BINI’s Gwen Apuli opened up about her family’s difficult past, recalling the financial struggles they faced after her father passed away.

“Sobrang hirap po talaga ng buhay namin. Kasi si mama single mom, tapos bata pa lang ako, 4 years old nawala na po ‘yung papa ko.  Kami umaasa kami sa pension. Tapos si mama nahirapan siya maghanap ng work kasi ‘yung working experience, kasi hindi na siya pinag-work ng papa ko eh,” she recalled in an interview with Ogie Diaz for his YouTube vlog.

She went on: “So nahirapan na siyang maghanap ng regular work, so raket-raket na lang. Tapos siyempre ang dami po naming magkakapatid, lima po kami lahat. Bunso po ako.”

The BINI member revealed that her father’s passing came as a shock to the whole family. “Sobrang unexpected po kasi nung pagkamatay ng papa ko po. Nagwo-work po siya tapos natulog, hindi na siya nagising, na-heart attack,” she said.

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To make ends meet, Gwen’s mother started selling goods, but it was not always enough. “Anything na pwedeng ibenta, ganun… Kahit anu-ano na lang pero minsan siyempre nalulugi, sa probinsya parang uutangin pa ‘yung binebenta mo so minsan nalulugi pa si mama,” she said.

Their family also fell into debt after a series of misfortunes. “Nabaon kasi kami sa utang before,” she relayed. “After mawala ng papa ko, ‘yung kuya kong sinundan, nagka-appendicitis… Tapos naging batang-ama ‘yung kapatid kong pangalawa. Tapos naigapang naman ni mama ‘yung panganay namin, naka-graduate ng college. Tapos ‘yung pangtalo kong kuya nag-stop sa school dahil hindi na kaya financially so need niya mag-work muna.”

The singer recalled that she also tried to find ways to help support her family. “Ako gianagawa ko nun sa school nagbe-benta rin ako ng kahit anu-anong snacks po para lang makabawas dun sa gastos po,” she shared.

Gwen admitted that growing up in poverty became her biggest motivation to succeed.

“Kahirapan po talaga, kahit nung ini-interview ako sa PBB kasi iyon po ‘yung tumatak sa akin eh na parang ‘yung bahay namin nakakikita ko throughout the years nabubulok na, ‘yung gate namin pwede na makapasok kahit sino, ‘yung bubong namin sinasalo ng planggana… Si mama ‘yung pang-ulam nafe-feel sad siya kasi ‘yun lang ‘yung napapakain niya sa amin. ‘Yung iyak ni mama gabi-gabi, ‘yung paglilista ni mama ng utang sa notebook niya gabi-gabi. Kaya gusto kong umasenso talaga kami,” she remarked.

In the same interview, Gwen relayed that through the success of BINI, she was able to help pay her family’s debts.

“Nakapag-support po sa family talaga and nakapag-provide for myself. ‘Yung mga utang po, nabayaran na namin,” she shared.