Carmina to Zoren: Be careful with what you say on air
Carmina Villaroel is not ashamed to admit she asks partner Zoren Legaspi to be absent from his TV5 talk show “Paparazzi” if she feels he has thrown caution to the wind by being very candid about what he says.
“Napagsabihan ko si Zoren nung nadulas siya sa blind item (about an actor-politician who failed to meet his financial obligation regarding an expensive bag for his wife),” explains Carmina. “He’s very candid and transparent. Sinasabi niya kung ano ang nasa isip at puso niya.”
But in fairness to him, Carmina adds that Zoren doesn’t mean anything bad with his blind items. She understands that he says things without malice. It’s just that “hindi naiintindihan ito ng lahat ng tao.”
So she just gives him words of advice for his own good.
“Sabi ko lang, ‘Honey, you have to be careful and cautious.’ Ayaw ko lang may magalit sa kanya,” says Carmina.
Zoren took it very well. Carmina relates that he said sorry and that he didn’t mean to hurt anybody with his words.
Relationship with Zoren
Aside from open communication, how else do Carmina and Zoren keep the fire burning?
The secret, Carmina says, is in being “pa-cute na natural.”
She and Zoren show their love for each other through text messages and comments on each other’s respective Facebook accounts.
Carmina also trusts Zoren so much, she doesn’t mind if he swaps jokes with former girlfriend and “Paparazzi” co-host Ruffa Gutierrez in the show.
“Walang issue sa ‘kin yon,” says Carmina. “Cute sila Zoren and Ruffa. Marunong rumespeto si kumareng Ruffa. Nagpapadala pa nga siya sa ‘kin ng messages.”
Carmina is also hands-off when it comes to an upcoming project Zoren is producing.
“Hindi ako nakikialam kung sino ang kukunin niyang staff or kung ano ang story niya for the project.”
No wedding plans
But why don’t they want to get married at all? That would finally put a stop to nagging questions about their wedding plans.
Is it because her marriage (now annulled) to Rustom Padilla, now BB Gandanghari, has traumatized Carmina? Is a religion issue involved?
“No, no,” Carmina says. “It has nothing to do with my previous marriage or with religion. Okay na okay ang relationship namin ngayon at wala akong pangarap tungkol sa kasal. Nangangarap ka lang kung may kulang, di ba? Kuntento na ako.”
Is she against marriage as an institution?
Carmina shakes her head again.
“I’m not against marriage. Ok na ok lang ang relationship namin ngayon to the point that we don’t talk about marriage.”
Not even for the sake of their twins, Mavy (Maverick Peter) and Cass (Cassandra)?
Carmina remains nonplussed.
So do the companies that tap them as endorsers. Carmina and the twins endorse Del Monte Filipino Style Tomato Sauce with MMK (Munggo, Malunggay and Kalabasa).
“Mahirap pakainin ng gulay ang mga anak ko,” Carmina laments. “So sinasabi ko bakit masustansiya ang mga pinapakain ko sa kanila.”
Since she cooks, Carmina also makes sure her twins get vegetables in their diet without ramming it down their throat by mixing it in their food.
“I mash upo and papaya and mix them in their rice. Hindi nila namamalayan na may kinakain na pala silang upo at papaya,” Carmina said at the open forum of the Del Monte presscon.
Just as important, she practices what she preaches.
“Mas maganda if parents eat veggies themselves,” she points out.
