Charlene Gonzales defends fumbling beauty tilt winner

March 12, 2008

CHARLENE Gonzales and Aga Muhlach were the excited parents of their twins, Andres and Atasha, when the two kids graduated from kindergarten at Maria Montessori yesterday. They gave a special presentation playing the piano then did a dance number.

“They’ve been playing the piano since they were three,” says proud Mama Charlene. “Frustration ko kasi ‘yun kaya ayan, sila ang pinaturuan naming mag-piano. Between the two, Atasha plays better kasi si Andres loves dancing more. He even choreographs his own dances.”

The twins will be in grade one come June. “We don’t know yet where they’ll go, but Aga’s dream is for them to study in an international school. Gusto ko naman, ‘yung malapit lang sa bahay namin so we can guard and supervise them well.”

As a graduation gift, they’re bringing the kids to Disneyland in California this weekend. “Then Aga and I will watch the Pacquiao fight in Las Vegas. Aga will stay in the U.S. for only five days kasi he has to return for the movie he’s shooting with Anne Curtis. I’ll stay there with the twins for two weeks, kaya nga nag-advance taping na ako for my show on Q-11, ‘Proudly Filipina’.

I enjoyed the last episode where we showed with Tingting and Mikee Cojuangco, but this Friday, you should watch out for the one with Maricel Soriano. Next Friday naman, my guest is Sen. Pia Cayetano, but we will not talk about politics but about how is it to be a mother and her experience when she lost a child. It’s a different side of her.”

When is she going back to acting? “When we got married, it’s clear that Aga will be more active as he’s the man of the house, so I laid low. But now that the kids are bigger, it depends on the project and how it will excite me.”

Since she’s the last actress to play Dyesebel, will she agree if GMA-7 asks her to do a guest role in their TV version? “I might. It depends on what role I’ll play. Siguro one time lang, I can’t do it on a regular basis. My kids learned I did Dyesebel and Atasha told me, ‘Show me your tail.’ Gusto ko ngang makakuha ng copy ng ‘Dyesebel’ so I can show it to them.

Basta as of now, mas enjoy ako sa hosting. I find my work in ‘Proudly Filipina’ very fulfilling as I get to interview so many women, not just celebrities, with inspiring stories, like this private teacher in Leyte who transferred to a public school in the rural area and made her students number one in the national achievement test, and another teacher who devoted her time to teaching autistic kids in her home in Antipolo.”

How did it feel hosting the Bb. Pilipinas pageant last Saturday? “I was the anchorwoman three times but that’s really just the first time I hosted it. It felt like a homecoming for me as the other beauty queens were also there.”

Charlene won Bb. Pilipinas in 1994 and Aga was a judge then. Dayanara Torres crowned her. Aga and Yari later became an item. But it’s Charlene who became Mrs. Muhlach. How does she feel about the bad feedback on Bb. Pilipinas World Janina San Miguel whose English was laughable?

“I think ninerbiyos lang siya. Kasi, I talked to her later at okay naman ang English niya. It’s the first time for her to join a contest so understandable that she’s so tense. But she’ll do okay kasi they’ll still be trained naman. The beauty queens nga today have an edge as they’re sent to Colombia for further training. In my time, we were just on our own. But all the winners this year were deserving. They have the chance to prove themselves again in the international arena.”

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