In the old days, glamour was almost never associated with motherhood, what with the many sacrifices women were expected to power through regarding raising their children. Moms wearing their adversities in their sleeves was synonymous to donning their badge of motherhood, which was not necessarily a bad thing. But thank goodness, gone were the days when a mother’s suffering was equated to being a good mother. Because really, allowing mothers to indulge in guilty pleasures and life’s little luxuries once in a while can actually help them in the long run.
Luckily for Ruffa Gutierrez, one of the Philippines’ respected actresses with an impressive, long career spanning decades, glamour is not just a luxury but simply a part of her art and hustle. As a well-regarded showbiz personality, glamour is an integral part of her celebrity life. And glamour is also the theme of her upcoming television series called “Beauty Empire” which is set to air soon on GMA Prime Time and Viu.
These days, Ruffa is hard at work on “Beauty Empire” as she embodies the role of Velma Imperial, the “Queen CEO” of a highly successful beauty company. She described Velma as “fierce, power-hungry, broken” in an Instagram post, and we cannot wait to see how this actress will put a spin into this new, powerful female TV character.
It is pretty obvious that girlboss Velma is a go-getter, a character that Ruffa can easily resonate with in real life. An actress starting at the young age of 13, Ruffa knew early on that she had big dreams for herself.
“I started at the age of 13 when I signed up with Golden Lion Films. And then eventually, I became a Regal baby. I’ve done more than 50 films, or maybe more. And to this day, I am still working,” she narrated during the interview with STYLISH.
Artistry and Beauty
One of her early works as an actress was the 1991 Filipino drama movie “Makiusap Ka sa Diyos” (“Plea to God”), directed by legendary film director Lino Brocka. It was one of the last movies Brocka worked on before he passed away in a car crash in 1991. Ruffa played the female lead role of Dolores Aaron, a young woman who was raped before she was about to take her perpetual vows.
She was also revered as the lead actress of the ’90s cult favorite “Ang Pinaka Magandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa” — a 1996 remake movie directed by Celso Ad-Castillo.
Aside from being an actress, Ruffa is one of the well-loved beauty queens of the Philippines. At the age of 18, she bagged the prestigious Miss World 1993 Second Princess title.
“My Miss World journey was a period of my life that was very unforgettable. For me during that time, I had the most fun because beauty pageantry had no social media yet. We were really able to get to know each other as beauty queens, and I gained a lot of friends from the pageant. During that time, we did not have mobile phones. I was sent to London to represent the Philippines, and then I was sent to South Africa. It was the first time that I was allowed to travel alone, because my parents were always super strict before that. It was my first taste of being an independent woman.”
“I am so grateful that my parents and family were always so supportive of my dreams and goals when I was a teenage girl,” she said. “I was raised by a go-getter mother. And I am a go-getter and a hard worker just like my mother.”
Motherhood in the Gutierrez Clan
“In the beginning, I guess it was convenient for me at the time to enter showbiz because my dad was an actor, while my mom was a talent manager. I’m so happy that even if they were very strict as parents when I was growing up, they gave me permission to be an actress. And thank God, that decision of theirs led me to still do what I do now. I am still doing teleseryes and endorsements, so I am beyond grateful.”
Ruffa came from the Gutierrez clan, a showbiz royalty led by patriarch Eddie Gutierrez who was a popular matinee idol and lead actor starting in the 1950s. He’s married to Gutierrez clan’s matriarch, Annabelle Rama, who was already an influential “momager” by the 1980s, before the term “momager” even ever came about. The clan also produced Richard Gutierrez, one of the most respected male lead actors of today’s generation, and a brother to Ruffa. Ruffa is the only girl among six siblings. Their colorful, fun family dynamics had been the central theme of reality TV show “It Takes Gutz to be Gutierrez” aired on E! Asia in 2014, which made them very much like the Kardashians of the Philippines.
“There are a lot of snippets going around the Internet from ‘It Takes Gutz’ actually and some of them were confrontations and arguments. Some netizens really do think and believe that we are really like that as a family in real life. Those are scenes from our reality show and when you say it is reality TV, people should know that it is not always the literal reality. We live in the crazy world of show business, so reality TV at times is not really reality. We had to make it interesting, otherwise nobody’s going to watch it.”
“And now I can say it in the open, because reality TV is not as trendy anymore. When cable died, reality TV died too.”
Ruffa shared that her being a go-getter is something she got from her mother.
“My mom was always a go-getter. She’s very ma-abilidad. She’s a retired talent manager now because she’s not allowed to be stressed anymore due to health reasons. But just like me, she’s still active and still very much a go-getter. She can’t just stay at home, because she makes opportunities for herself. And I think that’s important that you don’t just wait around for blessings to come,” Ruffa said.
“You have to go after them, and make the most of the opportunities. My mother is a super mom of six children, and a very hands-on businesswoman. She handles everything. I don’t think I can do what my mom does because honestly me having two daughters can be so overwhelming already. There are a lot of super-moms that inspire me around the world, and my mother is definitely one of them. She has definitely inspired me to be a better version of myself.”
Aside from being an actress and endorser, Ruffa made news when she went back to school and acquired her college degree. In 2022, she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts at Philippine Women’s University, and is now currently enrolled in Master of Communication Arts.
“My mother always made sure I was focused on my goals when I was growing up. Until now, I still ask for her advice and she guides me well. While I couldn’t understand when I was younger why my mom was super strict, now that I am a mother myself, I understand her more. Once you’re a mom, you’ll understand where your mother is coming from. Mothers only want the best for their children. I am the same way to my kids now.”
Ruffa is raising two beautiful daughters Lorin and Venice. Both are currently based in the USA as they’re finishing their college studies. Lorin is taking up Advertising and Integrated Marketing, while Venice is taking up Political Science. And while both of them are in their early 20s already, Ruffa reiterated that that does not stop her from being a mother to her girls.
“Being a mother is being more selfless. You don’t worry about ‘me, myself and I’ anymore because you care for another human being. Just because your kids are older, does not mean you stop being a mother. Sometimes I would hear, ‘why do you still care about your children when they can make their own decisions already?’ Well that’s true, but I believe I always have to guide them. Especially I need to be there before they make some wrong decisions. What I love about being a mother is that you take care of another human being. When your kids are happy, successful, and they are leading a beautiful life, then you’re also a successful, happy mother. And more than anything, when your kids are kind and loving individuals, that’s also a success for you as a mother.”
Self-Love and Womanhood
A sense of self-love is something Ruffa has always taught her girls.
“I’ve had different definitions of self-love for every phase of my life. But as a mother, I am teaching my daughters to love themselves first. I teach my daughters that being financially independent is very important, and that is the best form of self-love.”
Ruffa shared that she’s always been open to her kids about her own experiences as a wife and a mother.
“I teach them to be financially smart and independent, and to try not to rely on anyone else but themselves even at a young age. I always remind them what happened to me, and why my marriage did not become successful.”
“I also remind them to be smart when choosing a life partner. I always tell them that number one, the man has to be God-fearing. Secondly, he has to be hardworking, because not all the time you’re at the height of your success so make sure your partner works hard. Third, observe how the man treats his own family, if he’s loving toward his parents and his own family. And of course, have high standards when it comes to choosing a man, and that they should really observe how a man treats you. That’s very important. Choosing the right partner is also a form of self-love.”
And just like the generation before her, Ruffa intends to raise a new generation of go-getters.
“To all the young ladies who are still finding themselves, it is okay to take your time. We all go through that age when we do not know yet what we want in life. Take your time because one day, you’ll eventually figure it out. If I were you, just enjoy your life. Keep in mind that it is never too late to start something new, and you’re never too old to try something new. I got my college degree in my late 40s, and now I’m doing my masters and I’m 50 years old. It’s never too late to start a new hobby, or to finish your studies, or to find a goal that you want to achieve. So take your time because you have your future ahead of you.”
Watch Ruffa Gutierrez as Velma Imperial in television series “Beauty Empire” airing soon on GMA Primetime and @viuphilippines.
Words & Shoot Concept by Marane A. Plaza
Photography by Dix Perez
Styling by Kathrina Vapor
Styling Assistance by Mark Dean Cadapan
Makeup by Mark Qua
Hair by Renz Pangilinan
Special thanks to fashion designers Ruffy Itaas, Ahron Macaraig, and Fatima Beltran, plus Magical Gems Jewelry.
Special thanks to sponsors Lux Lourgie Jewelry and iLLo’s Party Trays
Get to know more of Ruffa Gutierrez in one of the episodes of STYLISH Podcast coming this May 2025.
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