Tatler and Tiffany & Co. recognizes Antoinette Taus' story this International Women's Month

Antoinette Taus rose to prominence as an actress in the early 2000s, most notably under the GMA network. However, things abruptly changed when her mother passed away from cancer in 2004. “It was sudden,” she says solemnly. “It happened right before our eyes, and it was one of the most painful things I’d ever experienced. She was my best friend, my idol. I wanted to be just like her.”

Though she did not realise it until much later, Taus struggled with depression thereafter. “I would wake up and think to myself, ‘what’s the point?’. I was surrounded by people I loved, I was still succeeding in my craft. But the emptiness of losing her made me question my whole existence.”

Initially a whim, and by her own words, a “divine message,” Taus started volunteering. It was simple: repack food and gifts and redistribute them to communities in need. “I never realised that helping others would help heal my own wounds,” she remarks. Not wanting this to remain a one-off event, she began to hold these missions consistently, until she founded the nonprofit organisation Communities Organized for Resource Allocation (CORA) in 2016—which she aptly named after her late mother. Taus would later become a United Nations Environment Programme Goodwill Ambassador, as well as supporting Greenpeace and Oxfam Philippines, further expanding the scope of her volunteerism.

Taus originally stepped back from showbusiness as she continued to quietly focus on working with these organisations, especially with CORA. But it was precisely her work with the entertainment industry, with all the communication and connections involved, that further empowered her to support the causes she was so deeply passionate about.

“I hope that the projects, the communities we've been able to reach now, the trees we've planted, the trash that we've picked and the youth that we've helped support, to educate, to train, to empower—I hope all that continues. If that can continue, then at least [I] can hopefully rest thinking that I lived a life that was worth it.”

Taus gravitates toward classic, clean and neutral fabrics, often those produced locally. “I feel like fashion is a statement of what you truly stand for,” she explains, “It's not just necessarily about the brand, it's about the person that designed it. If you're going to buy something, make sure it 's not just about what it looks like, but it also represents the values you believe in.”

Taus reflects, “We should never underestimate the path that is given to us, because even if we want to change directions or navigate [elsewhere], everything is part of strengthening a journey you think is new, but it’s not—it was part of the plan all along.” 

“I feel what’s held women back for centuries is that there are stereotypes as to what we can and can’t do, how we should behave,” she adds. “I feel the essence of being a powerful woman is being free to speak, to lead, to dress and to exist.” Originally published on TatlerAsia.com written by Tobias Jared Tomas

Credits

Photography: Shaira Luna

Creative Direction: Bianca Simeon

Production: Dowee Untivero and James Mayo

Make-Up: Johnson Estrella and Pia Reyes

Hair: Moriel Flores and Rudolf Davalos

Styling: MJ Benitez

Jewellery: Tiffany & Co.

Location: ACM Studio Makati