Kathryn tells Mega Magazine that keeping her distance was her way of protecting her peace, adding that she would only forgive people ‘who deserve it’

MANILA, Philippines – Months after confirming her split with Daniel Padilla, Kathryn Bernardo opened up for the first time about her journey moving on.

In an exclusive interview with Mega magazine published on Monday, April 1, where she served as the issue’s cover girl, Kathryn admitted that while there were days harder than others, she’s now in a better position in her life.

“Now, where I am is exactly where I’m supposed to be. February for me is the new January. Parang ’yon ’yong tapos na (That’s when it was done). I know that I’m okay. I can say I’m healed,” she said.

Kathryn and Daniel confirmed on November 30, 2023, that they had ended their 11-year romance through separate Instagram posts. “We’ve been drifting apart for a while now, and we ultimately had to accept that we can’t go back to where we used to be,” the actress had said then.

In her Mega interview, Kathryn looked back on juggling her work commitments while nursing a breakup.

“You have to experience all the process, all the pain, lahat (everything). But I always make sure that when it comes to my work, nothing is affected,” she said.

The actress continued that she didn’t want to be perceived as a “victim” or have others “feel bad for [her] because [the breakup] happened.”

She said that being able to focus on the blessings she’s receiving, the people who stayed with her, and keeping herself busy have become her coping mechanisms to heal.

The actress also underscored how keeping her distance was her way of “protecting [her] peace,” adding that she would only forgive people who “deserve it.”

“When I forgive you, it doesn’t mean that I have to keep you in my life. I forgive you for my peace of mind, for clarity, and for everything. But it doesn’t mean na puwede kang bumalik (that you can come back),” she said. “Kunwari (Hypothetically), I got hurt, why would I allow you to come back?”

At the time of their split, Kathryn shared that she was “well aware of the rumors and speculations going around” their relationship, but assured fans that their “love story began with respect and ended with respect.”

However, in January 2024, eagle-eyed netizens noticed that she unfollowed her ex-boyfriend on Instagram, prompting speculations that all was not well between the two.

Kathryn and Daniel first worked together in the youth-oriented series Growing Up in 2011. Since then, the two have been on multiple blockbuster projects, including She’s Dating the Gangster, The Hows of Us, and 2 Good 2 Be True, among others.