Carmina firm on not letting her kids join showbiz yet

MANILA, Philippines - Showbiz will have to wait for the twins of Carmina Villarroel with husband Zoren Legaspi. The Kapamilya TV host/actress said that she and Zoren are standing firm on their decision not to allow Mavy and Cassy to enter the showbiz industry at this point, despite the two teens expressing and showing interest in following in the footsteps of their parents.

The 12-year-old twins, who have inherited their parents’ good looks, have so far done endorsements and appeared on TV shows, but nothing more than that — at least for the time being.

 “For now, their priority is their education. We’ve already told them that they have to finish their studies,” said Carmina last Thursday on the sidelines of her latest product endorsement, Smart’s Sulit IDD Card (the telecom’s new offer for Smart prepaid subscribers to be able to contact loved ones abroad in a more affordable way).

“They enjoy it, especially the commercials because it’s also time for family bonding. Guestings on TV once in a while are OK. They also enjoy doing that. But to make a career out of it or to make it their work, I think they will find it difficult to do because they really have to finish first their schooling all the way to college,” she added.

Carmina said that there’s really no denying her children’s showbiz inclinations. “I can truly see that they are interested in showbiz. It’s something innate in them maybe because they started doing commercials when they were around four or five years old. They practically grew up in front of the cameras. (The camera) is not something constant, but it’s very present in their lives. Plus, with my work and Zoren’s, they’re exposed to that. And I can see that when they’re in front of the cameras, ay uma-acting, very natural. Otherwise kung wala, I will really tell them, Anak, ’wag nalang talaga kasi wala talaga (laughs).”

In school, the kids are largely involved in sports as well as singing and dancing activities. Theater, Carmina shared, is something that daughter Cassy wants to try out. “Maybe next summer break.”

The time may not yet be ripe for the twins (who are presently enrolled in an international school) to make their full foray to showbiz, it’s not, however, lost on Carmina that Cassy and Mavy already have a growing following on social media, with pages devoted to them being set up on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by their fans.

“Sobrang happy naman ako for that, even the kids themselves,” Carmina said. “At least, the people appreciate the twins, even if they’re not actors, and I always tell my children to be thankful. Especially when we go out, for example when we go malling, may nagpapa-picture, I tell them, you know, it’s OK, be thankful, because people recognize you and admire you. Sanay naman sila sa mga ganyan.”

Carmina is particularly proud of how her twins look after each other. “I never see them fighting (although there are little arguments) but I don’t know, they’re very close to each other maybe because sa tiyan pa lang, super close na sila, and when they sleep together (since we all sleep in one room) nakikita mo talaga na nag-hu-hug sila. They have this special bond (as twins). Sa ngayon at kahit dati pa, naghahanapan sila if one doesn’t see the other. They easily miss each other.”

Are they looking to add more to their brood? “We’re not trying and we’re not also trying to control,” said Carmina, and when asked if she’s open to another set of twins, “Pwede rin sa akin! Pag-sinabi ni God, twins ulit, go ako. I don’t mind.”

Apart from regularly appearing on  Kris TV, Carmina will be seen in another teleserye soon on ABS-CBN.