Reese Barcelon
- A young mom named Danielle Gabrielle Rivera Manez had been one of the brightest students in school.
- When she got pregnant at an early age, she felt bad because of other people’s expectations about her.
Teenage pregnancy is one of the most common issues of the youth nowadays.
It happens unexpectedly when a teen doesn’t expect it to happen at all. Some youngsters are lucky enough to turn out negative despite the sexual intercourse, but there are a few who missed the chance and got a positive result on the test.
However, it doesn’t mean that having a child ruins a person’s life – no matter how young a mother can be, as it is still a blessing from above. Sure enough, there is a reason why young mothers are rewarded with a little bundle of joy.
One of the young mothers who had just given birth is Danielle Gabrielle Rivera Manez.
She was at her peak during her school years. A constant academic achiever, and often joins pageants and other contests. But when she realized she was pregnant, that’s when she thought she was ruined.
Read her full story below:
“17 palang ako nung nalaman kong buntis ako. Nahiya ako. Napressure. Pano ba naman, e ang tataas ng expectations sakin ng tao. Mula preparatory schooling hanggang grade 6, 1st honor. Pagdating ng highschool, honor student (till 3rd yr lang. 4th yr super tinamad na). Laman ng quiz bees and pageants. Maraming acad achievements. Kilala kami ng boyfriend ko sa school. Idol idol pa kami ng iba. Naalala ko pa yung sinabi sakin ng teacher namin sa HS “naalala talaga kita kay (di ko matandaan kung Ariela, Shamcey o Venus Raj), wag ka muna magbubuntis ah! sasali ka pa sa Bb. Pilipinas”, ganyan yung mga expectations nila. Kaya nung naramdaman kong parang preggy nako, naiyak ako. Nasa isip ko lahat ng disappointments nila, mula sa mga magulang ko, sa teachers, mga kaibigan, at sa lahat ng nakakakilala sakin. Pero one day, naisip ko “bakit ako magmumukmok? oo, nakakahiya kasi nabuntis ako ng maaga na hindi ko pa nasusuklian mga sacrifices sakin ng magulang ko, pero blessing to. bakit ko ikakahiya? bakit ko itatanggi?”. Sabi ko, palag palag na, kahit magpositive ako, push lang. Happy parin!
Sept. 2, birthday ng boyfriend ko, nagPT ako. Boom! Positive nga. Naiyak sya. Sorry ng sorry sakin. Kiniss nya yung tyan ko. Sabi nya sakin nadagdagan yung birthday gift ko sa kanya.”
Manez shared that she was truly discouraged when she became pregnant because she knew that a lot of people were disappointed in her – which she understood at some point, considering that she was one of the best-performing students of the school.
However, she didn’t let herself be overcome by depression. Instead, she stood up for herself and decided to be the kind of a mother her child would surely be proud of.
“Maraming situations na muntik mo ng ikapahamak nak. Bago ko pa malaman na nandyan ka na, ang likot ko sa PE, nadulas ako sa school, todo sayaw ako ng wellness 2 (as in sobra talaga. graded kasi bes), naglakad ako mula UCC hanggang New Haven (nagbleeding ako nun. kala ko period ko lang), di ako nakakakain minsan (ubusan pera bes, daming reports and projects), may di magandang nangyari (basta yun na yun), nastress ako ng sobra, depressed ako (1month araw-gabi iyak. walang palya). Naalala ko rin, sumakit tyan ko nun (di ko pa alam na preggy ako), saktong walang gamot sa tindahan. Siguro will talaga ng Lord na di ako makainom ng gamot para di maapektuhan si baby.
Ayaw kami tanggapin ng isang hospital dahil minor pa nga ako and at risk kami ni baby. Yung isa namang hospital ayaw ako tanggapin kasi may arrythmia ako, baka daw ikamatay ko/namin pa dahil kulang sila sa gamit pang cardio. The day na manganganak nako, parang wala lang. Tawa pa ko ng tawa kada contractions. Pagkasugod sakin sa hospital, 7cm nako at di na kakayanin kapag tinransfer pa ko kaya no choice sila, paaanakin nako. Desisyon namin na wag sabihin na may arrythmia ako kasi pipilitin nilang iCS ako (ayoko gumastos ng sobrang laki bes. nahihiya ako). Nung sobrang sakit na, kulang nalang mabali na braso ni mama dahil hinihila ko bawat contraction, sinabi na ni mama, biglang dumating yung isang doctor, pinagalitan tuloy kami, syempre delikado nga kasi yun. Papikit nako. Hinang hina nako. Pero nung sinabi na “wag kang matutulog, ayan na lalabas na talaga baby mo.””
She was grateful that nothing bad happened to her child despite of all the physical activities she had that would have been killed the baby. Manez thought that this child is indeed a gift from above.
“Sabi nila sakin noon, “nako, baka di mo kayanin”, “baka di malusog baby mo, payat mo e”. Ito na sya ngayon. 1month old na at kamukhang kamukha ng dada nya “pinagpalanuhan nya atang inisin ako para talagang maging kamukhang kamukha nya e”. Hahaha. Healthy at sobrang ganda. Nakaya ko. Malakas kaya ako! Di ako pinabayaan ng pamilya ko at ng boyfriend ko. At di kami pinabayaan ni Lord. Thank you Lord!
Hindi ko sinasabing gayahin nyo ko na magbuntis sa murang edad kasi mahirap. Sobrang hirap. Pero kung alam nyo na may nabubuo ng blessing sa tummy nyo, never ever ever try to get rid of it! Kung natatakot kayo sa parents nyo, believe me! Walang magulang ang makakatiis sa anak nila. Tatanggapin nila kayo kasama ang anak nyo. Sa una magagalit sila, given na yan, pero promise, magiging excited yan sila. Kung di naman kayo pinanagutan ng ama ng anak ninyo, push lang! Blessed ka parin kasi you have your child. Hindi naman kayo ang nawalan, sila. They’ll regret that later. At tamang tama ang “Hi! Kami nga pala ying sinayang nyo”. Hahaha. Hindi natutulog ang Diyos, He has a plan. Sa mga pinanagutan naman ng kanikanilang boyfriend/asawa (gaya ko), cheers for parenting life! Goodluck satin mga bes. More misunderstandings will come pero be strong and stay still. Love your child/children as much as you love each other!”
Apart from the comments that her baby might have some complications, the little girl came out perfectly fine. She was healthy and pretty, just like her mother.
Furthermore, Manez knows what it feels like to have a troubled mind, so she shared some advices that other young moms can use just in case they are in need of an uplifting message from someone who also had the same experience.
“Sa mga kagaya kong teen moms, hindi pa huli ang lahat. Ito palang ang simula. Gawin nating inspiration ang baby natin para maging mas mabuti tayo at para maabot natin ang mga pangarap natin sa buhay.
My life. My love. My everything. Our princess. Our Pikachu. I love you sooo much! Binigay ka talaga sakin ni Lord. No doubt. Iingatan at mamahalin kita higit pa sa sarili ko. Gagawin ko lahat para sayo. I love you my Thiara Reign Mañez Cunanan.
Everything’s worth it because I have you! We have you.
Magtatapos kami ng pag-aaral ng dada mo para sayo. Magiging mas mabuti akong tao para paglaki mo ipagmalaki mo na ako ang mami mo. Hindi kita ididisaapoint anak. Sana paglaki mo masabi mo rin na “Mami, I want to be just like you”.
SOBRANG HABA PALA. NAKAKATAMAD BASAHIN. NAKAKALOKA”
Manez showed that having a baby is not a hindrance, but rather a motivation to strive harder in life.
Meanwhile, her comments section was filled with a lot of praises and messages of support in her journey. Other young moms even shared their opinions along with the others.
Being a young mother is something that makes someone a better person. By having a baby, it changes a mother’s perspective and helps her understand things she couldn’t comprehend before she conceived a child.
Other teenage moms out there should also learn how to stand up in every downfall, as it isn’t their life that they are holding, but also their child’s.
How about you? What do you think about Manez’ story?
