PHNO-SB: AT HOME WITH REGINE

AT HOME WITH
REGINE

[PHOTO
-Regine Velasquez-Alcasid enjoys being a homemaker]
MANILA, OCTOBER 29, 2012 (PHILSTAR) By Nathalie Tomada -This was
another stage that Regine Velasquez-Alcasid visibly ruled. In the kitchen of her
home tucked away in a hilly portion of an exclusive Quezon City subdivision, the
Songbird, sans make-up and dressed down in a striped shirt and jeans, was
whipping up a delectable feast, allowing her few media guests a front-seat view
to this relatively new chapter in her life — as a homemaker.
The singer-actress showed she really is the woman of the house she shares
with hubby Ogie and their nearly year-old son Nate — being very hands-on in
manning the kitchen, where she enjoys cooking food she learned on her own and
from her parents.
This side of hers is also explored via her new cooking show Sarap Diva on GMA
7 every Saturday at 9:30 a.m. (She also co-hosts the talk show H.O.T. TV on
Sunday afternoons.)
"I really enjoy doing Sarap Diva, kwento-kwento lang at the same time, I'm
learning," said Regine who admitted that she needs to learn more regular Pinoy
food recipes, as her specialties, based on what were served at her home, were a
fusion of international dishes.
And just like in her show, her cooking led to some kwento — a free-flowing
and intimate chat that had her opening up on some career and personal
highlights, as well as some challenges before she became the country's top
female pop singer.
One was the "close to traumatic experience," as she described it, of being
bullied as a child.
Regine revealed that she got teased and taunted in grade school because "ang
alam nila di ako marunong magbasa."
She added, "My mother thought there was something wrong with my eyes because
when they would check my books, they couldn't read what I wrote (to think) I
just copied what was written in the blackboard. I had to be seated in front
because they thought I had weak eyesight. Di pala nila mabasa kasi bali-baligtad
yung 'b' at 'd' ko… I couldn't distinguish 'b' from 'd'."
Regine's coping mechanism was her mastery. She was excellent at memorizing
things, especially by ear, and this helped in developing her singing.
"Up until I was grade six, I would listen to the record four times and I
would memorize (the entire thing)," related Regine, who broke into the music biz
after winning the singing show Ang Bagong Kampeon when she was only 14.
Plus, her family always provided positive encouragement, never letting anyone
undermine her. "My father would tell (the people at school) matalino talaga anak
ko, kasi magaling sa memory. Paano ka magiging bobo kung ang galing ng memory
mo? I couldn't comprehend it because I knew I'm not (stupid)."
Many years later, Regine would comprehend her experience. She remembered
watching an Oprah episode on dyslexia, where some symptoms discussed were
interchanging the letters "b" and "d" and the inability to spell.
(According to the US-based National Institutes of Health, Dyslexia is a
brain-based type of learning disability that specifically affects a person's
ability to read. Studies said signs and symptoms, some of which are very poor
spelling and letter-reversal, vary from person to person and differ in degree
from mild to severe.)
The episode felt like a blast from the past. "I thought, this sounds
familiar! Para akong nag-tunnel and returned to grade school. This happened 10
to 12 years ago. (So) kelan lang yun? The whole time I didn't know what it was.

"I had a feeling I already have that because I have a friend who has a school
for special children and na me-mention niya sa akin yun, and I said I think I
have that (because) di ako makapaniwala na I have such good memory and I can't
spell; there has to be something wrong.
"Kelan lang ako nakaka-spell dahil sa text because, of course, there's the
dictionary… though what's weird is I can somehow spell hard and long words, but
I can't spell 'tongue.' Also, it isn't spelled the way you would pronounce it.
So I have a hard time with that."
When it comes to her scripts, "Babasahin ko ang script, so nakabisado ko kung
paano isinulat. Pero kapag inilagay mo sa teleprompter at iba ang
pagkakasunud-sunod, hindi ko na mababasa 'yon."
While there was no mention during the interview if she eventually consulted a
doctor, one thing is certain: Challenges like that didn't get in the way of her
continued success. (According to Dyslexia.com, it's a gift rather than a
disability because individuals with dyslexia or dyslexic tendencies are
"highly-creative" like US actor Tom Cruise and journalist Anderson Cooper, to
name a few famous dyslexics.) With her revelation, one can't help but appreciate
all the more her musical journey, which now on its 26th year.
Regine is set to celebrate the milestone via a grand concert on Nov. 16 at
the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Expect hubby Ogie to offer ample support on and off
stage.
Regine was asked how her love story with Ogie started. "Our history goes a
long way back. I first met him at the concert of Dingdong Avanzado at the old
Rizal theater where we were both guests. After he sang, he approached me and
introduced himself. According to him, I told him, Ang yabang mo naman ang galing
mong kumanta."
"And nanonood daw siya sa concert ko pero di ko naalaala. One time, he asked
me nasayo pa ba yung bear? Anong bear? He said, I gave you a bear, di ko talaga
maalala.
"We also went out on a date but it was a group date, which included my
father. During that date, pinatayan ko siya ng ipis sa harapan niya kasi 'eww'
ng 'eww' sila (laughs). Tapos kinwento niya kay Dingdong (Avanzado).
"We actually even have a picture together on my 21st birthday na nagsusubuan
ng cake kasi tinutukso na kami kasama nila Pops (Fernandez).
"Tapos ang tagal namin nagkita ulit. We first met again in GMA 7's
(now-defunct) S.O.P."
Regine said she only had one other boyfriend (Ariel Rivera) before Ogie.
According to her sister, Cacai, a number of eligible guys have expressed
interest including a politician who asked for a date with Regine through her.
But Cacai said a guy has to be so obvious with his intentions for Regine to get
it — and it was Ogie.
Asked if she's ready to be a political wife should Ogie enter politics in the
future, she said, "Several people have asked him, special groups have approached
him, but he doesn't want to. Before, he was kinda interested and open to the
idea, ewan ko why nagbago siya. But I'm just preparing myself because that might
change. It's a calling. And who am I to stop what he wants to do in life. One
thing is for sure, my husband is happy being a public servant." (Ogie was
appointed president of the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit in 2010.)
"In all fairness to my husband, one year pa lang siya sa OPM ang dami na
nyang na gawa. Na-set-up niya ang benefits for the singers and na set-up niya na
bumababa ang mga tax. So kahit papaano, marami siyang nagawa." These are apart
from the activities held under his leadership that have reenergized the OPM
(Original Pilipino Music) scene.
Aside from being a supportive and proud wife, she is also a proud mother of
Nate.
She said of her firstborn: "I think aside from getting much of my looks, he
also has my mannerisms, like the way he sleeps. Although nowadays, he's
beginning to look like Ogie. As a father, Ogie is very playful with him."
Asked if she wants to have another child, Regine, who had Nate when she was
40, said, "I'm not young anymore (so) I'm leaving it up to God. I'm happy (to
say) that Nate was conceived — not with the help of science although we had
thought of it — through natural means."
Regine's Silver Concert is happening on Nov. 16 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena,
with tickets already selling fast amidst a concert scene swamped with foreign
visitors. It's titled Silver because it's actually a celebration of her 25th
year in the biz, which was supposedly last year but then, she got pregnant with
Nate. As she said, it's never too late to celebrate.




Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi

© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE
HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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