Maxene Magalona reveals how she overcame failed marriage

Prayers and acceptance, not resistance, were key in Maxene Magalona overcoming the end of her marriage.

In an interview on the "Updated with Nelson Canlas" podcast, Maxene was asked about how she dealt with her failed marriage to Rob Mananquil, compelling her to open about the pain of her marriage crumbling and how she survived it.

"[B]y praying. Praying for my ex-husband, praying for me, praying for the both of us so that we can let go of what was not meant for us," she told Nelson.

She shared that one of her spiritual teachers in Bali told her that attachment is among the main causes of human suffering.

She added that if she were asked about what she wanted, she would want her father, the late Francis Magalona, to still be around, but the attachment to that idea would only make her suffer.

"So, when my marriage started to crumble, when it started to talagang break apart, I had to slowly, slowly accept it," she said.

A book she read, "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle, also gave her insight to choose the present moment and to accept whatever may be happening in the present as if she had chosen it instead of resisting.

"Instead of resisting that, you have to turn to God and accept, this is what's happening right now, God, help me through it. Kung baga, tanggapin na lang natin, wag na tayong mag complain, and then let's accept that this is what God needs me to go through, so that I can be the person that he designed me to be," she said, adding that one must let go of what is no longer serving them.

She also said that one may believe that holding on may justify one's pain, but true peace comes in acceptance.

"True peace comes in accepting what's happening in the present moment. And forgiving what needs to be forgiven so that you can move on," she shared.

She likewise asked those going through a separation or an annulment what pain they are willing to go through.

"It will always be painful, going through a breakup and staying in a toxic relationship. So, what pain are you willing to go through? Both of it is painful. It's painful to go through the breakup and it's also painful to stay where you're not meant to stay. So, which one do you choose? I chose the first one. I chose the pain of going through the breakup," she said.

She added that choosing to stay is more painful because so much is wasted.

"Choosing to stay, mas masakit 'yun kasi sinasayang mo 'yung oras mo, sinasayang mo 'yung energy mo, sinasayang mo 'yung purpose na binigay sa iyo ni God sa mundong ito. So, choose what pain are you willing to go through."

Maxene and Rob got married in 2018, first with a private church wedding followed by a ceremony in Boracay.

Breakup rumors swirled in early 2022 after netizens noticed that the two no longer followed each other and that Maxene had dropped Rob's surname on her Instagram.

In October 2022, Maxene posted a photo of her on a solo date night, and wrote, "Perks of being single and childless."

After confirming she was indeed single, Maxene shared on Instagram some lessons she learned from her marriage, foremost of which was, "Give yourself to God before you give yourself away."

In the same month, she moved out from her marital home and into her own apartment.