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On July 18, 2019, Sunshine Cruz gracefully turned 42. There are thousands of reasons why we love the Filipino actress and singer and here are 42 of them:

1. She is a timeless beauty.
2. She is 42 and proud of it. While others hide their age, especially after reaching 30, she declares her age with confidence. (But there is nothing wrong with hiding your real age as long as you do not commit a crime by doing so.)
3. She is a living proof that a youthful look can be achieved through a healthy lifestyle. (There is nothing wrong with a youthful look achieved through cosmetic surgery but it is not the only option either.)
4. She preaches the importance of education and she walks the talk.
5. Despite having a well-established career in entertainment, she spent time to earn a bachelor’s degree in Psychology.
6. Proving that education has no age, she earned her college degree at the age of 39.
7. She still aims to finish a master’s degree.
8. Already established as an actor and a singer, she is still interested in pursuing a career as a psychologist.
9. She is strong, independent and empowered physically and psychologically.
10. She is an advocate for women empowerment.
11. She is an advocate for sports.
12. She promotes eating healthy.
13. She is a pet lover.
14. As an actor, she is willing to do things that require her to come out of her comfort zone.
15. A very versatile artist, she can efficiently work with different directors, actors and television networks with various styles and work cultures.
16. With her personal nuancing, the TV characters she plays often become classic.
17. She sings and acts equally well.
18. When she sings live, she sounds as good as her records.
19. Her tremolo is impeccable.
20. She has an infectious smile.
21. She is a very grateful person.
22. She confidently flaunts her sexiness but does not allow people to use it against her.
23. She does not pretend to be somebody else when talking to the media.
24. She generously entertains interview questions from the media during press conferences.
25. She teaches women to speak up against abusers.
26. While she does not allow anyone to do something unfair to her, she is very forgiving to people who sincerely ask for forgiveness for any wrongdoing done to her.
27. She does not let any injustice she encounters pass by warning people about detrimental individuals, groups and establishments.
28. She is a beauty queen that does not need a crown.
29. She did not pursue a career as a beauty queen but the way she deals with life is a good example of a true beauty queen.
30. She puts the nightmares of her past behind but shares the lessons she learned instead of hiding them.
31. Armed with invaluable life lessons, she has golden pieces of advice that her friends and fans can live by.
32. At the height of her career, she chose to focus on her children.
33. She singlehandedly raises three daughters.
34. Despite her busy schedule as an actor and a singer, she always spends quality time with her three daughters.
35. She teaches her children to go through the process (like auditioning) instead of using their advantage as children of celebrities.
36. She is very supportive to her siblings and relatives.
37. She is a very supportive mother (without being an invasive stage mom).
38. She is one feisty Mama Bear. She may look sweet but she fiercely fights when someone says or does something that is not fair to any of her children.
39. She shines and makes sure each of her three daughters also shines with her equally.
40. Her sweetness to her mother is mirrored by her daughter’s sweet letters and gifts.
41. She boosts her children’s confidence by being proud of their achievements, big or small.
42. She has all the qualities of a diva (i.e. queen) but she does not demand special treatment.

Here is a recent interview with Cruz, who I fondly call the Philippines’ Timeless Beauty: