Kathryn Bernardo on forgiveness: 'When I forgive you, it doesn’t mean that I have to keep you in my life'
Kathryn Bernardo opened up about forgiveness and healing following her highly publicized breakup with longtime boyfriend Daniel Padilla.
In Mega Magazine’s cover story published on Monday, April 1, the actress said she’s where exactly she’s supposed to be at the moment.
"February for me is the new January,” she said. “Parang ’yun ’yung tapos na. I know that I’m okay. I can say I’m healed.”
Bernardo recalled how she didn’t want people to see her as a victim or feel bad after her breakup.
“For me, the best way to cope was, first, I needed to heal and look at the bright side: I have so many blessings and so many people who stayed with me through all this. I focused on that,” she said. “Second, I keep myself busy.”
Still, she noted that experiencing all the process, including the pain, is necessary—without letting it affect her work.
Bernardo also talked about the depth of forgiveness, saying it can be given to those who deserve it.
“But when I forgive you, it doesn’t mean that I have to keep you in my life,” she said. “I forgive you for my peace of mind, for clarity, and for everything. But it doesn’t mean na puwede kang bumalik. It depends.”
Bernardo and Padilla debuted as the love team KathNiel in 2011 for the teleserye Growing Up and have since starred in more shows and movies. They confirmed their romance in 2018.
But as 2023 was ending, there were rumors that their relationship was on the rocks.
Talent manager Ogie Diaz initially disclosed the breakup between Bernardo and Padilla, citing information from an unnamed source. Diaz also mentioned the name of Andrea Brillantes, who was allegedly meeting with Padilla in secret.
The breakup rumors intensified when Brillantes apparently unfollowed Bernardo on Instagram amid the issue. In turn, Bernardo and her celebrity friends Loisa Andalio and Miles Ocampo had also cut the communication lines with Brillantes.
On Nov. 30 of that year, Padilla and Bernardo made separate announcements about the end of their relationship after 11 years.
The following month, the ex-couple appeared together at the Asia Artist Awards and the ABS-CBN Christmas Special.