PICTURE-PERFECT FAMILY

BY NICKIE WANG/ MANILA STANDARD TODAY

Carmina Villaroel and Zoren Legaspi were holding hands with their twins Maverick Peter and Maria Cassandra when they showed up at the press launch of their new television commercial. The twins, who are now seven years old and already in second grade, were comfortable as they smiled when photographers started flashing their cameras.

Some good-looking celebrity couples are not blessed with the same breed of good-looking offsprings, but Carmina and Zoren are exception to the rule. Mavy and Cassy (their twins’ nicknames) are very adorable and you wouldn’t mind staring at them for the longest time.

“We sleep in one room, minsan nga pag natutulog sila sinasabi ko kay Zoren: ‘Tatay ang-cute ng mga anak natin. They look so perfect. Atin ba sila?’” Carmina chuckled while sharing her experience with her kids. “They are so friendly, one time umuwi ako sa bahay, meron sampung bata sa loob ng bahay namin and my kids said, ‘Mom these are our friends.’”

On camera, their family looks very close and very happy. Some people wonder how they are as a family in real life.

“Maraming nagsasabi na hindi nila alam kung ano kami as a family. We are very normal and very ordinary. We only want simple things,” Carmina revealed.

With hectic schedules, late-night tapings and to the last-minute important works to do, Carmina and Zoren still manage to spend quality time with their kids. The couple is able to maintain a stable relationship with their kids and bond with them during weekends.

“As much as I want to give them quantity time, hindi ko pa kaya. So I make it a point na kahit puyat, ako pa rin ’yung maghahatid sa kanila sa school. Our bonding moment starts sa loob ng kotse,” Carmina shared.

As celebrity kids, Mavy and Cassy are being raised by a loving mother and a disciplinarian father. Zoren, who ventured to directing and still does acting on the side, explained that they do not spoil their children. “Bawal mag-utos. Hindi puwedeng sumigaw ’yan,” Zoren said, pertaining to his twins. “Hindi puwedeng sumigaw ’yan ng ‘Yaya! I need this…’ Ay, hindi. You have to do it yourself.”

Everyday, after eating, the twins bring their own plates to the kitchen. There are times that Mavy waters the plants and washes his father’s car.

Working as a family

An official from Selecta said that casting a celebrity family endorser like the Villaroel- Legaspi was not a problem. “We needed a family endorser and not just a family for a show, but a genuine family. Last year we had a great experience with Carmina and the kids. We saw how they are off cam.”

Zoren, Carmina and their adorable twins are now seen on a new TV commercial of Selecta family pack ice cream. The newest ice cream creation of Selecta promotes family bonding. In fact, this is the first endorsement of Zoren with his family, because in the past it has always been only Carmina and the twins.

In making television commercial, Zoren still keeps the discipline. “Ayokong isipin nila na pag may ginawa, eh laging may sukli. Ayoko ’yong, ‘O, you smile, ha! We’ll give you a toy, ha!’ Ang sinasabi ko, ‘You better do your job, kasi pumayag kang mag-commercial.’ Hindi ’yong uutuin mo.”

After strings of successful commercials and other promotional ads, it is inevitable for people to ask whether Zoren and Carmina would allow their kids to enter showbiz. For Carmina, she wants her children to finish school and after that it is up to them if they would like to pursue a career in showbiz, but for Zoren, who already prepared a script for the whole family, it is fine to let their twins to be involved in a rowdy environment of entertainment.

When asked by the press if they want to be actors like their parents, Cassy said she wants to be like her Mom but bedimpled Mavy just smiled and wrapped his arms around his mother’s back.

Another twins

The press people never failed to ask the celebrity family personal questions during the press launch of Selecta Family Pack TVC. The lovely couple was asked if they want to add another member to the family.

“Sabi ko sa kanya kung magkakaroon kami ng anak gusto ko twins ulit. Tutal kabisado ko pa naman ’yung mga moves na ginagawa ko noon. You know as much as we would like to have four more or five more, ’yung pagpalaki ng bata ay madali, patulugin mo bigyan mo ng pagkain pero ’yung palakihin sila ng tama, eh ’yun ang hindi madali,” Zoren explained and turned to Carmina.

“For the longest time parang ayaw pa muna naming sundan kasi parang hindi pa kami sawa. Kasi di ba first time parents kami tapos isang boy and girl agad. Tsaka malay ko sa mga moves niya,” Carmina smiled and ended.