The public last saw sexy star Cristina Gonzales on the big screen in 1997. She starred in the movie Bagamundo opposite Chuck Perez and Priscilla Almeda.

Before that, she acted in over thirty movies including Robin Padilla's Bad Boy and Bad Boy 2, Bikining Itim, Nimfa, Kailangan Kita, and Sana Kahit Minsan. This all happened in a span of ten years.

It's easy to say that Cristina, or Kring Kring as she is known in showbiz circles, was one of the hottest actresses of the '90s.

But life changed when she married current Tacloban city Mayor Alfred Romualdez in 1998. She dropped her career in an instant to start a family with him in Tacloban.

Cristina gave birth to two daughters, Sofia and Diana, who are now elevn and eight years old.

From ST star, Cristina plays four new roles in her life these days—wife, mother, entrepreneur and councilor of Tacloban, Leyte.

COUNCILOR OF TACLOBAN At an exclusive dinner party with the press and other esteemed guests during the Sangyaw Festival in Tacloban last June, Cristina sat down to chat with PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) about her new life in the province.

At that time, Cristina was on the roll as she was hands-on with the festival preparations. She heads the city's committee on tourism and was on top of every detail of the festival.

"For this whole month talagang na-busy ako. This whole June, kami ni mayor (her husband, Alfred) talagang sobrang getting ready for all the details and the visitors that arrive in and out," she says.

Since her first election in 2007, Cristina has worked non-stop as the city's first district councilor. It was something far different from what she had done in the past, but she says she's enjoying her current work in politics.

"Actually, I never thought na ma-e-enjoy ko yung pagiging councilor. Marami akong natutunan na mga bagong things na hindi ko naman ginagawa noon. Like sa legislation, gano'n," she says.

"I'm enjoying it as a councilor now. Actually wala talaga akong plano, e."

Cristina recounted that it was her father-in-law, Alfredo, the former mayor of Tacloban, who convinced her to join politics in 2007.

"[Sabi ng] father-in-law ko, malaki yung tulong kung nand'yan ako [sa konseho] para maimpluwensiyahan ko rin yung ibang mga konsehal na pagdating sa mga botohan ng mga ordinansa na kailangan ma-implement ni mayor."

"Kailangan namin yung boto ng sanggunian. So, pag anjan ako, syempre nagiging friend ko sila. Of course ako, yung vote ko, one vote na rin ako, di ba? So, majority kami."