At the media conference for her contract signing with Viva Artist Agency, with the press, including LionhearTV, on September 23, new Viva artist Bea Binene recounted how she remained busy amid the pandemic.
Binene admitted that she was anxious when the pandemic started.
“‘Yung buhay pandemic, nako, siyempre mahirap. For sure, lahat tayo nahirapan, nanibago tayo di ba? But I still feel blessed dahil siyempre we’re privileged na maka-stay sa bahay kasama ‘yung family natin, na safe naman, na okay naman. Pero ‘yun nakakapanibago, nakakatakot, siyempre noong unang mga phase ng pandemic, nakakatakot, syempre hindi naman natin alam kung ano ‘yung mangyayari.”
However, she considered the pandemic a break from showbiz.
“I took it also as my time to have a break sa trabaho nga, kasi all through out nagwo-work tayo, so ‘yung pandemic parang ‘yun na ‘yung makapagpahinga ganyan.
“And nag-aral ako actually, noong mga first few months, puro tayo pahinga, Netflix, ganyan mga nanonood ng mga series, and then after that medyo nakarami na tayo ng K-Dramas. Nag-aral ako.”
She revealed that she also studied languages and took online courses from business schools.
“Nag-aral ako ng Korean, nag-aral ako ng Mandarin, tapos nag-online courses din ako sa Harvard Business School, sa Northwestern Kellogg, tsaka London Business School.
“So ‘yun, kahit papaano naging fruitful naman ‘yung ano natin, ‘yung pandemic–that time of the pandemic.”
As for her business, Binene disclosed that they had to close down her coffee shop in MegaMall but assured patrons that they would open a cafe in Nueva Ecija.
“And then, ‘yung business, ‘yun nga lang, ‘yung coffee shop ko po sa Mega Mall, siyempre ‘yung struggle din noong pandemya, so we’ve decided to close it down.
“Noong nag-close na ‘yung coffee shop namin sa Mega Mall, but I think it’s also a blessing in disguise kasi we we’re able to transfer it, as in ito, Cafe na siya na talaga siya, sa province ni Mama, sa Nueva Ecija. We will be opening very, very soon, so ‘yun ‘yung medyo pinagkaka-abalahan natin.”
Binene started her Kapuso journey in StarStruck Kids in 2004.
In 2021, rumors surfaced regarding her non-contract renewal with the Kapuso Network. However, Binene returns to the limelight under the Viva Artist Agency.