Nitong Lunes, Nobyembre 2, nagbalik-tanaw si Geneva Cruz sa kanyang desisyon na ipagawa ang kanyang ilong sa murang edad na 16.

Sa isang Instagram post, ibinahagi ng 44 anyos na singer ang iba’t-ibang litrato kung saan makikita ang malaking pagbabago sa kanyang ilong sa sa nakalipas na 31 taon.

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When I look at old photographs of myself, I seem to know how old I was based on how I looked: face, weight, outfit, and hairstyle. Growing up I was made to believe by my parents that I was beautiful in my own way — long hair, medyo morena, medyo malapad na ilong, bright-eyed, pretty smile, long legs... In short, I grew up confident in my own skin. I never lacked suitors, so I thought, “Hey! My nose is pretty wide but it is alright”, until I started making movies & was told that my nose was just too big for the movie screen. 😔🤷🏻‍♀️ I was only 16 when I was asked to have my nose altered a bit and I thought something was wrong with me... & I carried that for many years kahit iba na ilong ko. Trolls loved to hurt me coz I was timid; they didn’t know how else they could hurt me so they made my old nose a target. They even said things like I looked like Melai Cantiveros daw when I was with the Smokey Mountain, & I was like “WTF is wrong with looking like her? I think she’s pretty.” Some would even say she looks better than me coz gawa ang ilong ko & at least sa kanya hindi. I just couldn’t win w/ them... as if it was my decision to touch my nose. 😏 Anyway, I’ve come to love the nose I’ve had for 28 years— same bridge, just narrower, kasi deep inside, pareho pa rin naman ako sa pang-loob eh. And because I was bullied so much in show-business growing up... it turned me into a stronger person, kaya kung puro sat-sat ka lang pero wala kang talino, don’t even bother trying to make me feel bad with your senseless noise kasi ibabalik ko lang din naman sayo yung ginagawa mo. To all my fellow Pinays/Pinoys na Pinoy na Pinoy ang ilong... wala kayong kailangang baguhin sa mukha ninyo, dahil maganda na kayo kahit ano pa ang sabihin nila; pero wala ring masama kung may gusto kayong baguhin, basta ito ay talagang kagustuhan ninyo at hindi ng ibang tao. 🙂 What I know now is that when we derive our worth from the relationships we have in our lives — romantic, social circle, work... we give away our power and become dependent upon external validation, and when that’s taken away... our sense of value, & identity goes w/ it. I am enough and I’m grateful. 🙏🏼💗 Ingat! 🙂 Gen ⭐️

A post shared by Geneva Cruz (@genevacruzofficial) on Nov 1, 2020 at 6:30pm PST

“When I look at old photographs of myself, I seem to know how old I was based on how I looked: face, weight, outfit, and hairstyle,” panimula ni Geneva sa kanyang mahabang post.

Ani ng dating Smokey Mountain singer, lumaki siya na komportable sa kanyang sarili hanggang sa magdesisyon itong pasukin ang mundo ng pelikula kung saan sinabihan siyang masyadong malaki ang kanyang ilong para sa pinilakang-tabing.

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12 yo dreamer #rawphotography #unfiltered #bagets #smokeymountaingroup

A post shared by Geneva Cruz (@genevacruzofficial) on Oct 27, 2020 at 11:42pm PDT

“Growing up I was made to believe by my parents that I was beautiful in my own way — long hair, medyo morena, medyo malapad na ilong, bright-eyed, pretty smile, long legs... In short, I grew up confident in my own skin. I never lacked suitors, so I thought, ‘Hey! My nose is pretty wide but it is alright’, until I started making movies & was told that my nose was just too big for the movie screen,” saad ni Geneva.

Kwento pa ni Geneva, diyesisais anyos siya ng una niyang ipagawa ang kanyang ilong. Kaya naman halos buong buhay niya umanong bitbit sa kanyang isipan na may mali sa kanyang ilong.

“I was only 16 when I was asked to have my nose altered a bit and I thought something was wrong with me... & I carried that for many years kahit iba na ilong ko,” ani Geneva.

Geneva Cruz shares duet with fellow ‘Smokey Mountain’ member Shar Santos​

Naging puntirya umano si Geneva ng mga tao sa social media nang halungkatin ang mga luma nitong litrato at sinabing kamukha niya si Melai Cantiveros noong kabataan niya.

“Trolls loved to hurt me coz I was timid; they didn’t know how else they could hurt me so they made my old nose a target. They even said things like I looked like Melai Cantiveros daw when I was with the Smokey Mountain, & I was like ‘WTF is wrong with looking like her? I think she’s pretty.’ Some would even say she looks better than me coz gawa ang ilong ko & at least sa kanya hindi. I just couldn’t win w/ them ... as if it was my decision to touch my nose,” ani Geneva.

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Good Morning! ☺️😘 Cute Babydoll Top: @sassyscreationph

A post shared by Geneva Cruz (@genevacruzofficial) on Sep 8, 2020 at 5:40pm PDT

Gayunpaman, natutunan na umano ni Geneva maging matatag lalo pa’t nakayanan niya umano ang pangungutya sa kanya sa loob ng 28 na taon.

“Anyway, I’ve come to love the nose I’ve had for 28 years— same bridge, just narrower, kasi deep inside, pareho pa rin naman ako sa pang-loob eh. And because I was bullied so much in show-business growing up... it turned me into a stronger person, kaya kung puro sat-sat ka lang pero wala kang talino, don’t even bother trying to make me feel bad with your senseless noise kasi ibabalik ko lang din naman sa ‘yo yung ginagawa mo,” ani Geneva.

WATCH: Tirso Cruz III, joins nieces Geneva, Sunshine and Donna for an ABBA medley​

Sa huli, nagbigay ng mensahe si Geneva sa lahat ng kapwa Pinay niya na nagnanais na magpagawa ng ilong.

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Day 3 after my VISOLIFT #HIFU treatment from @beautyzonephil. 💗☺️ Swipe ⬅️ for more photos and a video. 💗 Pajamas: @pollyanna.mnl by @sharaosbandril and @zinroncal Keep safe! xoxo #gethappyisthenewtrend #genevacruzforbeautyzoneph #bareface #pinay

A post shared by Geneva Cruz (@genevacruzofficial) on Sep 4, 2020 at 3:42am PDT

“To all my fellow Pinays/Pinoys na Pinoy na Pinoy ang ilong ... wala kayong kailangang baguhin sa mukha ninyo, dahil maganda na kayo kahit ano pa ang sabihin nila; pero wala ring masama kung may gusto kayong baguhin, basta ito ay talagang kagustuhan ninyo at hindi ng ibang tao,” saad niya.

WATCH: Cruz cousins Geneva, Donna, Sunshine in ‘You’re In Love’ cover​

Sa kung ano ang natutunan niya, ani Geneva: “What I know now is that when we derive our worth from the relationships we have in our lives — romantic, social circles, work... we give away our power and become dependent upon external validation, and when that’s taken away... our sense of value, & identity goes w/ it.” Sambit pa niya: “I am enough and I’m grateful.”