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Regine
Velasquez: Heart's Encore!
By Maryo B. Labad
THIS February, Ms. Regine Velasquez, is probably the most visible
star in tinseltown. Aside from her weekly show SOP, she has a movie
with Richard Gomez (Ikaw Lamang, Hanggang Ngayon); a two-night
concert at the Big Dome with no less than international star Brian
McKnight; and on top of that, promotional rounds for her latest
album Reigne, now platinum in just a few weeks after its recent
release. Although loveless at 31, Regine claims she's happy with her
career and with life as a whole.
"I'm really very, very happy kasi sa sobrang blessings na nakukuha
ko," she exclaims. "Syempre, sa hirap ng buhay ngayon, kahit pagod
na ako, I can't afford to say no basta trabaho ang pinag-uusapan. At
alam ko na hindi parati ganito na maraming trabaho. There are times
din na halos wala kang ginagawa. So, pag walang trabaho,
sinasamantala ko na magpahinga. Pero hanggang may work, I always
accept it and just be grateful for the offer."
In the course of our interview, Regine tried to clarify a couple of
issues hounding her in the grapevine columns: first, that she and
her brother-in-law (Raul Mitra) always come as a package deal-that
you can't get the services of Regine without hiring the latter; and
second, that she's leaving GMA-7 because ABS-CBN offered her a much
better deal, and that the other main reason why she's crossing over
is because Cacai (her sister) will be booted out (as host) from S.O.
P.
Regine explains, "I only gave him (Raul) the break. After that, Boss
Vie del Rosario hired him again. At wala na ako dun. So how can you
call it a package deal?
"It's not true that I'm leaving Channel 7. But it's true that
Channel 2 offered me a show. Last year pa yan. But I told them that
if it would cause me to leave SOP, I'm sorry, I can't accept it
because I'm very happy with that show. It's a form of relaxation for
me. Para akong Hindi nagtatrabaho. And it's not even the money. At
yung tungkol kay Cacai, it's not true na aalisin s'ya sa show. Kung
may dapat alisin, ako 'yun, kasi dagdag lang ako sa kanila. Cacai is
one of the original hosts in the show, kaya Hindi totoo na mawawala
s'ya."
With Cupid's arrows in the air, we asked Regine her most memorable
Valentine show? "All my shows are memorable, kasi Hindi naman palagi
may Valentine show ako," she tells us. "But if you want to know my
favorite V-show, siguro isa yung ginawa ko with Ariel Rivera-Two
Hearts, One Beat, not for anything else, kasi ang ganda-ganda nung
show, kasi it was like a play. Hindi yung typical na concert. Tapos
'yung Independent Women, with Jaya-where I got to know her better at
dun kami naging good friends."
After 16 years in the business, Regine almost has everything in
life-except a romantic partner. Isn't she afraid of being left
behind- of being (God forbid!) an old maid? "Sa ngayon Hindi pa,
kasi bata pa naman ako," she stresses. "As I've said, I'm enjoying
myself very much. I'm not in a hurry. I want to do everything now
while I'm single, kasi pag may asawa na ako, Hindi ko na magagawa
ang gusto ko, like I want to travel by myself. I want to work with
people I really like.
"At ako pa naman yung tipong tao na if I have my own family, I'll
just give up everything. Kaya sana huwag muna ngayon."
And what does it take to be a Regine Velasquez, to last this long in
showbiz and earn all the accolades? "Nothing much really," she
laughs. "Ang feeling ko kasi, masipag ako. Ako kasi yung taong pag
may binibigay sa aking trabaho, Hindi ko tatanggapin hanggat Hindi
ako sigurado na magagawa ko nang maayos at maganda. At kailangan
naka-concentrate ako fully with that job.
"And in terms of movie projects, siguro nagugustuhan ng mga tao
dahil puro light lang naman. If you watch it, at paglabas mo ng
moviehouse, Hindi mabigat sa kalooban. And definitely, Hindi yung
pa-cute-cute lang. They're all feelgood movies, and I like it that
way. And these are the kind of movies na ginagawa ko dahil ito lang
ang kaya kong gawin. And I must admit that acting is not my turf."
Her greatest fear in life? "I used to be so afraid of death," she
relates. "I think lahat naman tayo ganun. But then you also have to
see it on another level. Kaya Hindi na ako takot dun, tanggap ko na
yun kasi. Eventually, lahat naman tayo dun pupunta. Basta sa akin,
my faith is very strong. I talk to Him everyday in my life. Any
moment kung kunin n'ya ako, okey lang. I have nothing to be scared
about."
And what's her biggest frustration in the industry now? "Siguro
Hindi tayo masyadong nabibigyan ng suporta ng government. Malaki ang
tax na kinukuha sa atin, although naiintindihan ko yun. Kaya lang
bakit ngayon dinagdagan pa kami ? Okey lang siguro sa mga artistang
puro lead roles. Paano na yung mga maliit, like the extras and the
crew. Nakakalungkot kasi hirap na nga ang industriya natin, lalo
pang pinahihirapan," she avers.
On the lighter side, what is Regine's greatest extravagance? "Oh...I
love bags, signature bags and shoes. Actually ang shoes di masyado,
just like clothes, ang feeling ko ginagamit ko sa trabaho ko.
"But the bags, masyado akong addict d'yan. Kasi pwede ka namang
umalis na walang bag. And I prefer Fendi," she ends the interview
with a glowing smile. |
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