JOBELLE SALVADOR is back

Jobelle Salvador, the daughter of Leroy Salvador is back to the Philippines after living in Japan for a decade and tried life in the United States. She has an eight-year-old daughter with a former live-in partner.

Here is the news:

Actress Jobelle Salvador, who has lived in Japan for a decade, says she is beginning “a new chapter” of her life here in the Philippines.

One of the stars in the iconic ’80s youth film “Bagets,” Jobelle became a Filipino icon in the Land of the Rising Sun as well. She did five Japanese movies, had a vibrant singing career, and was appointed ambassador of goodwill thrice by the Philippine Tourism Board.

She writes a newspaper column, “Buhay Japan,” which comes out twice a month in the Filipino-language Pinoy Gazette.

Jobelle is also a human rights advocate — having founded the Womb Foundation, which provides aid to Filipino women abused by their Japanese partners or employers.

In Japan, Jobelle owns a home in the upscale Roponggi Hills, drives a Mercedes Benz and has sent Julynna, her 8-year-old daughter with a Japanese businessman, to a good school.

She has a son with actor Robin Padilla named Mico, 19, who now lives in the United States.

Jobelle runs Aqtv8.com, (formerly JLS International) an events and promotions company.

“I had a good life in Japan [but] I was often lonely,” says Jobelle. “I broke up with Julynna’s father three years ago, and decided that a change of environment will be good for us.”

Jobelle will be part of a new ABS-CBN drama series “Habang May Buhay,” starring Judy Ann Santos.

How are your kids coping with the change?

Mico has moved back to Las Vegas with my mom. I told him he can always come and visit us. Julynna likes it here because she has playmates. But it’s sad that she had an asthma attack that was so severe that she was hospitalized for three days.

Actually, my homecoming was done in a rush so I can start taping for “Habang May Buhay.” I still haven’t finished packing all our stuff. My plan was to have our house in Ropponggi rented out. I’d probably work on that sometime in March.

Was breaking up with Julynna’s dad the toughest decision you had to make?

Yes. While he had always been a good provider, he never had time for us. We were never married. I decided to call it quits with him in December 2005. First I went to Vegas. I wanted to have a fresh start so I bought two houses there, put up a company and produced a show. But he asked me to go back to Japan. When I did, he handed me our separation papers. Pinaghandaan na pala ako. That’s when our break-up became final.

How are you coping now?

I’m okay. The separation didn’t really hurt me. I only got depressed when he filed a court case. There he said things about me that weren’t true. He made up so many stories. I almost wanted to give up, but my friends advised me to continue with the fight for my daughter.

How did you survive this low point in your life?

I prayed a lot. I knew God would take care of me. When Julynna’s dad left us, it was hard only because I sort of got used to being with him for eight years. I was used to our lifestyle. But very few things have changed. I’m still able to pay for all my bills. Ang nagbago lang, wala na akong papa. (Laughs)