How Dina Bonnevie Turned Pain and Rejection Into Strength After Vic Sotto Split
DINA BONNEVIE – Years after her highly publicized split from Vic Sotto, Dina Bonnevie has opened up about the heartbreak, rejection, and struggles that tested her confidence.
Dina Bonnevie has opened up about one of the most painful chapters of her life, recalling how she found the strength to move forward after the end of her marriage.
Although Dina did not directly mention her former husband’s name, her story clearly referred to her marriage to Vic Sotto. The couple tied the knot in 1982 and had two children, Danica and Oyo Sotto, before separating in 1986.
In her YouTube vlog on August 21, 2026, Dina talked about experiencing rejection and heartbreak.
“I’ve been through a lot of rejections, ayan, kapag sa love life, ayan…”
She continued, “Yung talagang mga masasakit na heartbreak na kulang na lang gusto mo nang tumalon sa bintana,” describing just how painful those experiences were.
Dina recalled the moment she finally decided that she had endured enough and needed to leave the relationship.
“In my experience, masakit man sabihin, pero when I decided na, ‘No, I’m not going to take this sitting down. Ayoko na. Aalis na ako, maghihiwalay na kami,’ kasi, kumbaga, ilang beses mo nang tinry, tinry, tinry pero wala talaga.”
The failed marriage also affected her confidence. She questioned herself and wondered what she had done wrong.
“It was painful, it was a big blow on me. ‘Tapos, siyempre, yung self-confidence ko parang, ‘Saan ako mali? Pangit ba ako? Tanga ba ako? Hindi ba ako maganda? Hindi ba ako masarap magluto? Bakit?’”
However, Dina refused to let rejection destroy her. Instead, she used the painful experience as motivation to become stronger and more determined.
“But then, dahil din doon mas nagiging matatag ako, naging stronger person ako, naging mapagpursige ako.”
She also said the experience taught her to rely on her faith.
“Aside from depending on myself, I learned to count on God. Para bang, ‘God, you know the design for my life. You know what you have planned for me…’”
As a single mother raising two young children at the time, Dina chose to continue pursuing her goals rather than surrendering to despair.
“Parang I’m not going to stop there. Di porke’t single parent ako, meron akong dalawang maliliit na bata, e, parang this is the end of me. No, tuloy pa rin ako.”
She eventually focused on her talents, skills, and career, believing these could help her rebuild her life.
“So, nag-bloom naman yung career ko.”
Dina also shared an important lesson about rejection, emphasizing that being rejected should never become a person’s identity.
“But a rejection does not define you. It’s an event. It happened. You were rejected.”
For Dina, acceptance is the first step toward healing. She explained that people must acknowledge what happened instead of continuously denying the pain.
“That, yes, I was rejected, but that’s okay, I’ll move on.”
She encouraged people facing heartbreak to believe that a closed door could mean something better is waiting.
“Maybe I’m cut out for something better, or a different line, and not this one.”
Dina later found love again with former Ilocos Sur representative Deogracias Victor “DV” Savellano. They married on March 28, 2012. Savellano passed away in January 2025 at the age of 65.
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