Eugene Domingo ventures into children's shows

Sarah geronimo draws the crowds at sen. Loren legarda’s campaign sorties

CEBU, Philippines - Award-winning actress Eugene Domingo readily said yes when she was asked by GMA 7 to host the new children’s show titled Wachamakulit. She admitted, however, that it’s a big challenge for her. True enough, her first taping day for Wachamakulit was not exactly a breeze. Now, after taping a total of four episodes, the comedienne has finally gotten the hang of it.

“It’s not easy working with kids. They have their own attention span. They cannot be controlled. And they have a different kind of language. As the host, I am trying to adjust to their quirks. Andiyan ‘yung medyo kata-takutan ka pero dapat kampante sila, hindi ‘yung matatakot sila (mga bata) na parang principal kang mamamalo kasi ang tingin nila ay ate. In fact, marami kang roles na gina-gampanan—ate, sister, yaya, nanay,” Eugene told Star Circuit at the presscon of Wachamakulit.

Eugene said that she didn’t want to give the children the impression “na hindi ko sila pinapansin kasi ang gusto ng mga bata pinapansin sila.” She is working with around 50 kids in the show, including the ones in the audience. The kids aged from 4 to 6, give description to the words to be guessed by the celebrity contestants. “They describe the words from their own point of view, as is, since we are after the freshness of their minds,” said Eugene.

Eugene admits that she sometimes is caught off-guard what with the words that come out from the mouths of the children. At times, the kids ask questions that render Eugene speechless. If she was all out in her late evening show Cool Center, Eugene says she’s more careful here in Wachamaculit.

“Nagulat na lang ako nang sabihin sa akin ng isang bata na, ‘Ate Eugene, pinapanood kita sa Cool Center.’ At saka dun sa ‘Working Girls,’ yung hinalikan mo ‘yung lalaki. Naku, ingat na ingat ako tapos ang pinapanood pala nila ay Cool Center at Hot Mama,” said the actress-comedienne.

Cool Center had its final telecast last Saturday, but set to premiere in two weeks is Eugene’s new show titled Comedy Bar that she’s doing with Allan K.

Wachamakulit makes its premiere telecast this Friday, April 16, at the Bilib Ka Ba Araw-Araw block on GMA 7.

No matter her busy schedule, Eugene is not complaining. “My motto is strike while the iron is hot. Besides, I don’t have any extra-curricular activity so I still find enough time to sleep and rest. Trabaho-bahay is my routine and when I see my paycheck, my smile is really that wide,” said the hard-working Eugene.

Eugene is nominated in the 7th Golden Screen Awards for the movie “Kimmy Dora” in the Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Comedy) category. The awards night is set on May 5 at Teatrino in Greenhills. When we asked her about her chances, Eugene says she’s happy with her nomination but is hoping to win the award.

“I am hoping to win. Kiyeme lang iba iyan yung sinasabi nila na happy sila sa nomination. Siyempre pag nominated ka, gusto mong manalo and I am not ashamed to say that. At naghahanda na ako ng acceptance speech because I am hoping for the best,” said Eugene.

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Even with her busy schedule, Sarah Geronimo found time to join Senator Loren Legarda’s campaign sortie when the vice-presidential candidate of the Nacionalista Party went to Marilao, Bulacan and Valenzuela last Friday, April 9.

First stop was the feeding program in Marilao where more than a hundred kids were treated to a bowl of lugaw. The kids, as well as their parents, warmly received Sarah and Loren, ditto with NP senatorial aspirants Gilbert Remulla and Liza Maza. The kids even sung with Sarah the jingle that she did for Loren.

According to Sarah, she believes in the issues being espoused by Loren that includes climate change, plight of the OFWs and women empowerment, just to name a few.

The good senator is elated at the presence of Sarah, who was able to join them in that all-women’s day schedule of the campaign.

After that, the group went to Plastic City in Valenzuela where Loren’s group met up with mayoralty candidate Sherwin Gatchalian (the former boyfriend of Eat Bulaga mainstay Pauleen Luna).

Meanwhile, Sen. Loren expressed hope that the Liberal Party would stop spreading black propaganda against their group. She said there is no let up in the black propaganda allegedly being waged against her and Manny Villar by their opponents from LP.

“Hindi naman makaka-address ng problema ng gutom kung puro paninira at black propaganda lang ang gagawin ng mga katunggali sa politika. Hindi naman ako galit sa aking speech. I was just emphatic. Poverty stares at our face everyday but then politicians kept on throwing mud at each other. Tama na. Of course, they would not admit mudslinging and black propaganda pero tigilan na sana nila.”