With her oriental eyes, slightly tanned complexion, and slender figure, she is unmistakably the daughter of actress Jean Garcia.

"Kamukhang-kamukha mo mommy mo," we tell Jennica Garcia during the photo shoot.

The bubbly 19-year-old (who is now 20, by the way), who doesn't seem surprised by the comment, replies: "Marami nga po ang nagsasabi. Pero sa tingin ko po, kahawig ko rin po papa ko."

On closer look, her soft jaw line and thin pursed lips do noticeably come from her father, former actor Jigo Garcia.

The girl has apparently inherited more than good looks from her parents. She, too, has acting in her genes.

"Naaalala ko, tuwing nakikita ko mommy ko sa TV, sabi ko, parang kaya ko rin 'yon, a," she muses. "Parang gusto ko rin 'yong ginagawa niya... Pero pag binabanggit ko 'yon sa mommy ko, lagi niyang iniiba 'yong topic. Sinasabi niya na, 'Marami ka pang puwedeng gawin bukod sa pag-aartista.'"

Jennica, who has been living with her mom since her parents separated when she was two, listened to her mother's advice.

"'Nilagay ko na sa isip ko na nagtratrabaho mommy ko para sa akin, nagpapakahirap siya," she says. "Kaya sabi ko, hindi ko siya bibiguin. Magtatapos ako ng pag-aaral. Kung ano 'yong mga pangarap niya para sa akin, tutuparin ko 'yon."

In her senior year in high school, she started exploring the possibility of studying photography abroad or taking up a special education course in a local university.

"Sinasabi ko sa kanya, 'Ma, gusto kong mag-college sa ibang bansa,'" she recalls. "Hindi sumasagot. Sabi ko, 'Ma, nakapag-fill-up na 'ko ng mga forms. Kailangan ko na lang signature mo...'"

Surprisingly, Jean gave her an unexpected answer.

"Sabi niya, 'Nak, ba't hindi mo subukang mag-artista?' Naging baliktad. Naging sabi niya, 'Ba't hindi mo subukang mag-artista kasi may offer ka? Baka lang gusto mo...'"

Though she hadn't thought about joining show business for a long time, Jennica decided to give acting a try. Fresh out of high school, she was given several supporting roles in three GMA-7 television series—Impostora, Pasan Ko ang Daigdig, and Boys Next Door—and in the Regal Films horror flick Hide & Seek. She was also paired with young actor Mart Escudero, who became her real-life boyfriend.

Eventually, the three teleseryes ended, and Jennica found herself thinking about the future.

"Biglang parang, 'Ano ba, mag-aaral ba ako ulit o itutuloy ko ba pag-aartista ko?'" she says. "Napahinga ako for two months. Doon, na-realize ko na gusto ko pala 'tong ginagawa ko. I realized na acting pala is my passion. Gusto kong maging magaling dito sa ginagawa ko. Gusto kong tumagal."

She has been in the business for two years now, and has since appeared in six more TV series and two movies, including the Dingdong Dantes-Marian Rivera starrer One True Love. The young actress's star is now shining brighter.

Being her mother's daughter, Jennica admits that following in the footsteps of her mom is no easy feat.

"Hindi pa ako nag-aartista, lagi nang may comparison sa amin ng mommy ko. Ako kasi, proud ako sa mommy ko, e. Masaya ako sa kung anuman ang na-achieve niya. Wala sa utak ko na higitan siya, na gayahin lahat ng ginagawa niya. As much as possible, gumagawa ako ng mga sarili kong atake."

She ends with a smile: "Gusto kong masabi na nag-artista ako na may purpose. Para sa akin, kahit kalahati man lang ng na-achieve ng mommy ko ang maabot ko, masaya na ako noon."