Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan reminds UPLB PhD, Master's grads it's okay to be imperfect, need 'take twos'
For Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan, it's okay to need that "take two."
The actress recently shared an Instagram Reel from when she gave a speech at the 2025 University of the Philippines - Los Baños Master's and PhD graduation last July 18. ICYDK, Laxa-Pangilinan has a master's degree in Family Life and Child Development from UP Diliman and a doctorate in Theology from the College for Global Deployment in Washington State.
In her speech, she talked about one of the biggest lessons she learned from being a mother to her five children, Ella, Donny, Hannah, Benjamin, and Solana.
"My daughter (Hannah) asked me a long time ago, she said, 'Mom can we start all over again?' [...] She was very young then. This was maybe 20 years ago, I had just lost my temper. That moment, when she whispered [that] to me, [it] gave birth to something that we call, 'take two,'" Laxa-Pangilinan shared.
This phrase refers to how, in the TV and film industry, the director calls for a cut to either end a take or re-do a scene when a mistake is made.
The Iisa Pa Lamang star shared that when she and her family members make a mistake, they stop for a "take two."
"It became a powerful reminder that perfection is not our goal. It's restoration," she told the graduates, admitting that she's "far" from being the perfect mom.
"I am very much imperfect in many ways, but I try hard. When I fail, I have forgiveness. And then I'll try again. The whole point of life, di ba? You will fail. But are you prepared to rise up again?"
It took Laxa-Pangilinan six years to finish her bachelor's degree in Social Sciences from UP Manila, and another six years for her master's. In between her studies, she started her career in showbiz and got married, then had kids.
'Be authentic'
Laxa-Pangilinan then recalled how when her eldest daughter, Ella, was growing up, she tried to "raise her by the book." However, this didn't "honor" her daughter's uniqueness.
"I've asked Ella so many times for forgiveness for the many times I tried to be a perfect parent and I tried to mold her to be a perfect child. And I'm just so thankful she continues to entrust her heart to me. So that when our youngest Solana was born, Ella said something that I'll never forget. ‘We'll do better this time, Mama,'" she shared.
Apart from this, Laxa-Pangilinan is also open to learning from her kids and even "authorized" them to "correct" her when she's about to lose her temper.
"I've learned that discipline becomes easier when love and trust are overflowing freely. Our home has become a space where mistakes, as long as we're humble to start all over again," she shared.
Despite the pressures to appear perfect as a celebrity mom and parenting advocate, the actress finds that her most impactful moments are when she's her "barok, unpolished" self.
"My kids don't need a perfect mom. They just need an honest one. My husband doesn't need a superstar. He just wants me to sit by him—not to fix everything, not to run the household, just be."
With her speech, Laxa-Pangilinan wants to remind graduates to aim for growth over perfection.
"Let your story include failure and grace. Be authentic, especially when it's hard. Keep learning and please stay accountable," the actress said.
She also urged the master's and PhD graduates to find their mission and have a problem to solve after they earned their diplomas.
"Earning a diploma is just the beginning. Remember this lesson of how you're cup can overflow to others, kasi punong-puno kayo ngayon eh. Kailangan mag-share kayo," she added.
During the 2025 UPLB graduate school commencement ceremony, 89 received their doctoral degrees, 225 earned their master's, and 25 got their graduate diplomas.
Apart from her acting career, Laxa-Pangilinan has also written books Kuya Na si Bunso, Maya at Laya, Meet My Superdad, Mommy Talk the 'Oh!s' and 'Oh No!s' of Motherhood, and Marriage is a Marathon with her husband Anthony Pangilinan.
