When it comes to life, there's no perfect timeline. A delayed path doesn't make anyone less, and Eugene Domingo is living proof of that. She spent eight years in college, yet she went on to become one of the most distinguished actresses in Philippine entertainment, delivering performances that cemented her place in show business.
Recently, Eugene—also known as Uge—finally launched her highly anticipated YouTube vlog. For her first episode, she took on the "most searched" and "most requested" questions from fans, revealing personal details, including the story behind her eight year college journey.
"Kung meron akong mga desisyon sa buhay na never kong pinagsisihan is yung tinapos ko yung education ko. I spent eight years [I think] in college," she shared. A true master of her craft, Eugene earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts from the University of the Philippines Diliman. The course, a four-year program under the Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts, took her longer to finish—but for good reason.
"Yes, nag-overstay ako. Ang sarap sa University, yeah! I also spent one year in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Mahilig talaga ako sa State University," she added.
Eugene explained that she preferred state universities because she was mindful of expenses. She didn't have the financial means for costly tuition, so UP became her best option. "Gusto ko lang talagang makatapos ng kolehiyo na may diploma," she emphasized.
Eugene Domingo Spent Eight Years In UP Diliman
Theater was where it all started and in an interview with Boy Abunda, Eugene revealed that her first on-camera acting experience was in 1994 and it was a project by the UP Film Center. But beyond acting, she also worked behind the scenes. She apprenticed as a production staff member under Dulaang UP, the university’s theater company.
In the same interview, Eugene reminisced about one of her most unforgettable moments in college—one that hinted at her future in the industry. It was late Tony Mabesa, her professor at UP, who first saw the potential in her while she was still a student.
"I was his student in Speech Communication 3, and I read a poem. All my classmates read profound poems, while I chose to read ‘The Owl and The Pussycat.’ So, my classmates were all laughing, and then after I read the poem, he was quiet," Eugene recalled.
"He was just looking, and he faced the class and said, 'You know, you are going to be famous. One day, she's going to be famous.' I didn't understand why he said that. Years went by, and then I became a movie star—a celebrity," she added.
And true enough, Tony's words turned into reality. Eugene went on to collect numerous awards for her performances. She won the FAMAS "Best Supporting Actress award" in 2011 and bagged multiple Best Actress titles, including at Cinemalaya (2011) and the "10th Gawad Tanglaw for Films" (2012).
Her exceptional performance in The Woman in the Septic Tank also earned her the "People’s Choice Award for Best Actress" at the 6th Asian Film Awards (2012) in Hong Kong.
