Lotlot ‘married’ to her career

She started acting when she was nine or 10 years old. In her teens, her star shone brighter when she joined That’s Entertainment. Her loveteam with Ramon Christopher — whom she would eventually marry and who would become the father of her kids — was one of showbiz’s most popular. That it crossed over into real life was sort of expected by their fans, and when they separated, a lot of people were distressed.

But Lotlotde Leon bounced back, and today she’s a busy working actress. She just wrapped up workon Aryana and from there, segued immediately to another support ing but meaty role in Juan dela Cruz on ABS-CBN. She started in the Kapamilya network when she appeared in Sa Dulo Ng Walang Hanggan. “From then on, doon ulit nagsimula yung career ko sa TV. At that time when     I was doing Sa Dulo, I was still married. So it became a stepping stone to start again in the industry,” says Lotlot.

She’s happy that she continues to get projects, especially now that she’s a single mother. Although Ramon Christopher, or Monching, also does his part in helping to raise their kids Janine, Jessica, Diego and Maxine (Janine has graduated, Jessica is in college, Diego is in fourth year high school, while Maxine, the youngest, is in grade five), she works to support both herself and the children. The two youngest children, who go to school in Fairview, where they originally lived, stay there, so Lotlot sees them on weekends. Her two daughters have the key to her house. “So anytime, even if I’m not there, they go home there,” she says.

Lotlot adds that she and Monching, while they are separated, are civil with each other. “We both do our part as parents in raising our children,” she says. “Mainam naman kasi we have kids, and we have four, so we don’t have a choice but to be friends and to be civil, and to be open and honest with one another in terms of the kids.”

For now, work is the only relationship that Lotlot has. Yes, she misses having a partner, but this is what life handed her, so she’s just trying to make the most of it. There are times when she comes home and finds herself saying out loud, “Honey, I’m home” to an empty house. “Siyem- pre po, minsan malungkot, tao lang. At the same time sa akin kasi, I’ve been single for 10 years. Yes, I go out on dates, but I’ve never really met anyone. For me, nakikilala ko lang siguro sila because I need to learn a lesson in this aspect or from that relationship. But wala pa po eh, wala pa talaga akong nakikilala who’s strong enough to stay with me, or man enough to love me, I don’t know.”

The separation from Monching and having to live on her own raised Lotlot’s standards of what she is looking for in a relationship. In a way, knowing that she can make it on her own empowered her. “Hindi naman po sa pagtataas ng bangko, pero kaya kong buhayin ang sarili ko eh. I’ve been alone for many years so I know that I can take care of myself,” she explains. “If this man will be able to do more than I do, then maybe he’s the man for me because I’m very independent.”

That independence apparently extends to her mother. At Lotlot’s age, she has already accepted the fact that there are certain aspects of her mother’s life that, in her own words, “siguro hanggang doon lang muna for now. Ako din, hanggang dito na lang din muna.” Lotlot would rather focus on her career, which is doing well.

This state of affairs doesn’t mean that her mom loves her less, nor does Lotlot love her any less. “I’m just accepting whatever’s being given to me,” she says. “Whatever it is, I’m reciprocating. I’m hoping that it’s a loving gesture kasi di ba, minsan, mas mabuti na ‘yung you become silent kesa ‘yung may masabi kang hindi maganda. Siguro gan’un din po sa akin. I mean, I know that she will forever love me and so will I.”

Lotlot is in a happy place right now, and for her, that’s all that mat ters.