She appeared movies such as Burgis (1981), Kung Mahawi Man Ang Ulap (1984), Ang Bukas Ay Akin (1989), Barumbado (1990), Alyas Baby Face (1990), and Dahil Mahal Na Mahal Kita (1998).
In 1995 Rivas was a regular in the GMA Telenovela Villa Quintana for which she received a Best Actress Nomination In 1999 she was cast in ABS-CBN's Primetime Drama Saan Ka Man Naroroon, the critically acclaimed drama that ran for two years.
Rivas appeared in 2001 TV series Recuerdo de Amor, aired in ABS-CBN, starring Diether Ocampo and Carmina Villarroel and Kahit Isang Saglit with Jericho Rosales and Malaysian actress Carmen Soo.
On television, she joined the cast of Tepok Bunot (1981–82) a daily sitcom over Maharlika Broadcasting System – Channel 4 as the colegiala-speaking friend of Roderick Paulate and Bibeth Orteza.
[1] In November 2019, she made a comeback in GMA-7 to star in the television series with Nora Aunor in Bilangin ang Bituin sa Langit based on the movie of the same title.