Cita Astals Needs Help!

Showbiz 35 Comments

Articulate.
Outspoken.
Smart.
That was how I thought of Cita Astals.

To the younger generation, Cita was a good comedienne back in the 90’s. She played Dolphy’s lady boss in his top-rating sitcom, Home Along Da Riles. Cita endorsed a brand of cough syrup, too. Benadryl, if my memory serves me right.

She ran as Manila councilor in the late 90’s (?) and won. Oh, I remember her feud with then co-councilor Ishko Moreno. Ishko was a total nobody then in the field of politics. Fast-forward to several years later, he became a lawyer and a vice-mayor!

Cita was probably not one of the best councilors in Manila but in her heart, she knew it was her calling. What caused her depression from losing the 2007 election was probably due to severe emotional stress. Money could play second factor. Drugs? I don’t think so unless somebody would tell me that she was hooked on it.

Wish Ko Lang host Vicky Morales mentioned that Cita lives alone; her electric supply was cut by the electric company because she could no longer afford to pay her bills. I wonder how a woman so friendly and warm would not even have a partner with her. Maybe a good partner with her would mean a lot; there would be somebody with her to cry and laugh.

It’s good to see Claudine Baretto, Nova Villa and Lou Veloso showing concern over their former colleague. I just hope that their concern is for real; not a gimmick or plain publicity. Or I just hope that their concern is continuous because it’s pretty hard to always understand a person in Cita’s position who obviously needs psychiatric help.

Cita’s case is a good reminder that even strong people need emotional support from family and friends. She needs help. She needs love. She needs support.

Update: December 30, 2014 at the Philippine Arena
I’m happy to see Cita Astals in better shape now. She’s one of the hosts of today’s event at the Philippine Arena. She’s back to her old wacky and smart self. Wait, do I hear it right that she will have a TV program at Net25?

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35 thoughts on “Cita Astals Needs Help!”

  1. Thank you for writing such nice things about my sister. You are right, she needs love. Our biggest source of love is God. I am praying that this event in her life will bring her closer to Him. I know everythng will turn out right because I’m turning the whole thing over to the Lord. Only He sees into the hearts of His creatures…we only see whats on the outside, and sometimes we judge without knowing why people do certain things. I don’t think she is into drugs. She has had a lot of pain in her life, but when you are in the public eye, you have to hide your emotional distress, with smiles. Anyway, I am here for her, and we her family although all in the States send her our love. Again thanks for your support, and God bless you all….Fatima Pls. keep her in your prayers.

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    • Hi Fatima,

      I know that in time, Cita will be healed. I am very positive about it. Let’s look forward to that day.

      And yes, she needs our prayers.

      God bless you and your family!

      ~Iris

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  2. Hi Iris, thank you for your kind words. I have been in touch with my sister Cita. She is fine, nothing wrong with her, thank God. She is as smart as ever. Cita, as well as her entire family declined the plans of Wish-ko-lang to put her in an institution. We know there is nothing psychotic about her. We don’t understand how anyone can make that diagnosis within 2 minutes of her interview. We are upset how they have handled it in a sneaky way. my sister had no idea what they were up to. She thought it had something to do with the other councilors and their campaign. I made it very clear to the producer of the show, Mildred, that we are not giving them permission to confine her in any institution. I have even called them several times, and e-mailed them. They just don’t have any LEGAL rights over her. I also asked them to retrieve the public false diagnosis, because aside from not being true, it is also detrimental to her reputation. Thank you for all your prayers, and support. God bless…Fatima

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    • Hi Fatima,

      Oh my! I hope that Wish Ko Lang’s concern over Cita is for real and not some sort of a publicity. Aside from Wish Ko Lang, Showbiz Central took an interest on Cita’s story,too. It was aired last March 21. I’d like to give these shows the benefit of the doubt though.

      Yes, what the psychiatrist said on TV was probably her initial diagnosis of Cita’s mental health. I missed that part of the show—Did the psychiatrist advise Wish Ko Lang to confine Cita? Having her confined in a mental institution requires the consent of her close relatives, you are correct in saying that they have NO legal rights over her.

      ~Iris

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    • I was able to watched an episode of Wish ko Lang in Youtube featuring the
      case of Cita Astals. I am not psychiatrist but based on what I’ve
      seen/heard from that episode, I strongly believe that she needs a
      professional help. Trust me she needed one. I am a first hand witness to
      such same case, someone very close to me, and it’s distressing and also
      scary. You don’t want this to get serious/grave as it may lead to a more
      severe, destructive and even fatal situation. Based on what I’ve seen I
      don’t think she needs to be confined in an institution. It looks like she’s
      still functioning well athough not 100%. The good news actually is that her
      case can be treated and it looks like it will not require her to undergo
      such treatment for a long time (that’s just my opinion). Here in the US
      there are a lot of safe drugs that treats such kind of disorder. From what
      I know, the main cause of this is the unbalanced chemical in one’s brain.
      This unbalanced in chemical makes the person hallucinates or thinks not in
      a normal way. And the medicines will take care of this with very minimal or
      no side effects at all.

      I know it is difficult for close friends and relatives that one of our
      loved one is suffering on this type of disoder because of the stigma that
      it brings. Some people still finds it hard to accept it specially us,
      Filipinos. Belived me, I even cried a bucket when I learned that my loved
      one was suffreing from such disorder. It’s hard for me to accept knowing
      that we have 2 little kids. But this disorder is not uncommon at all. A lot
      of people undergo this illnes in one way or another. But again, it can now
      be treated. And you will be amazed of the result of the treatment after
      only a few days of treatment.

      Again, I don’t think she needs to be confined to an institution but
      somebody has to convinced her that she should she a professional and follow
      her directives in treating her, like taking medicine. Don’t be surprise if
      she fights this and deny that something is wrong on her, but this is one of
      the early symptoms of this disorder. Somebody, preferably someone that she
      can trust, has to convince her that something is not right she should a
      doctor and help her.

      Please allow her to undergo treatment. I’m afraid that if her case gets
      severe, she will take it against anybody, even the peron that she trusted
      most.

      You can read more about this case by clicking the following link:

      http://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/guide/mental-health-schizophrenia

      http://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/tc/when-to-call-a-doctor-schizophrenia

      Remember, an ounce of prevention is always better than a pound of cure!

      Take care and God bless!

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      • Hi may i just know the doctor & hospital who helped & treat cita because i have love one who suffered with the same scenario,

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  3. I don’t believe this. You think your “keeping in touch” thingy is enough?! She doesn’t need an insitution, she needs a FAMILY instead!!!

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    • Hi Aslie,

      I wonder if you are one of her friends from the political world. If yes, Wish Ko Lang flashed Councilor Josie Siscar’s mobile number. Unfortunately, I was not able to write it down. =(

      ~Iris

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  5. Thanks Gerry for your useful info. Pls. keep her and our family in your prayers. Jesus is the great physician and He is the first one I approach when there is a problem. God bless…Fatima Astals

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  6. I found this website STIR.com wherein the EIC wrote an update about Ms. Cita Astals.

    http://www.stir.ph/LM/articles~level2/id-1278912006159_4/ai-null/Whats_eating_up_Cita_Astals.html

    This was posted July 2010. I guess it is also the last update one could read online about her, since her story was aired on WKL. Actually I wasn’t able to watch that episode I was only able to hear the story from one of my duty mates in the hospital. Yes, Gerry was right, me too I’m not a psychiatrist but I had a chance to attend a 10 month class in Psychiatric Nursing, and in my observation, she really needs medical attention. Not that it is already severe, fortunately, what she has is just a mild one, she wasn’t able to solve the crisis she went through and it took a toll on her. Anyway, I’ll include her in my prayers, for her full recovery.

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    • Hello. I’m one of Cita’s former colleagues. I worked with her long ago, at REP, and I remember so many great times with her, and stories recounted by her co-stars at the time.
      Fatima, I wonder if you’re the sister who once shared her room. She told me that when she was doing “Woman In Black,” her sister was afraid to look at her while she slept, because she afraid Cita might metamorphose into that title character.
      Cita was a very strong, articulate person. And aside from Monique Wilson (who’d already left for “Miss Saigon” at the time), Cita was my idol. I even remember when I first met her…she was seated at the piano at the main rehearsal studio in Land Bank, working out her song for “Grease”, “It’s Raining on Prom Night.” We introduced ourselves, and I sat beside her, as she worked, so thrilled I was seated beside, and was actually going to work with someone I saw as The Great Cita Astals.
      When I saw a clip of her online, the way she is now…she’s SUCH a far cry from the way she used to be. She has a wild look in her eyes, and she’s talking about ‘transmissions’ she supposedly gets, and said that when she seems to be talking to herself, she’s actually talking to somebody.
      I’m sorry, but I know someone who’s a paranoid schizophrenic, and I’ve also spent time with people with mental illness, and based on the similarities between them and Cita, I believe Cita DOES need professional help.
      If her family is refusing to admit this, possibly out of shame, because of the stigma mental illness, I entreat you to put the well-being of Cita above this.
      And I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be disrespectful, or inflammatory, but how can you say you are there for her, when Cita’s house is already in disarray, with no electricity, and presumably no water, and she’s walking around, looking unkempt/unwashed. Someone who saw her said she looked dirty, and she even sported long armpit hairs, visible through the arm holes of her tank top/sando.
      This is NOT the Cita I remember–stylish & glamorous, and certainly clean and well-groomed.
      Please do something for her. Now I’ve heard a rumor she’s in jail for vagrancy.
      I’ve not been able to verify this. Whether or not she is in jail, I wish I could, at the very least visit her, and maybe treat her to a nice meal, and some kindness, whether or not she may even remember me.
      She was my idol, and my colleague, I do feel for her plight.
      Please, you, her relatives, are the ones who have the power to help her.

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    • when ive heard this i cant just believed it. but on my way home from work i was sobbing and hoping that i will see her when i get home to take care of her.
      i was a domestic helper of cita long time ago in the 90s and even until now shes always in my lips bcoz i loved her like my own sister. for me she is a real person with pure heart. i am so sorry of what s going on about her but i will pray everyday for her recovery. how i wish i will see her as soon as i get home to mla.hoping that she s kind to remember me still. never that i thought that she had gone far to this because shes smart and strong

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      • Nelia, there is always hope. Hers is not a hopeless situation. People like you who love her still is what she needs for her fast recovery. Moral and emotional support is what Cita needs from us.

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  8. Hi Geraldine, thanks for your concern. I am planning to go to Manila, God willing. In the meantime, I am working on some issues regarding my sister Carmencita. Pls. keep us in your prayers….God bless…Fatima

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  11. Hi Iris, thanks for all your nice comments about my sister Cita. Thank God she is fine, and doing well. There will be an update interview on her soon. I wish everyone was as kind as you…unfortunately, it is not the case. My sister helped so many people in need during her councilor years, but it seems that people quickly forget the good things that she has done, and focus on the negative. Whatever happened to my sister is something that is human….we all have emotions, and suffer pain when distressed. It seems like in some countries when people recover, the majority rejoices, and don’t dwell on the past. I hope this is the case in the country that she loves, and has given so much of herself. If only everyone knew what she had to give up to serve the public, they would realize that their conduct towards her is not very Christian. My sister deserves better, and I know in time she will have her reward. God bless, and thanks for your prayers…fatima

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    • hi… fatima… totoo bang sa metro psyc facility mo siya pina rehab?
      gusto lang po namin ma laman… kasi walang sinasabi kong saang rehab siya pina lagay… pero nakita namin siya last sa metro psyc….
      Reply

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  12. hi… fatima… totoo bang sa metro psyc facility mo siya pina rehab?
    gusto lang po namin ma laman… kasi walang sinasabi kong saang rehab siya pina lagay… pero nakita namin siya last sa metro psyc….

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  13. Hi Mel, oo totoo sa metro psych ko na pina rehab ang kapatid ko, si Cita. They were very good to her, and kept her privacy like I had requested. She is Bipolar, and with a pill a day, she is back to normal. She is still as intelligent as ever, and you would not notice anything wrong with her in her conversations now. She had a lot of triggers, stress, anxiety, depression, poor nutrition, and lack of sleep. We are looking after her now, and pls. continue to pray for her well being. Thanks, and God bless….Fatima

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  14. Hi fatima, i like the story of your sister i never been her fan but i like her as babaeng walang balakang, and now i watched her story at the star confession i realized shes one of the strongest woman in this word.so i search her website. I hope to see her again on tv. Even i’m in vietnam im still fan of filipino channel.More blessing for her for having a good heart.

    Ezil

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  15. Hi Ezil, thanks for your comment…yeah Cita has a good heart. Pls continue to pray so that she may do whatever it is that God wills for her . Take care, Fatima

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  17. I am K of Qc I also experienced those things and i think if it’s not paranormal its from electric gadgets connected, that sensor communicate with the human brain,it records there deliver messages..

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    • Hi K, sorry to hear that you are experiencing a similar thing. My sister Cita is well now, thank God….it took an evaluation and diagnosting tests from a competent Doctor, who diagnosed her as being Bipolar. She was prescribed a pill a day, to help with the chemical imbalance, and it worked. She now is back to her normal self, and proving that she is totally functionable, and an asset to society again. You may want to see Dra. Ponio, she was the one who helped us. God bless…fatima Astals

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  18. hi ask ko lang po sana if saan po ba yun doctor at hospital na tumingin or gumamot kay ms. cita?thanks so much po

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