She prepares the school things and packs food for her daughter, Zia, who gets up at 6. She bathes her, feeds her and takes her to school. At 9 a.m., she accompanies her son, Sixto, to taekwondo lessons and later in the afternoon, football lessons. Zia also has other after-school activities like gymnastics to which she recently took a liking.

As a mother, it’s her responsibility, she said, to be as hands-on as she possibly can in raising her children. “I have to be with them … Iba kapag ikaw kaysa ’yung ibinilin mo lang,” she said in an interview with the Inquirer and other select show biz reporters at her recent contract renewal as the endorser of Beautéderm Home.

While juggling all these things is difficult, it’s all about priorities. “You should know your biggest priority in life. Once you know what that is, things wouldn’t be as hard. Time management is also important, of course. For me, before anything else, it’s my kids, my husband (Dingdong Dantes) and myself. That’s how it is right now,” she related.

Without restrictions

That means occasionally passing up on opportunities that will keep her away from her family for longer periods. Not too long ago Marian was offered to be part of an acting project in South Korea, but couldn’t do it because she would have been required to stay there for three months straight.

“Kahit gusto ko, paano ang mga anak ko? There are some things you have to sacrifice. That’s why I was saying earlier that you have to know what your priorities are. If career is your priority, then you can go … But as a mother, I don’t think my conscience can bear doing something for myself while my children get left behind.”

As such, Marian’s twice-a-week taping sessions for “Jose and Maria’s Bonggang Villa”—her new weekly sitcom with Dingdong on GMA 7— fits just right into her busy schedule. “Things (pandemic-wise) are better now, so we can now go home after our taping days. Wala nang problema. Sometimes, we finish as early as 8 p.m. At most we stay until 11 p.m. and then I’m home by 12,” she said.

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The 37-year-old actress is happy and proud to have a show that her children can watch without restrictions. “I want something just wholesome so they can watch it,” she pointed out. “I’m grateful for the good ratings the first episode got. But it’s more heartening to hear your friends and loved ones say that they’re happy with the show.”

Curiously, taping days are also her bonding days with Dingdong. “That’s our time as a couple. At home, I’m more focused on the kids. But at taping, I’m not thinking about that much. It’s just me and Dong on the set so that’s our time together for kwentuhan and harutan,” she said, laughing.

Family day

Marian and Dingdong have been married for seven years now, but the show biz couple still makes it a point to go on dates every so often. “Sometimes, as a mother, you forget about going out on dates. You have a lot of things to take care of. But I’m happy Dong is there to remind me to slow down and go out on dates. He’s the one who organizes them,” she said. “And then Sundays is family day. We go to church, we eat outside and play with the kids.”

Asked if fans can expect to see more of Zia, 6, and Sixto, 3, on television in the near future, Marian said her daughter is now more focused on school. Her baby boy, on the other hand, is the shy type.

“Zia had offers to do commercials, but she didn’t want them for now. She wants to do normal things and go to school. Zia is very interested in gymnastics, chess, singing, or playing the piano. She now gets shy when people takes photos of her because she’s now more aware of what’s happening around her. Sixto is also a shy boy,” Marian said.

“If they want to pursue show biz, that’s up for them to decide when they’re older,” she added. “We don’t want to force them into doing certain things because it could affect them.”

While she puts her family above all else, Marian still makes sure that she treats herself to some “me-time” when she has the chance.

Aside from pampering herself or going for facials, her idea of relaxation also includes beautifying her home. That’s why renewing her partnership with Beautéderm Home was a no-brainer.

Clean and orderly

In 2018, Marian and Beautéderm CEO Rei Anicoche-Tan launched a line of home scents called Reverie, whose range of products includes soy candles, air purifiers, and room and linen sprays.

“I’m meticulous at home. I want the house to be clean and orderly. I organize my clothes and accessories according to color or brand, so I know where to look for them,” she said.

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“And of course, the house should smell good. I use different scents depending on my mood. I put on lavender if I want to relax or something candy-flavored when I’m cooking something smelly like fried fish,” she added. “And it’s little things like these that reenergizes her. “You don’t want to be burned out, taking care of the household or doing other responsibilities. So when they’re busy, I create moments for myself.”