How Viy Cortez Supports Cong TV: 'Kung Ako Pataas, Pataas Din Siya'

As the Smart Parenting cover stars this February 2024, the country's most sought-after YouTube content creators, Lincoln 'Cong TV' Velasquez and Viy Cortez, shared their secrets to being the Team Payaman 'pawer' couple that they are.

Almost nine years into their relationship and getting married soon, the couple believe that it's important for them to have individual goals and passions outside parenthood.

Cong TV, Viy Cortez share Team Payaman secrets to success

1. Don't lose yourself.

For Viy, she says that motherhood is a balancing act. Since giving birth to their son, Zeus Emmanuel or Kidlat, in 2022, she could no longer be the workaholic that she used to be.

"Kailangan mo kasing i-balance eh. May buhay ka rin na, maliban sa pagiging magulang," she said.

Aside from managing her businesses, Viy spends her spare time playing tennis. "Kasi, ang isang pinakamahalaga doon is, para maging role model ka rin sa anak mo. Kasi, kung ano yung mga ginagawa ng mga magulang niya, yan din yung mga ita-try niya eh. 'Uy, nag-te-tennis itong nanay ko.' O kung ano man. 'Ay, nagbabasketball itong tatay ko. Subukan ko rin kaya 'to.'"

Cong agrees with me, and shares, "May nabasa nga ako nung nakaraan eh. Hindi komo kasal na kayo or live-in na kayo, dapat hindi natatapos yung pagiging indibidwal niyo. Napaka-importante. Kumbaga, ikaw pa rin yan, ako pa rin 'to. Kumbaga, kailangan may kanya-kanya tayong pangangailangan eh. Although, iba yung tayong dalawa, iba yung ako, iba yung ikaw."

He maintains, "May mga kanya-kanya pa rin tayong trip hanggang ngayon. May mga trips si Viy na hindi ko trip, at may mga trip ako na hindi niya trip. Na, ayun, ganun talaga."

2. Help your partner reach their full potential.

What's good about their relationship, Cong and Viy say, is that even though they have become parents and their priorities changed, they should embrace their individuality and recognize their partner's hopes and dreams as well. 

Cong stressed that in a relationship, you have to help your partner reach their highest potential, "May sarili ka pa ring buhay sa gitna ng pamilyang ito." He explained, "Kasi dun tumitigil minsan yung growth. Yung parang pag puro pinipigilan mo ako or ikaw pipigilan kita sa mga gusto mo."

Viy added, "May growth pa rin. Sa sarili ko at sa'yo. Masa-stuck tayo nyan eh. Parehas tayo. Kasi kung ako pataas, tataas din siya, hanggang umabot na kami sa Mars."

3. Don't be afraid to try and try again.

Cong revealed what he thinks is Viy's strength that helped her become the successful lady boss she is today, "Wala siyang katakot-takot sumubok ng paulit-ulit. Kahit magkamali siya, susubukan niya ulit."

"Never siyang nag-ba-back down kahit na ilang beses siyang madapa," he said about his fiance who owns Viyline Cosmetics, among others.

"Yung apog niya gawin yung mga bagay na yun, talagang imba talaga."

Viy agrees that this is her secret to success, "Kasi nga, it's either you win or you learn, wow!"

4. Never stop learning.

"Ang sikreto ni Cong," Viy shares, "Hindi siya tumitigil matuto." With almost 12 millions subscribers on YouTube and multiple businesses too, Viy believes that Cong's hunger for learning is his best asset. 

"Talagang, kahit ako ha, para sa akin yung pagiging content creator niya, sobrang galing na niya 'di ba? Pero pupunta pa rin siya ng mga seminar. Hindi siya nagsasawang mag-aral. At saka pinagtutuunan niya ng oras yung ginagawa niya. Talagang quality. 'Yung sipag niya, dedication niya, talagang nandyan. Talagang binibigay niya yung puso niya dun. Hindi siya maglalabas [ng content] na, 'Okay na yan,' yun yung nakikita ko sa kanya."

5. Learn how to manage your time.

Despite their successes and investments, Cong and Viy remain humble to say that they are still on the road to being Team Payaman. For parents who want to start their own business or to venture into content creation, they shared that time management is key.

"Unlike dati, nung wala pa akong anak, kaya mong ibigay yung 24/7 mo sa trabaho o sa negosyo, ngayon hindi. Parang gusto mong ibigay yung mas maraming oras mo sa anak, so kailangan meron ka lang talagang time management."

She continued, "Mahati mo yung sarili mo sa anak, sa pagiging asawa, sa pagiging negosyante, sa pagiging vlogger. Kailangan mo siyang mahimay-himay, hati-hatiin mo yung sarili mo. Well, buhay pa naman ako. Kaya naman!"

6. Don't be too hard on yourself.

Viy reminds that like in parenting, comparison won't do any good, for anyone to thrive in their chosen fields, "Huwag mo masyado i-pressure din yung sarili mo, na dapat ganito na, dapat ganito, hindi."

She reveals, although on social media, she appears like she's hustling 24/7, "May mga moments ako na, 'Okay, ngayong araw, wala akong gagawin, manonood lang ako ng Netflix, kasama ko ang anak ko. May mga moment din akong tatamad-tamad, di ba? Hindi, talagang may moment din ako gusto ko nakahiga lang, ganyan."

Remember, finding pockets of rest is important, even for Team Payaman.

Cong and Viy's self-care, fitness must-haves revealed

Smart Parenting asked Cong and Viy what are their top 3 self-care and fitness must-haves.

Sunblock and makeup for Viy

For Viy, it's important that even as a mom, you feel and look good about yourself. "Sunblock, kahit nasa bahay ka lang. And syempre yung Viyline Cosmetics, kasi doon ko nakukuha 'yung confidence ba, na parang pag lumalabas ka ng bahay, mapink-pink 'yung cheeks mo, ganun!"

Eat healthy, go to the gym, and hire a coach for Cong

For Cong, who recently underwent a fitness transformation, he spilled his secrets to maintaining his body figure.

"Pinaka-importante sa akin, ano, kumain ng malinis. Tapos, mag-gym lagi. Try mong pumunta at least three times a week. Tapos, maghanap ka ng coach na magtuturo sa'yo kung paano gawin yung dalawa na yun," he shared.

He explained, it's essential that you seek the help of experts when it comes to your health, as it is your biggest investment. 

"Yung pera kasi, kikitain naman natin ulit yun. Pero yung pinakamasasave mo dun, yung time na masasayang mo. [Para] nagkakaroon ka na ng progress sa kung ano man yung gusto mong goal mo para sa sarili mo," Cong said.

Read the full cover story of Cong and Viy on Smart Parenting here.

Watch their fun #UsapTayo episode on YouTube: