Leon, "Bata pa lang ako tinitingala ko na ‘to, a very witty person, Puno ng talent. Great punchlines. Have you seen his paintings? Hanep. Artist talaga." And God.

Being God-fearing, Love has always started and ended her day with a prayer. "Alam ko, malakas ako kay Lord at malakas talaga ang paniniwala ko sa Kanya. Without Him, I am nothing."

As everyman’s icon, Love lives a life according to principles ingrained in her by a loving family and strengthened by the obstacles of life. What does she look for in a friend? Love answers: "One who is not judgmental. One who will be there for me through thick and thin hanggang sa lumutin na kami at ugatin. Someone who knows how to listen. Someone na kayang pagtawanan ang aking kagagahan. Someone na di hinahadlangan ang makapagpapasaya sa akin."

Having already found her special someone in Bebe, she says he has all she looks for in a partner – brains and good personality.