At 22, Francine Diaz is only now enjoying the finer things in life, thanks to her unshakable determination to rise above the ugly face of abject poverty.
Much of the success she is enjoying today, Francine owes to a single star that stood out among the countless celestial bodies across the vast firmament.
Dreamy-eyed, she would look up, fix her gaze on it and wish that it would change her family’s life.
The Kapamilya actress shared what life was like before her show business breakthrough.
Third among six siblings, Francine said her family lived a life that was “mahirap pa sa daga.”
For the most part, the Diaz family survived without electricity because they could not pay their bills on time.
There were days when there were no groceries at home — not a single item to satisfy their growling stomachs.
Not even a bottle of drinking water sat inside the refrigerator because the family could not afford to buy gallons of water.
The worst part, she recalled, was seeing her youngest sister, Eisa, without formula milk. Instead, the child had to make do with “am,” the starchy liquid extracted from freshly cooked rice.
Each passing day was an ordeal, a bitter pill to swallow.
Without electricity, the family’s only source of relief from the heat came from her mother’s improvised pamaypay made from cut-up cardboard, which also helped drive away mosquitoes.
Waking up each morning was equally difficult. There was no food — not even a tiny morsel — for breakfast, and often nothing for lunch either.
Even at a young age, however, Francine was wise enough to save part of the modest allowance given by her aunt.
Whatever amount she managed to save each week — about P300 to P500 — went straight to her mother to buy household necessities.
Despite somehow getting by, Francine knew that kind of hand-to-mouth existence could not last forever.
She dared to dream.
Little by little, those dreams began taking shape as her prayers were answered.
Her acting career eventually gained momentum with ABS-CBN’s “Kadenang Ginto.” More projects followed, including “Dirty Linen” and “Sins of the Father.”
On the big screen, Francine made her film debut in “My Future You” in 2024. She followed it with an appearance in “Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins.”
She has also completed her third film, “She Who Must Not Be Named,” with screen partner Seth Fedelin.
While the best may still be ahead, Francine continues her steady climb upward — a promising sign of even greater milestones to come.
