Shuvee Etrata Opens Up About Her Late Grandmother, Her Family, And The Life She Never Expected

Talking about her grandmother made Shuve burst into tears. In an interview with Jessica Soho, the 24-year-old Kapuso star shared how, long before she found the spotlight, it was her Lola Pi-pi who first lit the way.

"Yun talaga. Kung may foreigner na dadaan, 'you want to picture my granddaughter? She's very beautiful.' Gaganunin niya yung foreigner, kahit hindi naman photographer," Shuvee said in the interview, while tears were rolling down her face.

It's exactly how she remembers her late grandmother—sweet, supportive, and wholeheartedly gave Shuvee all the love she needed. It's a known fact that Shuvee was her favorite apo. Unfortunately, she passed away during the pandemic, and she couldn't see Shuvee shine in the entertainment industry.

This thought made Shuvee cry harder during the interview. "Sa kanya ako nakaramdam na dun ako lumaki—dun ako lumaki, dun ako tinanggap, at dun ako minahal. Kaya po special sakin ang Bantayan Island," she said.

ICYDK, Shuvee represented the beautiful Bantayan Island during her stint on Pinoy Big Brother. She was called "Ang Island Ate ng Cebu" because she was a breadwinner and the eldest of nine siblings.

It was a tough childhood, as Shuvee described it. But growing up with her Lola Pi-pi's support, her love for her family, and extreme faith in her dreams, Shuvee knew she would make it.

Her only dream was to have a house for her family and make it a home. "Technically, I feel kasi three years ago, I already made it," she began telling her story.

Shuvee's introduction to the world of content creation was all thanks to one of her TikTok videos that went viral years ago, resulting in two million followers on the platform. She added, "Hindi naman talaga goal ko para sumikat? Hindi talaga yun ang goal ko."

But the virality of her video opened her eyes to the possibility of earning more for her family. So, she took the risk, moved to Manila alone, and braved the unknown industry to pursue a better life for her family. At the end of it all, all she ever wanted was to bring her family all together under one roof, and in a place they could call home.

For Shuvee, it's all about perspective: she recognizes that it was also her parents' first time figuring out how to be parents, and at the end of the day, what matters most is being happy together as a family.

"Kasi yun lang pangarap namin: ang mabuo kami. Nine kami pero hindi kami nabubuo. Kaya pag may bahay na po kaming amin—baka kapag nakabili na ako ng bahay, kaya ko na silang i-buo," Shuvee expressed.

And when all of that happens, Shuvee declares that she'll always go back to where it all started for her: her hometown, surrounded by the people she loves.

"Kahit saan man po ako dalhin ng industriyang ito, babalik at babalik ako sa isla man, or dito sa bukid sa Polomolok. Madali ako makuntento sa buhay," she said. "I'll always go for greater heights. I know and I believe I can do it for my family. It's just that I'll always go back to my old self. Kasi that's me, and I don't wanna get lost in the way of this industry."