Liza Soberano quickly established herself as a teen idol and as one of the most sought after stars of her generation. Her greatest asset, as everyone would agree, is her good looks. In fact, many consider her as one of the most beautiful faces in local showbiz.
But is that what Liza would really like to be known for? Sure her physical attribute has landed her on numerous TV and movie projects, however, Liza would like people to look at her as someone who is effective on the roles she plays either on the boob tube or the big screen.
Liza is an advocate of Camp Courage, a project that aims to inspire every young Filipina
“I’d like them to consider me as a serious actress. Sometimes it’s good that people see me as someone who is good-looking but I’d also like them to see what’s between my ears. I would like them to know me as someone who can be a role model to the youths as well,” Liza told The Standard.
We met with the 17-year-old Kapamilya actress at a recent event in Taguig. The young star arrived at the venue, a public school, in a white top and a pair of flippy blue short pants. Although she was just wearing sneakers, the model-like Liza was pretty hard to ignore even if she was just sporting a barely there makeup and her hair was plainly down.
She looked dewy fresh when she joined the other teenage girls, who were all made up for a morning event, for a photo opportunity. Whether or not it was intended, that made Liza a standout among the ambassadors to Johnson and Johnson’s latest advocacy, Camp Courage.
Camp Courage seeks to inspire every Filipina teen to be determined to discover their full potential by not being restrained by the many changes happening in their life, instead, allowing them to celebrate the many opportunities being young brings about.
“I instantly felt excited when they told me about Camp Courage because like any other teenager, I also go through a lot of insecurities that make me doubt myself and restrains me from moving confidently. Not many people know about this but every time I face a large crowd, I experience stage fright,” Liza related.
She may be a big star for her age but Liza is just like any other teenagers – she spends a lot of time surfing the Net, she also enjoys reading books and feels excited playing video games.
“I’m also a weirdo. I read a lot of weird stuff…say, I search about the tallest men, fattest women, and anything that I find strange,” the Forevermore star said while flashing her pearly whites.
And with her fondness in reading books, she said that it makes her miss school all the more. Liza had to stop attending regular school because of the demanding schedule she had when taping Forevermore. But she’s determined to finish school. She would like to pursue a degree in Psychology, and eventually have a profession other than being in front of the camera.
“I like reading minds and understanding the behavior of people. I told you I read weird stuff, I’m also interested reading and watching about people who suffer from mental illness. I feel for them and one day, I’d like to help these unfortunate people,” the soft-spoken yet eloquent Liza asserted.
Liza is launched as of the faces of the advocacy that aims to reach out to about 400,000 Filipina teens in 500 schools nationwide starting this month. It will conduct workshops and activities that will help girls understand their bodies even better, know the right things to do in any situation, and find opportunities where they can enhance their talents and skills even more. More importantly, the Camp Courage School Program will encourage teens to face their teen challenges head on, inspiring them to believe in themselves and their abilities.
The young actress furthered that this platform will be a venue to house a strong support system of girls encouraging other girls, making it a safe place where they can share their feelings and receive their much needed support from friends.
“I’ve learned from the women I look up to that the teenage years is a very exciting phase in one’s life – packed with opportunities that we can’t allow to pass. That is why I am one with Camp Courage in empowering girls like me to be more confident to seize every moment,” she ended.
VERY WANG 