Bashers, trolls, negative comments—you name ’em, Ivana’s seen them. What’s it like to be the internet’s most wanted?
“I don’t mind them,” declares Ivana Alawi, actress, internet sensation and our current national obsession. “I don’t know them so hindi ako nagpapaapekto so long as my family ay hindi nasasaktan, wala akong sinasaktan, wala akong tinatapakan. That’s the only thing that’s important for me,” she says of the nasty comments that match every heart emoji sent her way.
Better Not Bitter
“In anything that you do, you will always get bashers. Ganun yun eh. As long as I’m being myself, I’m being with my family and we’re happy, we’re okay with that. We don’t really look at the negative side kasi we make a lot of people happy and that makes us really happy. That makes my mom happy. That makes us more inspired to make more videos,” she adds when when asked if there’s a downside to her and family’s openness on the internet.
“Sometimes when I see it, wala na talagang effect na. Parang deadma.”
“Now I don’t even delete it,” she says of the hurtful statements. “Sabi ko, this person must be really bitter in their life to do what they’re doing, to spread hate. Yun. That’s just how I look at it now.”
Circle of Trust
“I’ve been through a lot. I’ve been through a lot of people who—ayoko sabihin na took advantage—but weren’t that good to me. Parang they just wanted to be famous and mga ganun. Ever since then, parang I like to keep my circle small. And there’s this feeling na kapag may na-meet kang tao magaan yung loob mo sa kanya. And then, syempre, kahit magaan yung loob mo, I still try to get to know that person before I trust kasi it’s really hard right now.”
“I ask my family. Sila yung first, and then after my family, I ask my management,” she shares when asked about who she trusts.
Read more: Ivana Alawi muses on her future dreams
Read more about Ivana and the multi-million peso jewelry she sports in MEGA’s April 2021 issue available on Readly, Magzter, Press Reader and Zinio
Photography BJ PASCUAL
Creative direction JANN PASCUA
Fashion direction JEB FRONDA
Production design PRINCESS BARRETTO
Makeup MICKEY SEE
Hair RENZ PANGILINAN
Stylist ADRIANNE CONCEPCION
Shoot coordination PATRICIA RAMOS
Shot on location at JUSTIN BELLA ALONTE PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO
Special thanks to PAOLO LUCIANO
