Jenny Syquia and daughter Filippa Babes Syquia Skarne on how to navigate the calm and quiet of Stockholm

Then came the impasse. “But life shifted,” she says directly. “I went through a divorce, and suddenly, everything I thought was certain had to be redefined. I hit a giant bump on the road—one that made me stop, reassess and do a lot of soul-searching about what truly matters.”

This period of redefinition has led her to a new, more resilient definition of home. It is no longer a geographical point, but an emotional state of being. “It’s not a fixed place anymore. It’s a feeling,” she explains. “It’s where there’s love—not just love that you give, but love that’s returned. I’ve learnt that no matter how much you love someone, if that love isn’t mutual, that isn’t home. Everyone deserves to feel safe, loved, respected and seen—and that’s what home is to me now.”

The anchors in this new chapter are, as they have always been, her two daughters, Cloie and Filippa Babes. “Home is where my heart is”, she says, “and my heart will always be with my children.” 

As a mother, Syquia has watched them forge their own distinct paths, balancing their dual heritage with impressive poise. The eldest, Cloie, has gracefully stepped into the public eye about a decade ago, a move that awed her mother. “I was really extremely surprised when she told me she wanted to compete in beauty pageants because she’d always been quite shy,” Syquia admits.

But Cloie, who won Miss Earth Sweden in 2016, proved to be a natural. “She stepped into the public eye with grace,” her mother says proudly, recounting how Cloie nailed a live singing and dancing performance on ASAP with her half-sister KC Concepcion, and a guest-hosting spot on It’s Showtime with celebrities Anne Curtis and Vice Ganda. The core advice she gave her daughter? “Stay true to yourself. The industry can be dazzling, but also  disorienting, and you always have to remember who you really are.” Ten years later, Cloie is now enjoying her quiet life.

Her younger daughter, Filippa Babes, carves a different, more private path. “Filippa is creative, artistic and sporty,” Syquia shares. A dedicated footballer, Filippa and her team competed in the Gothia World Youth Cup, securing a silver medal one year and tying for gold in another. They also won gold at Asia’s largest youth cup in Singapore. Her creative talents are equally formidable. “She had her first art gallery show when she was only eight years old!” Syquia says. “She’s amazing with pottery.” Her art teacher noted her precision and talent were beyond her years, a gift that has inspired Filippa’s ambition to become a professional makeup artist and launch her own brand.

Raising them, it has  “always been important to me that they know both cultures”. This meant a home filled with food, stories, values, and visits to the Philippines as often as they could. The blend is tangible in their family traditions: they are “excellent and avid Pusoy Dos [card game] players”, and chicken adobo is a lifelong staple. A perfect family day, Syquia notes, involves a big brunch of her French Toast Casserole, followed by music and singing. “We’ve pulled out the song books or pulled up music on an iPad and played the piano and sung together.” 

This familial blend of Filipino warmth and Swedish balance is a microcosm of the larger cultural duality Syquia has navigated for decades. She writes of her life stretching between “two archipelagos”—the Philippines’ 7,641 islands and Sweden’s world-record 267,570.

The differences are stark. The Philippines, she notes, “pulses with over 110 million people”, where “extended family is everything and faith runs deep”. Sweden, by contrast, has a population of just ten million (fewer than Metro Manila) and is one of the least religious societies on earth. In Sweden, “the state replaces a lot of what the family provides in terms of finances”, she says.

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Even the light is different. The Philippines, near the equator, has a stable rhythm of day and night. Sweden is a land of extremes, from the Midnight Sun (when the sun does not set for nearly 50 days in summer) to the Polar Night (when it never rises for 20 days in winter). Syquia theorises that these long, dark winters shaped the Swedish psyche, fostering a mutual dependence and a consensus-based society built on trust. This collective spirit, she believes, is the foundation for Sweden’s quiet but profound global impact, from Volvo giving away the three-point seatbelt patent to save lives to the democratic designs of IKEA and the international access of Spotify.

It is this life—this journey of extremes, of blended cultures and of unexpected bumps in the road—that informs Syquia’s most personal venture yet: her jewellery line, TRIT. The name itself is the theme: “It stands for ‘The Road I’ve Traveled, ‘” she says. “Every piece is about your journey.”

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The brand’s origin is as personal as its name. “After giving birth to my younger daughter, Babes, I wanted to have something that would commemorate that moment,” she recalls. “I thought, instead of buying a ready-made ring with a random number of diamonds... what if the diamonds actually symbolised the date of her birthday [December 19]?” That idea became her first ring: 12 diamonds on one side, 19 on the other. She designed another for Cloie (August 17). She wore them for herself, but the concept resonated. “That’s how TRIT was born.”

And now, the road seems to be leading back to the Philippines. Syquia is genuinely considering a move back to Manila, spending months at a time reconnecting with old friends and exploring neighbourhoods. “There’s so much I love about the Philippines, and Manila is booming right now,” she says. “There’s a vibrant creative energy here that makes me want to be a part of.”

It is a decision she weighs with her characteristic balance. She knew she would miss the quietness of Sweden, walking in the forest with her dog–a collie/labradoodle mix, five-year-old Arne Skarne–twice a day, and the “no traffic, no chaos”. 

But the pull of Manila is strong. Her plan, should she return, is simple: “All of the above!” She intends to grow TRIT in Asia, be near family, and perhaps return to her public life. “I’ve been talking with people about different show biz projects,” she reveals. “If the right project comes along, I would absolutely consider returning to the screen. I’ve never closed the door on that part of my life, and I’ve missed it!”

It is the perfect next step for a woman who has learnt to hold two opposing truths at once. As she herself writes, her two archipelagos may be “opposites in many ways—one loud, one quiet; one tropical, one semi-arctic; one spiritual, the other secular”, but she has realised that beneath these differences, they share something greater in common. “Both nations understand the need for connection and know that survival depends on others. Both strive for a better future... sharing a vision of what truly matters: community.”

For Syquia, the road ahead is one of reconnecting with her own.

What to see

Gamla Stan (Old Town)

The must-see heart of medieval Stockholm, Gamla Stan is all cobblestones, pastel townhouses, and winding alleyways. Here you will find the Royal Palace, the Storkyrkan Cathedral, and countless small cafés and shops to tuck into. It is the perfect place to wander, linger, and soak in Stockholm’s history. 

Vasa Museum

Galärvarvsvägen 14 

It houses a remarkable 17th-century warship that sank on its maiden voyage in 1628. Raised from the sea after more than 300 years, the ship is miraculously almost entirely intact. 

Kungliga Operan (Royal Swedish Opera)

Gustav Adolfs Torg 2 

It stages world-class opera, ballet, and concerts year-round. In December and January, the highlights include the New Year’s Concert with the Royal Swedish Orchestra and dancers, and Swan Lake, which runs until late January. 

ABBA The Museum

Djurgårdsvägen 68 

It is an immersive celebration of Sweden’s most famous pop group. Visitors can step on stage with hologram band members, remix songs, and try on replicas of glittering costumes. Mamma mia, here we go again! 

Skansen

Djurgårdsslätten 49–51 

Founded in 1891, Skansen is the world’s first open-air museum. Farmhouses, workshops and manors recreate centuries of Swedish life, staffed by interactive costumed guides who may be blowing glass, or weaving fishing wire or baking flatbread. 

Nationalmuseum

Södra Blasieholmshamnen 2 

The Nationalmuseum galleries range from Old Masters like Rembrandt and Rubens to the great Swedish painters Carl Larsson and Anders Zorn. Decorative arts and applied design highlight the country’s long tradition of innovation. The building itself, restored after a five-year renovation, is a work of art in its own right. 

Hallwylska Museet

Hamngatan 4

It is a perfectly preserved aristocratic townhouse from the early 20th century. Once home to Countess Wilhelmina von Hallwyl, it was left exactly as it stood. Inside are opulent salons, rare antiques, and curiosities gathered from around the world. 

Moderna Museet

Exercisplan 4, Skeppsholmen 

Stockholm’s temple of modern and contemporary art features a collection that includes works by Picasso, Dalí, Warhol, and Duchamp alongside Nordic masters and daring contemporary voices. Its light-filled building, designed by Rafael Moneo, is as inspiring as the art inside. 

Drottningholm Palace

Drottningholm 

The private residence of the Swedish Royal Family and a Unesco World Heritage site, it is a French-inspired baroque garden that is among the finest in Europe. The best way to arrive is by boat, a scenic 45-minute cruise across Lake Mälaren. Want to explore the archipelago on your own? Delta Powerboats are the ideal way to see the beautiful city and outlying islands at your own pace.  

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