If there's one story Angeline Quinto never gets tired of telling, it's how much her life changed after she won Star Power. But for her, that victory was never really about the success she is enjoying today – it was about how it saved her mother and the home they were once forced to give up.
At the press conference for her concert Aquinse, Angeline looked back on the months leading up to her win, when her Mama Bob needed heart surgery, and their family home in the Sampaloc district of Manila was on the line.
According to Angeline, she almost walked away from the competition at the time. She pushed through, she said, not for herself but for her Mama Bob, who needed a permanent pacemaker.
"Alam mo, isa 'yan sa lagi kong shini-share nang paulit-ulit sa mga kakilala ko. Ang hindi ko pagsasawaang ikuwento, siguro, 'yung time na bago po ako manalo ng Star Power, dahil 'yan yung mga panahon na muntik na po akong mag-quit doon sa contest," she said.
"Dahil kailangan po talagang operahan ang Mama Bob sa puso at lagyan ng permanent pacemaker, at wala po akong pambayad sa ospital," she added.
One of the many things she had to give up back then was the house she grew up in. To raise money for the operation, Angeline said they had to pawn their property in Sampaloc.
"So kinailangan kong isangla ang lupa at bahay namin sa Sampaloc, Manila, kung saan ako lumaki at kung saan kami nakatira ng Mama ko," she said.
Even as she was ready to quit the competition, Angeline said she believes certain people were sent her way to keep her going.
"At siguro may mga tao talagang ginamit si Lord para kumbinsihin ako na 'wag iwanan ang Star Power at magpatuloy. Kaya siguro hindi rin ako nawalan ng pag-asa na 'wag iwanan talaga 'yung Star Power," she said.
The singer explained that the biggest reason she wanted to stop was the thought of leaving her mother alone in the hospital with no one to look after her.
"Kasi nung mga panahon na 'yun, talaga ang nasa isip ko, walang magbabantay sa nanay ko sa ospital. Ayoko na pagbalik ko ng hospital, wala na ang Mama Bob," she said.
Angeline described that chapter as the hardest thing she has ever gone through, but also the one that led to the biggest blessing of her life.
"So 'yun ang pinakamahirap na nangyari sa buhay ko. Pero sobra-sobra, alam mo 'yun, sa napakalaking problema na 'yun, after ilang buwan, napakalaking regalo naman 'yung ibinigay sa akin ng Panginoon, at sobra-sobra pa," she said.
Winning the competition, she said, allowed her to settle all their debts, pay the doctors who operated on her mother, and take back the home they had pawned.
"After 3 months from November 2010, nanalo po ako ng Star Power ng February 2011. Nabayaran ko lahat – 'yung mga ginamit ko po na pinangsangla ng lupa't bahay namin sa Sampaloc, Manila, at lahat ng doktor na nag-opera sa Mama Bob ko. At nabigyan ng pangalawang buhay ang Mama," she shared.
That same year also opened the doors to the career she has now, from a regular slot on ABS-CBN's longest-running variety show to shows abroad.
"At kasabay nung taon na 'yun, doon na po ako nag-start na magkaroon ng napakaraming trabaho at oportunidad. Naging regular po ako ng ASAP, nagkaroon ng mga shows abroad, at doon na rin nag-umpisa na mabigyan ko ng maayos at magandang buhay ang mama ko," she said.
Angeline also had a message for anyone who feels like giving up, saying she is grateful that she now gets to enjoy life and inspire others through her music and her own story – all because she chose to hold on to her dream.
"So kaya alam mo 'yun, lagi kong sinasabi sa mga tao na kapag dumadaan ka talaga sa buhay mo na akala mo wala nang pag-asa, akala mo wala na tayong magagawa sa problemang pinagdadaanan natin ngayon, na ang magiging sagot na lang ay mag-give up – parang sana mas isipin natin na sinusubok lang talaga tayo ng panahon at ng Panginoon kung hanggang saan tayo magiging matibay," she said.
"Kasi pagkatapos talaga ng mga panahon na 'to, hindi natin alam 'yung mas matindi at magandang regalo ng Panginoon sa atin, ng tadhana. Kasi ako, lagi kong sinasabi 'yun, buti na lang pala hindi ako nag-give up. Kasi kung iniwan ko ang Star Power, walang Angeline ngayon," she added.
"Tsaka 'yung, ang sarap makapagbigay ng inspirasyon dahil sa kwento ng buhay ko at sa talentong ibinigay ng Panginoon. Nakakapagbigay tayo ng inspirasyon sa mga taong nawawalan na ng pag-asa, 'di ba? So gamitin natin 'yun, gamitin natin 'yung ibinigay ni Lord na talento at gift sa atin," she continued.
Star Power aired on ABS-CBN from 2010 to 2011.
Meanwhile, Angeline’s 15th anniversary concert is happening on August 22 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.