Marian Rivera reiterates longtime stance that English isn't the basis of excellence
Marian Rivera reiterated that fluency in English is not the basis of excellence amid her longtime stance about being comfortable with speaking in Tagalog, never mind the public judgment and criticisms.
In a guest appearance on Zeinab Harake's YouTube vlog uploaded on Aug. 10, the content creator told Rivera that she tends to get anxious when uploading something, as she may have had incorrect grammar.
"Ginigiyera talaga nila ako kada nagkakamali ako. Natatakot ako magsalita," Harake told Rivera, adding that some social media users even corrected her grammar at one point. She then asked for Rivera's opinion regarding the matter.
"May mga tao kasi talaga na madaling manghusga ng kapwa nila," Rivera said. "Pero 'di nila alam 'yung pinanggalingan, bakit 'yung isang tao ay nagiging ganoon."
Rivera recalled growing up with her lola, saying they didn't speak English at home.
"At ang lola ko, hindi nakapagtapos ng high school. 'Yun 'yung pinanggalingan ko. Sino ang magtuturo sa akin para maging fluent ako sa English?" she said.
She rhetorically asked whether it's better to grow up fluent in English but without her lola, or grow up not being fluent in English but with her lola.
"Tingnan natin 'yung positive side. Sa totoo lang, pwede naman tayo mag-aral ng English," she said. "Pero ito (speaking in Filipino) 'yung pinili kong komportable ako. Gusto ko ito, dito ako masaya."
"Pero hindi ibig sabihin I can't speak in English," she said before facing the camera.
"I can try if you like. Come on, guys," she said, as Harake burst into laughter and clapped. "'Di ba? Ang dali-dali, parang pag-aartista lang 'yan. In script, pwede ko namang pag-aralan, pwede ko namang imemorize ito."
"Just to please everyone to speak English, bakit, 'yun ba ang basehan ng pagiging mahusay?" she added.
"Ang mahalaga, may natututunan ka, totoo ka sa sarili mo, at gusto mo 'yung ginagawa mo. Kapag andoon lahat ng elementong 'yun, bakit ko kailangang palaging iprove 'yung sarili ko? Dito ako kuntento, dito ako masaya, at dito komportable."
In any case, Rivera pointed out that she doesn't mind speaking in English, especially when brands require her for endorsements.
'What you see is what you get'
Earlier in the vlog, Harake asked Rivera what she considers the most challenging part of her showbiz career. To which, Rivera said it's the act of transparency, especially at the beginning of her career.
"Hindi lahat ng tao naiintindihan ang pagiging transparent," she said. "The way ka magsalita, matigas, the way ka magpronounce ng mga salita... ito 'yung mga bagay na hindi natatanggap in show business. Kailangan you're fluent, you're decent. Kailangan mahinhin ka, ganito ka."
That, Rivera said, made her reflect and tell herself that she needed to adjust in the difficult world that is showbiz.
She also recalled her phone conversation with her lola, who told her that those who truly admire her will accept her wholeheartedly.
"As long as wala kang tinatapakang tao, 'yun ang reminder ng lola ko," she said. Kaya what you see is what you get. Simula noon hanggang ngayon, ito talaga. Anong gagawin ko?"
Rivera has been vocal about preferring Filipino to English.
In 2021, she served as a judge at Miss Universe in Israel and got bashed for her English. She responded to the criticisms, saying, "Aaminin ko na hindi naman talaga English ang first language ko kung hindi Filipino. At kinuha nila ako dahil sa aking body of work bilang isang Filipina. Basta ang masasabi ko lang, kilala niyo naman ako, hindi naman ako mapagpanggap... So ieexpress ko ang sarili ko na naaayon sa nararamdaman ko sa araw na ’yan."
Rivera was also said to have a "No English, please" policy in tapings and shoots.
In 2024, she went viral during the Century Superbods event, when she asked a male contestant a Filipino question, only to translate it to English as he didn't understand it.
In an interview with broadcast journalist Karen Davila last March, Rivera noted that as a girl moving to Manila to join showbiz, she didn't consider her lack of fluency in English as a problem.
Nevertheless, she expressed support for those who wish to improve their English by taking classes among others.
