It’s 2021, and finding the balance between motherhood and career ambitions for many modern Filipina moms can be a difficult challenge. Being a mom is a full-time job, so while it is still possible for Filipinas with children to have a thriving career, it is easier said than done.
This is even truer for single mothers who serve as the sole parent figure to their kids. Without a second parent to help raise a child, it can be difficult for the 14 million single mothers in the Philippines to balance both their role as a mother and their career goals.
But for single mom Lara Pearl Alvarez, becoming a single parent did not stop her from achieving her corporate ambitions. And in the upcoming reality TV show “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition,” she proves that single moms can indeed have it all.
Lara Alvarez: Overcoming Adversity
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Born, bred, and raised in Baguio City, Alvarez was a university varsity athlete in taekwondo and wushu. She was also a part of Team Lakay, a martial arts group that based its style on wushu. Alvarez was training to become a competitive martial artist when her then-boyfriend got her pregnant at the age of 22. He eventually abandoned Alvarez even before she had given birth to her son, Marcuz David.
With the help of her family, Alvarez accepted the huge responsibility of being a single parent. She supported her son by working as a freelance tax accountant.
Joining “The Apprentice: ONE Championship”
Alvarez saw “The Apprentice: ONE Championship” as a chance to give her one-year old son a better life.
“I just wanted to give my son a better life, that’s what compelled me to try and audition for The Apprentice. At the time, I didn’t really imagine I could get in. But I was determined to give it a shot. So when I got the news that I was accepted, I was in shock. I just couldn’t believe it. But I was super happy I got in, and from there, I was motivated to succeed.”
Alvarez was one of the 16 candidates (and one of two Filipinos) chosen to compete in the reality show. Unlike previous editions of The Apprentice, this one is produced by Asia’s largest martial arts organization and is a slight departure from ONE’s usual martial arts content.
In this reality show, 16 contestants compete for a US$250,000 job opportunity to work directly under ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityyodtong.
The show, filmed in Singapore, was an experience Alvarez said she will remember for the rest of her life. Filming for the show continued amid the coronavirus pandemic with the help of the Singapore government. For Alvarez, however, this meant being away from her son for a long time.
“It was a little overwhelming, but I was excited. At the same time, I missed my son terribly. I had never spent so much time away from him, nor left him in the care of others. I tried not to let it affect me, but every time I thought of him, it would bring me to tears,” said Alvarez.
“Not a Setback”
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Alvarez dedicates her participation on “The Apprentice: ONE Championship” to her son. Although she keeps mum about the results of the upcoming television show, which is scheduled to air across Asia this month, Alvarez says that the competition has made her a stronger person.
“It was a little overwhelming, but I was excited. At the same time, I missed my son terribly. I had never spent so much time away from him, nor left him in the care of others. I tried not to let it affect me, but every time I thought of him, it would bring me to tears,” said Alvarez.
Parenthood can be a road full of challenges, especially for women who have to walk through it alone. Single moms in the Philippines will surely be inspired by Lara Alvarez’s journey in the upcoming “The Apprentice: ONE Championship,” airing on March 18, 2021.
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