For Rica Paralejo, the movie Caregiver is very memorable to her which isthe 15th anniversary offering of Star Cinema. Thisis because it is Rica’s first movie with Mega star Sharon Cuneta

“Well, I feel very, very blessed from the moment they told me about this movie. I already knew it in my heart that I will do everything to do this movie. I mean, I wanted to do everything just to be able to do this for the reason that this is a Chito Roño film, a Sharon Cuneta film, and it brings me to London. Kaya very special, sobra!” pahayag ni Rica nang makausap siya ng PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) pagkatapos ng pictorial ng Caregiver last May 6 sa The Fort.

Didn’t she meet a special guy in London while doing Caregiver?

“I haven’t meet anyone, like papa?” she asked. “None, because I don’t travel to meet guys. I travel to experience a place and to work and to enjoy.”

Where did she stroll in London?

“Naku, tanungin mo sila [co-stars niya sa movie]! Inggit na inggit sila sa buhay ko. Umaga pa lang, nasa lakaran na ako hanggang sundown. Ganun kalakas ang loob ko. Ay, mega-picture ako! Hobby ko ‘yan, e, mag-take ng photographs.(”Ask then [her co-stars in the movie]! They are very jealous to my lifestyle. Early in the morning I stroll until sundown )

“Pinagtatawan nila akong lahat kasi ang bigat-bigat daw ng backpack ko, lakad ako nang lakad. Mag-isa lang ako. Kahit si John Estrada tanungin mo, naano ‘yan sa akin. Na sabi niya, ‘Ang tapang mo pala! Ginawa ko yung ginawa mo, nakakatakot ha.’ Sabi ko, ‘Oo, no? Ako pa!’” lahad ni Rica. (”They are all laughing at me because they say my back pack is very heavy, I walk every now and then. I’m all alone. You can even ask John Estrada, he is with me. He said. ‘You are a brave girl! I also do what you did, scary huh.’ )

Yun na ba ang pinaka-memorable experience niya sa London bukod sa pagsu-shoot ng movie nila na Caregiver? (Is that the only memorable experience she had in London besides shooting the movie Caregiver?)

Ayon kay Rica, “Ang memorable experience is would be yung inaway ako ng isang babae sa Portobello sa Notting Hill. Kasi akala niya pini-piktyuran ko siya, yung mga ganun. Nakakatawa! Ang dami kong instances na ganyan… Sa Notting Hill kasi, that’s where they actually shot. Sumama lang ako, so I can go around.” (According to Rica, ” My memorable experience would be is when a girl in Potobello in Notting Hill fought with me. She taught I was taking her pictures.  Very hilarious! I have many instances like that ….In Notting Hill, that’s where they actually shot. I just went along with them, so I can go around.”)

WORKING WITH SHARON. Kumusta namang katrabaho si Sharon since it was her first time?

“Sharon is ano, is an awesome, awesome superstar!” bulalas niya. “Parang for me, somebody as big as her maybe, you know… It’s not that I’m saying it’s right na hitad ka, pero sinasabi ko lang na kung hitad ka you’ve earned it.

“Kumbaga, kahit papaano maiintindihan mo, e. Hindi yung parang not to compare, pero kung ako yung nag-hitad, okey ka lang? Bakit ka naghitad, di ba? Ano ang karapatan mo? Kung sabagay, sinasabi ko lang.

“Si Sharon, sa lahat ng nakita ko, siya lang talaga yung nakita ko, siya lang talaga yung parang sabi ko, ‘Grabe! Ang galing din ng ano nito.’ Parang you’ll actually feel na kaya pala siya naging ganun.”

MATTERS OF THE HEART. Ano naman ang estado ng kanyang puso sa ngayon?

“Sa totoo lang, wala naman. Yeah, wala naman kasi talaga,” sagot niya.

Pero may mga manliligaw siya?

“Sabi ko nga sa ‘yo, the slightest ano na magparamdam sa akin, I already make them feel na you don’t stand a chance, and I say it in a very nice way, ha. And not because of anything else. It’s only because we don’t match.

“Kumbaga, para sa akin kasi, sa sobrang kaya mong mag-isa… I mean, I’m so happy what God made me, and parang sobrang happy ko with my faith na I can be on my own na hindi ko kailangan ang ibang tao. Pero sa akin, ang choices ko lang is I should find the perfect one; if I don’t, I’d rather not,” paliwanag ni Rica.

Kung makikipagrelasyon siya ulit, gusto ni Rica na ito na ang makakasama niya habang buhay.

“I hope,” sambit niya. “I really hope because I don’t want to be wasting time. But if not, then probably God has a very good reason for that.”

Kung si Piolo Pascual na na-link sa kanya noon ay nakakita ng babaeng na nagustuhan niya na kasama niya sa kanilang church, what about Rica?

“You know, that’s the sad thing,” sambit ng aktres. “If something happens to Piolo, it doesn’t mean it happens to me, alam mo yun? I have my own and I’m very happy with my life, I’m very fulfilled. There’s so many things na gusto kong gawin and to meet someone is not my priority.”

Pero may nakikita rin ba siya someone from church na puwede rin niyang maging inspirasyon?

“Ay, oo naman!” sagot niya. “Ano yun, yun ang mga spices ng buhay. ‘Pag nakakakita ako, ‘Ay, cute ito!’ or ‘Eto yung klase ng type ko na tao,’ mga ganyan. Pero that’s about it. And if I like someone so much, I don’t talk about it also so much because I don’t want to put my heart on that. Alam ko kapag inilagay ko ang lahat ko doon, alam ko na malalaglag ako. E, bakit?”

Ano ang mas gusto niyang lalaking mamahalin—kasama niya sa church o taga-showbiz ulit?

“I would prefer someone from church, only because alam na namin yung kultura sa loob,” sagot ni Rica. “But like what I said kanina, someone who prioritize God, who speaks of God, and who hears from God. Very important yun sa akin. Yun, pakakasalan ko na siya. Bukas na!” tawa niya.

Hindi ba siya nakaramdam ng selos nang malaman niya na may babaeng nagpapasaya kay Piolo ngayon?

“Hindi, kasi I’m happy for him—very, very happy—kung yun nga ang nangyayari sa kanya. I mean, regardless of who the girl is I’m very happy for that guy because I think that’s the only thing missing in his life na lang naman,” pahayag ni Rica.

Source:PEP