It may have been more than two years since loyal kapamilya viewers may have last seen actress Ingrid dela Paz on ABS-CBN shows like Maalaala Mo Kaya, The Haunted, The Killer Bride, Wildflower, and Pasion de Amor. But she hasn't been idle, keeping herself busy pursuing her other dream outside of showbiz.
Having started out as a model since she was 16, the now 31-year-old actress and model shared her latest accomplishment in an Instagram post last June 7 after graduating from a course at Centennial College which is located in Ontario, Canada where she is currently based.
In her post, Ingrid wrote about how she had to put her academic dreams on hold in order to help support her family, “To my 16 year old self, we finally made it. I still remember those days so clearly, graduating high school but with no means to go to college. Deep down, I doubted if I’d ever graduate at all. I knew I had to work. We weren’t wealthy, and life was full of challenges that we had to overcome. I told myself, I need to help my family and save for college. I got my first part-time job as a promo girl for a feminine wash, 700 pesos talent fee. I was so happy. It wasn’t much, but it was something. A small step toward a bigger dream.”
The Fil-Spanish actress, who also gave birth to her first child in Canada last March, also looked back on how hectic her acting career was when she was still in the Philippines and how she envied her former batchmates when she was still taking up a Bachelor of Arts in Communication degree at Far Eastern University (FEU).
“I told myself, 'Kailangan kong makapagtapos, ito lang yung pwede kong ipagmalaki' and eventually, I got into college but life had another plan. I unexpectedly became an actress. It was a blessing I was truly grateful for, and I did my best to balance school and work, but as time went on, I had to accept the reality, I couldn’t finish college then. My schedule was too full.
"I remember feeling envious when I saw my batchmates posting their graduation photos. I should have been there with them, writing long captions, telling stories about college life, celebrating that milestone but God’s timing is always perfect. He knows when the right time is.
"And now, 12 years later, I finally made it.
"It’s never too late for someone who holds on to a dream. Every struggle, every tear, every setback made me stronger. I wouldn’t change a thing, because I believe everything happened for a reason. If the multiverse were real, I’d look my 16 year old self in the eye and say, “I AM PROUD OF YOU”.
Ingrid Dela Paz High Honours, Culinary Management."
READ: Ingrid Dela Paz: The girl blossoms into a woman
Originally discovered by then ABS-CBN President and CEO Charo Santos-Concio in 2012, Ingrid was officially launched in showbiz as part of the Star Magic Circle 2013, in the same batch as Julia Barretto, Khalil Ramos, Janella Salvador, Jane Oineza, Liza Soberano, Alex Diaz, Jerome Ponce, and Michelle Vito.
Ingrid is currently based in Canada along with her non-showbiz husband Kevin Bayawa and their three-month-old daughter Kristen Isla.