‘Para akong trinaydor’: Matet de Leon on mom Nora Aunor’s competing business, reveals being bipolar

MANILA, Philippines — Actress Matet de Leon went live on Sunday night to share her frustration and sentiment when she found out her mother, actress Nora Aunor, has plans to start a similar business. She addressed the video to her mother and her mother’s supporters called Noranians. She also revealed that she was diagnosed as bipolar.

She shared that it all started when her husband, Mickey Estrada, found out about Nora’s plan to sell bottled sardines in a group that he was a part of. He was able to identify a user whom they know was close to her mother. In their exchange of messages in the said group, the person said that Matet already had knowledge about the plan. This was the part where Matet felt she was betrayed.

“Hindi naman sa pag-aagawan pa namin ang Noranians, ‘di ba? Hindi naman ‘yun ‘yung punto ko, ‘yung pag-aagawan pa namin. Kasi marami namang tao sa Pilipinas, sa mundo na pwede namang pagbentahan po. Ang akin lang pong sentiments is, paano nagawa sa akin ito? Direktang kumpitensya kasi,” Matet said.

The former child star turned character actress revealed that she and her husband turned to making and selling bottled sardines as a fallback. She admitted that she rarely gets called for tapings in TV and movies these days, thus, she wanted to start a business.

They put up Casita Estrada, an online business that sells bottled goods such as gourment tinapa, tuyo and variants of sisig and bagnet bagoong. Her husband is the one who cooks or makes their products.

In the 46-minute long YouTube video titled “Clearing the Air,” Matet also mentioned about the sacrifices she and her siblings went through growing up. Her siblings include Ian, the only biological son of Nora and her ex-husband, actor Christopher de Leon, eldest, actress Lotlot de Leon, and brother Kenneth. She, Lotlot and Kenneth were all adopted.

In the video, she expressed her hurt when her brother told her to let their mother do what she wanted to do and just support her.

“Itong kapatid kong si Kenneth. Kapatid ba kita? Impakto ka. Sira ulo yan e. Sabi ba naman sa akin, kung gusto ni Mommy mag-negosyo, pabayaan ko na lang daw. Mag-resell na lang daw ako ng products ni Mommy at magtulungan kami,” Matet shared.

At this point, Matet revealed that she was diagnosed as bipolar.

“Imagine nyo. Bipolar ka na nga, nalulungkot ka na nga. Tapos nangyari pa ito. Imaginin n’yo ‘yung lungkot ko. ‘Yung gulat, lungkot ko sa nangyari. Imbes na sinuportahan ako, hindi. Hindi ko talaga alam kung ano ang rason. Pinapakita ba sa akin na mas sikat siya mas maraming fans kaya mas maraming bibili?” she asked.

Matet stressed that she was just giving her sentiment and opinion. She has not spoken to her mother because she had already blocked Nora.

“This is just my opinion, aking pakiramdam. ‘Di ko alam. ‘Di ko sigurado. I feel very sad. I feel betrayed. Para ako akong trinaydor. Grabe, ampon na ampon ang pakiramdam ko ngayon, mga tol. Ang lakas maka-ampon yung ginawa nila. Damang-dama ko pagka-ampon. Walang gagawa nito sa anak nila.  Ang ibig sabihin lang nito, hindi talaga ako tinatratong anak. Ngayon ko lang naisip. At saka ‘yung mga malalapit sa kanya, hindi ko na lang sasabihin kung sino, but they also feel that si mommy doesn’t love us. Hindi niya gagawin ito kung mahal niya kami. Ngayon ko lang na-realize talaga,” Matet said.

Utang na loob’

The latter part of the video revealed her sentiments towards some supporters, some of whom she said has been supportive of her and her siblings while some were critical of them. She also mentioned about the circumstance of her and her siblings’ adoption by Nora. She addressed those who were constantly commenting about their utang na loob by being adopted.

“Alam nyo ba hanggang ngayon nagbabayad ng utang na loob. Marami kayong hindi alam at hindi niyo na malalaman. Anong utang na loob ba ‘yun? Na naging artista kami dahil kay Mommy? Ang Mommy ko may masakit at matanda na. So, ayoko nang sumama ang loob ng Mommy ko sobra. Pero klinaro sa akin ng Mommy ko, na ang kumuha sa akin, at alam na alam ko, ang lola ko ang kumuha sa amin. Hindi si Mommy. Sa mga papeles namin, lumalabas na kapatid namin si Mommy. Hindi lumalabas na siya ang mommy namin. So, kung itatakwil niya ako dahil dito sa ginawa ko, anong gagawin ko? May kwenta kaming ampon kasi kung wala akong kwentang ampon, marami na kaming sinabi,” Matet revealed.

She ended her video by reiterating her love for her mother and wishing Nora well.

“Mahal na mahal ko si Mommy. Pag-pepray ko na tuloy-tuloy ang pagbuti ng health niya. I wish her well,” she said.

Prior to going live last Sunday, Matet posted on Instagram a photo of Nora’s products where she first expressed her frustration.

“Would you do this to your children? HONOR THY FATHER AND MOTHER. HOW? how can I do that now? Ay, AMPON PALA AKO,” Matet began her post.

“Nung isang gabi, sinabihan ako na na mag resell na lang ng products ng nanay ko. Pinag hihirapan namin ang pagtitinda. Bakit all of a sudden, nagulat na lang ako, naglabas ang nanay ko ng direktang kumpitensya ng produkto ko. Alam niyang may produkto akong ganyan,” she added.

Matet said that she was told to just focus on being an actress.

“Marami naman daw akong taping. Ano sa tngin niyo gagawin ko ngayon? Ano magandang gawin? Kung may anak kayo, GAGAWIN NIYO BA SA MGA ANAK NIYO TO?” she said.

Nora has not yet spoken about this issue as of press time.