Rhian: There’s life after pain

MANILA, Philippines — Rhian Ramos may be alone again, now that she and boyfriend of three years Jason Choachuy have broken up. But she’s not letting the void he created dampen her spirits.

Not Rhian, who has loved and lost before. Not Rhian, who admits feeling depression “a few times,” and in so doing, learned how to go through the usual bumps on the road.

Her secret? Time.

“You can get past everything if you give it time,” she says. “You’d be surprised. There’s life after pain. You just have to let it pass.”

For her, the process means having more “me time” to savor the moment and become, as she puts it, a little more selfish. Being single again, she explains, means “having nothing to focus on, except myself.”

Press people whom Makati Rep. Monsour del Rosario invited for an early lunch in connection with his comeback action film The Trigonal, saw how Rhian’s “me time” is doing wonders to her.

If she feels down and out, she doesn’t show it. She was blooming that day. She was brimming with plans — about flying to New York to take a course on improv (no script, just adlibs) at Upright Citizens Brigade.

She had it all figured out. She’d be gone for a week after she turns 28 on Oct. 3 to find a place to stay in New York.

No, she hasn’t enrolled yet. The process starts weeks before classes start, and she hopes she’ll get a slot. But she’s ready to have a white Christmas once she gets accepted into the program.

Meantime, Rhian has her hands full promoting The Trigonal, where she’s woman power personified. She does action scenes the way her co-stars, real-life martial arts experts like Monsour, a taekwondo Olympic medalist, his student Ian Ignacio, a gold medalist in the sport, and Chinese Wushu champion Sarah Chang do. Rhian herself has a white belt in taekwondo.

  With Ian Ignacio in a scene from the movie — Photos from The Trigonal Facebook page

Rhian appreciates their patience in showing her the proper martial arts techniques and the right poses to take, even during shooting breaks.

“This way, I can look legit,” she laughs.

Thanks to these tips, her martial arts background and previous action films, Rhian didn’t incur the slightest bruise on the set, although she admits accidentally hitting a stuntman (he forgave her, pronto) on the set in Bacolod.

Rhian ended up enjoying the action scenes, because she saw how it “combined acting and dancing at the same time.” And she’s proud of what she did, especially a long action sequence (the movie which is now showing in cinemas nationwide).

Yes, Rhian is moving on — again. And she’s bent on exploring everything there is to explore in her craft. If it means being away from her family for the first time, even on Christmas and Year’s Day, so be it.

“If I cry (out of homesickness), it’s okay. This will make it clear what my priorities are.”

If she has to wash dishes and prepare a meal for the first time, no problem.

Rhian has dreams for herself, and the luxury of time and space to fulfill them. She’s willing to pay the price to see those dreams come true. Most of all, now that she’s single, she can pour her heart and soul into anything that puts a smile on her face.

And this time, it doesn’t have to be a new romance.