Pauleen Luna started working on GMA-7’s Eat Bulaga in August 2005. She
says she felt comfortable on her very first day: “Wala akong awkward
moments with them, kasi, like, si Julia Clarete came from ABS-CBN also,
so parang naka-relate kami sa isa’t isa, and she made me feel welcome
talaga.”
Pauleen lives in a three-bedroom Quezon City house owned by her parents. They used to live in Malabon, but they moved to QC in 1994 so that Pauleen could study in Miriam College. Pauleen’s home is actually one-half of a duplex. The other half is owned by the brother of her father Eugenio.
A 10-year-old grandfather clock—bought at Mandaluyong’s Shangri-La Mall—stands in one corner of the living room, which is dominated by a white furniture set. On top of the glass coffee table are bound scrapbooks filled with magazine and newspaper clippings that feature Pauleen.
Like any normal teenage girl, Pauleen is waging a battle against weight. She used to be teased for being on the heavy side, though she now appears more comfortable with her current size.
“Ang hirap-hirap mag-control sa food, especially pag may parties, or, like—okay, one example na lang sa Eat Bulaga. In Eat Bulaga, we stay in one dressing room, and it’s like na our house there. Kasi, doon, may sofa, may ref, may everything, ’tapos may buffet every day doon, different kinds of food, dessert, everything. So, doon pa lang, ang hirap-hirap na mag-control, like everyone is eating and you’re not.”
A small Osaki piano can be found in a corner of the living room. “I used to play the piano when I was little,” Pauleen says. “But now I forgot how na. Ha-ha!” Above the piano is a framed tapestry depicting European lords and ladies.
A glass cabinet placed near one of the sofas contains assorted figurines. Most of the stuff in the house was bought by Pauleen’s mother, Chat, an interior designer who has not been active in her profession lately. “Ngayon medyo nag-stop siya,” says Pauleen. “Nag-lie-low siya, kasi hindi naman forever ’yon e. Kung may client, may client. Kung wala...wala.”
A regal-looking chandelier adds a touch of elegance to the living room, which is wallpapered in pink. Instead of paintings, a bigger tapestry of European lords and ladies hangs from the wall. Pauleen, who has been working since she was 13 and is almost self-sufficient, says she has no plans of buying her own place anytime soon.
“Extra gastos, while you can live naman here nang walang gastos. 'Di ba, practical reasons? Siguro, when I’m married, when I get married—pero 'pag wala, dito lang muna.”
A chandelier and an eight-seater round dining table with a lazy Susan (the revolving circular tray on top of the table) dominate the dining room. The door on the left opens to the bathroom. On the wall hang small decorative plates. Faux fruits decorate the center of the table.
On this dining table, later during the shoot, Pauleen’s household lays down a veritable feast for the YES! team. While we shamelessly chow down, Pauleen, who’s watching her weight, eats only chicken.
A granite island can be found in the center of the kitchen. Inside the two-door Whirlpool refrigerator is where Pauleen keeps her favorite munchies. “I like eating snacks rather than full meals, kaya puro chips and cookies ’yong nasa ref!”
When YES! first shoots Pauleen’s house in July 2006, the entertainment room is under renovation. Our photographer goes back in November to take pictures of the finished product. Inside the wall-papered entertainment room is a black leather couch and Pauleen’s father’s collection of scale-model cars and bikes. Pauleen says her father has been collecting these toys-for-the-big-boys for a long time: “No’ng nag-Hong Kong ’yong Eat Bulaga noong October [2006], nagbilin pa siya sa akin. He-he!”
Pauleen is a doting mommy to this one-year-old chihuahua named Simon. He may look cuddly, but he’s actually suplado. “He doesn’t like other people, he only likes me. Kunwari katabi ko siya. Pag gigisingin na ‘ko, tatahol siya. Grrr!” Simon is so protective of his owner that he once went after JC de Vera, Pauleen’s former MU (mutual understanding) and her co-star in the 2006 film White Lady.
“There was this scene in White Lady na hinampas ako ni JC. Alam mo ba na nag-enter-frame si Simon at hinabol niya si JC at galit na galit siya kay JC!” Pauleen then tells Simon: “Nagkataon lang maliit ka. Kasi, kung malaki ka, nakakatakot ka.”
On top of Pauleen’s dresser is a Bible and inspirational books, including Blessed Mother Teresa: Her Journey to Your Heart by TT Mundakel, When God Writes Your Love Story by Eric and Leslie Ludy, and The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren. That’s a Macintosh laptop in the center.
Pauleen’s beauty products include The Body Shop Amorito eau de toilette, Citre Shine Fresh Fusion, and TIGI Catwalk Curls Rock.
One side of the mirror has photos of Pauleen with Eat Bulaga co-hosts Ruby Rodriguez, Ciara Sotto, Toni Rose Gayda, Gladys Guevarra, and Julia Clarete.
Of the five, she’s closest to Ruby. “Ewan ko, nagja-jibe lang talaga kami. Hindi kami masyadong showbiz. Like, 'di ba may mga ibang artista na they go out at night, gimik-gimik with other artistas? Kami hindi. We hang out sa mga bahay namin.”
Pauleen adds that she’s also close to Paolo Ballesteros.
Pauleen’s mom, Chat, helps her when choosing clothes. Though her closet is filled with clothes, Pauleen says she’s not much of a fashionista. “Super-simple lang ako, jeans lang ako, simple sandals and shirt lang. Wala naman akong pakialam when it comes to the clothes I wear.” She doesn’t even have any favorite brands. “I can wear anything!” She prefers to shop at the Shangri-La Edsa Mall: “It’s like my second home. Everything’s there.”
Pauleen originally wanted an orange-colored room, but reconsidered and settled for a shade that she describes as “parang peach.” Orange is really her favorite color, but she’s forced to admit: “Ang pangit naman kung orange talaga ’yong room, masakit sa mata.” Proudly displayed on top of a dresser is her publicity photo for Volta, her 2004 comedy film with Ai-Ai delas Alas.
The room’s purple curtains and purple bedspread provide a stark contrast to the room’s light-colored wallpaper. Various magazines, including YES!, are piled neatly on one side of the bed.
Pauleen’s dad’s collection includes metal die-cast scale-model bikes from Tamiya, Yamaha, and Suzuki. A scale model costs anywhere from a low P900 to as much as P5,000.
