Maine Mendoza may have found herself famous overnight with the KalyeSerye craze, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t know how to deal with the fame — and even use her platform for the causes she believes in. On several instances, the actress-host has spoken up for what she believes is right, and here are some of those great moments:

She (gently) corrected someone about a child not being a parent’s retirement fund

In a recent episode of Eat Bulaga’s “Bawal Judgmental”, a 25-year-old female contestant was asked what she would like to say to her seven-year-old child Ace. “Ace, sana mag-aral ka nang mabuti dahil alam kong ikaw ‘yung makakaahon sa amin sa kahirapan. Ikaw ‘yung pursigido para gumanda ‘yung buhay natin,” the contestant said.

Maine tactfully corrected her, “Bata ka pa Incess, kayong mag-asawa. May pagkakataon pa para palakihin o pagandahin ang inyong buhay.”

Fellow host Ryan Agoncillo agreed with Maine, “Tuparin mo ‘yung pangarap mo Incess, ha?Para sa mga anak mo rin ‘yan.”

“Tsaka bata pa si Ace. Huwag nating ipasa sa kanya ang responsibilidad,” Maine added. Netizens praised the actress-host for shedding light on the rampant culture in the Philippines of making a child a parent’s “retirement plan.”

Teh ang bata mo pa. Magbanat ka ng buto nakakaloka ka. pic.twitter.com/WRL2ZxrCv6

— KM (@karlitsssssss) March 8, 2023

She called out Joey de Leon’s backwards thinking on depression

In a 2017 episode of Eat Bulaga’s “Juan For All, All For Juan,” host Joey de Leon trivialized depression while commenting on a Sugod Bahay winner’s experiences: “Yung depression gawa-gawa lang ng mga tao ‘yan.”

Main tactfully cut in to correct him, saying they should instead offer support for those experiencing depression: “Uy, pero hindi biro yun, ha, yung depression. Hindi siya joke. Kasi siyempre maraming nakakaranas nun lalo na sa mga kabataan. Kaya dapat kapag merong nakakaranas ng ganun, bigyan natin ng suporta.” Fellow host Alden Richards agreed with her.

Joey de Leon earned the ire of netizens for his comments, and he has issued a public apology afterwards.

Here are Joey De Leon’s disgusting and dangerous comments about depression on Eat Bulaga today + Maine Mendoza taking a stand. pic.twitter.com/jo6STsIcvs

— DryedMangoez (@dryedmangoez) October 5, 2017

She broke away from her love team

In November 2017, Maine published an open letter to her fans, calling out the people who excessively made demands of her and infringed on her privacy. In her blog, she wrote: “Pagmamay-ari ba nila buong pagkatao ko para diktahan ako sa halos lahat ng bagay? Bakit ganun? … Ganun ba dapat kapag mahal mo yung tao? Susubukan mong kontrolin ng naaayon sa kagustuhan mo? Dahil tingin mo yun yung tama? Dahil tingin mo doon siya liligaya?”

Through the same letter, she clarified that she and her then-on-screen partner Alden Richards are not romantically involved. “For all the love and efforts you have given us, you deserve to know the truth that at this very moment, Alden and I are just friends.”

I got myself, I will catch myself, and I will pick myself up pic.twitter.com/VoU5kFuReQ

— Maine Mendoza (@mainedcm) November 26, 2017

She spoke up against the ‘delusional’ AlDub fans

Five years after her open letter, Maine once again spoke up against “delusional” fans who believe that she and her former onscreen partner Alden Richards are in a secret relationship, even claiming they’re married with a child.

“I tried calling them out a couple of times already pero ayaw po talaga nilang maniwala. Yung iba kasi kapit na kapit sila na mag-asawa kami ni Alden, na may anak na kami,” Maine said in an interview with Ogie Diaz. “Umabot na rin po ako sa point na parang nakakapagod na mag-explain and I don’t think there’s something I can do para sa mga tao na ‘to so wala na kong magawa,”

Maine’s message to all the delusional fans who still believe she and Alden are married (which they are absolutely NOT). Please watch this, listen carefully and try to understand her every word.#MaineMendoza @mainedcm

Source https://t.co/YbELjcYaNE pic.twitter.com/v8nFRbsyzo

— 🔬 (@_cynicalrealist) November 3, 2022

She learned how to stay away from negativity

The actress-host frequently takes breaks from social media, sometimes even deactivating her accounts and mostly concentrating her posts on her Instagram account. In her 2017 book Yup, I am That Girl, Maine said that in dealing with haters, she has a favorite mantra: “Do not give a sh*t about what other people think.”

But she also owned up to her mistakes

In 2021, several netizens dug up tweets from her pre-showbiz days, which were deemed “problematic” and “offensive.” On the same day her old tweets went viral, the actress-host issued an apology for her “careless” tweets. Maine also added that over the years, she has “learned to be more careful with [her] thoughts and words.”

Through the years, I have learned to be more careful with my thoughts and words – and how it would affect the people around me. Hope you hear me out this time. Praying for everyone’s safety and sanity in these trying times. ♥️

— Maine Mendoza (@mainedcm) April 16, 2021

She advocates for women’s rights

In 2021, Maine worked with UN Women to advocate for women workers’ rights, especially women migrant workers, as a Babaeng BiyaHero Celebrity Champion.

Thanks for making Together Tayo #BabaengBiyahero event a success! You can visit the Safe and Fair Philippines Facebook page for more updates on programs, services and activities for our Pinay OFWs! Maraming salamat po! #SpotlightEndViolence #Maine4BabaengBiyahero pic.twitter.com/WLRhbIE8v0

— Maine Mendoza (@mainedcm) November 25, 2020

She calls for justice

In 2020, when police brutally murdered an unarmed mother and son in Tarlac province, Maine expressed her anger and frustration over the situation. “Bakit kailangan umabot doon? Hindi ko kaya, grabe, hindi ko alam kung ano ang mararamdaman ko,” she tweeted.

BAKIT KAILANGANG UMABOT DOON? Hindi ko kaya, grabe, Hindi ko alam kung ano ang mararamdaman ko pero pwede bang barilin ka nalang din sa harap ng anak mo? Sorry Lord pero sobra kasi yun eh. Sobra yung ginawa niya. Hustisya para sa mag-inang Gregorio. #STOPTHEKILLINGS

— Maine Mendoza (@mainedcm) December 20, 2020

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