After facing difficult times in recent months, comedienne and actress Rufa Mae Quinto is stepping into a new chapter in show business: one that blends motherhood, self-discovery, and a renewed passion for performing.

In an interview with MJ Felipe on Are You G?, Rufa Mae opened up about reconnecting with her roots now that she is part of the Kapamilya show Your Face Sounds Familiar.

“Ngayon ko pa lang naa-absorb kasi hindi ko naman sila kasama. Kumbaga matagal na ako umalis. Bumabalik man ako, work lang ng commercial lang, na basta babalik ako ng Amerika. Mabilisan lang talaga,” she explained.

“Ngayon, dito na muna ang work kasi na-miss ko kayong lahat and siguro may meaning kaya nangyari ‘yung mga ganitong paraan,. Bagay na nangyari kasi may kailangan ako balikan kaya dapat masaya lang,” she added.

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For Rufa Mae, this comeback isn’t about chasing fame or proving herself again, but about choosing happiness for herself and her daughter, Athena.

“Ang mission ko talaga ay tumawa. Kahit malungkot ako ay nakakapagjoke pa ako. Kasi nga kapag ako na lang paggising ko, umiiyak na ako,” she admitted.

“Kapag pupunta ako sa work parang pagpupunta sa spa or may outing, ‘yung bakasyon kaya laging masaya. Ayaw ko umalis na malungkot lang. Lalo na ngayon na nangyari sa buhay ko, ayaw ko iyon ipa-feel sa anak ko. Kailangan masaya ako,” she stated.

Rufa Mae shared that her comeback feels different this time. For her, it’s not just about returning to the screen but about starting over with purpose and joy.

“Yung mga bagay na kaya hindi ako makasama-sama sa paglabas — very limited, kasi nga sa trabaho ko na lang binibigay ‘yung oras ko and syempre may pamilya na ako, may anak na rin ako. Nagfocus ako sa pagiging nanay,” she said.

As a mom, she’s just happy to see her child becoming more independent and adjusting to life now that they are both living together in the country after the death of her partner Trevor Magallanes.

“Ngayon, gusto na ni Athena maging independent na nasa school, naglalaro and nagswimming. Masaya ako na nagadjust siya rito sa Pilipinas pero syempre miss na miss ko siya parati. Ayon ‘yung mga bagay na naga-adjust pa lang ako,” she expressed.

As she embraces this new phase, Rufa Mae said she feels like she’s been given a “second chance” to sing, perform, and express herself freely again. With Your Face Sounds Familiar highlighting musical performances, Rufa Mae revealed that she dreams of recording her own Christmas song someday.

“After nito, dahil may anak na ako and feeling ko second chance ko na ulit para makakanta ako, para kapag Pasko makakanta ako. Sabi ko  baka may chance ako parang si Jose Mari Chan and Mariah Carey, so baka may chance ako humabol pero practice muna,” she laughingly said.

No longer pressured to prove herself, Rufa Mae now finds fulfillment in learning from the younger generation of artists she works with.

“Wala naman po ako gustong patunayan pero ang gusto ko rito na mae-excite ako pumasok, may ngiti ‘yung mga kasama ko na masaya sila. Baguhan sila so nakita ko ‘yung effort nila, kaya ito rin ‘yung gusto ko maging effort kahit matagal na ako sa industriya. Lahat nagawa ko na so gagawin ko na lang ulit,” she expressed.

As she restarts her journey in an industry she has called home for decades, Rufa Mae emphasized the importance of continuous learning, both as an artist and as a mother.

“Gusto ko ‘yung katrabaho ko mga bago and natututo ako sa inyong lahat kasi nga new generation, and pati na rin ‘yung anak ko na 8 years old so ano na ‘yung matuturo ko sa kaniya. Kailangan ko na rin maging techy and itong lahat ng ito kaya gagawin ko ulit ‘yung lahat (na kaya ko),” she remarked.

Watch the full episode of Rufa Mae’s interview on Are You G? with MJ Felipe here: