(Photo courtesy of Cornerstone Entertainment)
For the first time in over two years, media personality Kris Aquino made a rare public appearance, attending the PeopleAsia’s People of the Year 2025 event on February 25, 2025. She was there to support her close friend, renowned Filipino fashion designer Michael Leyva, one of the honorees.
Her youngest son, Bimby, accompanied Aquino. This marks her first public engagement since 2022 when she left for the United States to undergo treatment and extensive medical testing for her autoimmune disease.
Speaking briefly to the press, Aquino admitted that she had not realized her reemergence coincided with the 39th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution. This historic movement in 1986 led to the ousting of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and the rise to power of Aquino’s mother, the late President Corazon Aquino.
“I thought today was the 24th and the 25th was tomorrow,” Aquino shared. “Michael told me last night, ‘What are you talking about? Tomorrow is [the anniversary of] EDSA People Power.’ So I said, ‘Perfect! This is the perfect time to come out.’”
Health update: ‘Not so okay’
Despite her appearance, Aquino revealed that she was not feeling well and arrived late due to difficulty waking up. “They had trouble waking me up because I started a new medication last night. I’m not so okay. I feel dizzy right now,” she admitted.
On February 22, Aquino addressed speculations about her possible return to television, clarifying that she is still unfit to work due to her severely low weight—just 37 kilograms (82 pounds). “I haven’t posted much because I don’t want those praying for me to feel sad or lose faith,” she explained. “I’m not yet ‘fit to work’ because I’m very underweight.”
Battling multiple illnesses
Aquino also disclosed a new addition to her growing list of health concerns: Fibromyalgia, a chronic disorder characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. This brings the total number of diagnosed conditions she is battling to seven.
Previously, she had shared her diagnoses, which include:
- Autoimmune Thyroiditis
- Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria
- Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (EGPA), a rare and life-threatening form of vasculitis
- Systemic Sclerosis
- Lupus (SLE)
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
Aquino also mentioned she is showing symptoms of two more possible conditions: Polymyositis and Mixed Connective Tissue Disease.
Due to her complex medical situation, she is unable to take NSAIDs, steroids, pain relievers, antibiotics, or undergo Immunoglobulin Therapy, making her treatment incredibly challenging. “Many times, the physical pain is overwhelming,” she confessed.
Status: Single and focused on recovery
In the same post, Aquino confirmed that she is currently single. Despite her struggles, she remains determined to fight for her health and hopes to improve enough to regain stability in both her weight and overall well-being.
Her appearance at PeopleAsia’s People of the Year 2025 was a poignant reminder of her resilience and the unwavering support she continues to receive from her loved ones and the public.