We couldn't help but agree with Gretchen Barretto when she dropped the name of Angelica Panganiban as the prettiest face in showbiz.
When PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) mentioned this to the 22-year-old actress in a seven-minute chat during the launch of The Bar, her latest endorsement, last April 18 in Eastwood Mall, she blushed.
Angelica said, "Napa-flatter ako. Nakakatuwa na kung ano yun...parang pinakamagandang babae? Nakaka-flatter talaga. Hindi ko ini-expect..."
The Kapamilya actress is currently busy with her upcoming movie project with Gabby Concepcion.
She told PEP: Nagwo-workshop ako kay Direk Laurice Guillen. And ang sabi niya kasi, 'Wag na, okay na...' Pero nag-insist talaga ako..." Angelica and Laurice got the chance to work together in Santa Santita way back in 2004.
The role she's set to do is very challenging because it requires a lot of maturity. Angelica remarked, "Ang hirap i-explain ang role." But she's confident that she'll eventually get the drift once she starts assimilating it. "Kasi once na nandun ka at alam mo yung character mo, hindi ka naman na maiilang kung sino yung ka-eksena mo, kasi ibang tao ka na pagdating dun, eh," she explained.
How is it to work with Gabby the second time around?
Her quick reply, "Si Gabby kasi yung taong walang kiyeme. Hindi mo mararamdaman na may character siya na ganun..."
PARTYING AND DRINKING. Given that her latest endorsement is a liquor brand, we got curious about her partying habits. Is she a social drinker?
Angelica was quick to say, "Hindi. Kasi, hindi ko hahayaan na makita ako ng mga tao na hindi na okay, siyempre yung itsura ko, sa harapan nila, di ba? Kasi, kahit na anong sabihin natin, may trabaho kami and celebrity ako. May mga taong gusto akong gayahin, so hindi maganda na makita nilang ganun ako, dahil baka gayahin nila."
The former child star also admitted how bad publicity sometimes affects her.
"Hindi kasi maganda na may maririnig tayo mula sa ibang tao na masasaktan ka. So, ayokong masaktan, so, kung gusto kong mag-party, ako yung nagdadala ng sarili ko. Actually maraming nagsasabi sa akin, 'ang arte mo.' Actually hindi ko kailangan ng arte para maging mahina. Kelangan ko makisama, siyempre, di ba? Sa sobrang... feeling ko sa sobrang ganda ng personality mo, mas maganda makipag-usap sa mga tao..."
She's young, she knows how to have fun, but she also knows when something is too much.
When asked about the number of glasses she usually consumes, Angelica said, "Hindi naman ako nagbibilang, pero...Kasi pag alam kong [sobra na]...kasi malalaman mo naman yun, eh. May mga taong kasing sagad, eh, di ba, na makikita mo na lang nakahandusay na lang. Ako, pag alam ko na talaga na medyo sobra na, tigil na."
PEP asked her: "If you want to get drunk, you want to be with whom?"
"Nakakatuwa naman 'yan," she replied with a smile. "Siguro si Bea dahil isa siya sa mga best friends ko. Siyempre si Anne dahil sila nga yung mga taong...Yung alam mo yung wala kang dapat itago sa kanila, so, magiging masarap yung flow ng usapan."
"OTHER WOMAN" RUMORS. Of course, a chat with Angelica would be incomplete without Derek on the agenda.
She was firm in saying that her relationship with the 29-year-old actor is rock-solid. This is despite the "other woman" rumors, which hit her boyfriend intermittently. The latest item, which reached PEP early this year, claimed that Derek was caught kissing a team mate.
Angelica got a bit uncomfortable with the question, but she managed to answer calmly, "Idea kung saan galing [ang rumors], meron. And alam ko kasi...minsan nga, sumasama pa ako sa kanya pag may practice sila. [Kaya kung] pipili siya ng kaibigan, or kahit na sinong...oh my god!"
But the young actress has learned how to take these kinds of rumor in stride.
She continued, with a tinge of exasperation, "Two nights ago, kasama ko yung mga friends ko. 'Tapos yun nga, pinagtatawanan namin, pinag-uusapan naming yung issue. And nakakatawa, minsan magagalit ka na, and hindi siya tumitigil."
We decided to change the topic.
It's obvious that the couple has varying interests; he's into extreme sports, she's more of a homebody. How do they handle these differences?
"Siguro mas okay kapag meron kayong mga pagkakaiba. May mga bagay, mas okay 'pag tinatanggap mp lang. Kailangan kasi nag-a-adjust ka, eh. May give-and-take talaga dapat. Hindi naman masyado, pero nag-a-adjust ako. Ginagawa ko naman lahat and pareho 'pag may free time kami, ganito ang ginagawa niya, may nag-a-adjust," Angelica said.
And whatever Derek does, whether acting or sports, the young actress said: "Ako yung number one fan nya, sobrang happy ako."
As we were about to end the chat, we got curious about her beauty regimen. She simply said: "Hindi lang ako mahilig maglagay ng ganun [beauty products] sa mukha ko. Pag nagkaka-pimple ako, wala akong pakialam..."
And may we add that the candor of this sweet-looking lady is truly refreshing!