Christine "Tintin" Bersola-Babao marks her return to television via her new program on entrepreneurship slated to air over Cignal TV next month.
Joining her on the show is business coach Chinkee Tan.
After her last program on TV5, the wife of broadcaster Julius Babao became preoccupied with her various business ventures, and she is excited to share all the valuable insights and experiences.
"But prior to that, may online financial literacy show na kami na ginagawa ni Chinkee, yung MoneyWise.
"It’s available online sa Facebook and YouTube kasi nga yun yung passion ko—to educate people, to be successful in business," she told PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) during the Lock&Lock event at its flagship store located at the sixth level of East Wing of Shangri-La Plaza recently.
Tintin clarified that she only hosted the event, and host-model Janeena Chan was the celebrity endorser of the plastic kitchen organization and storage brand.
She commented, "Ako lang ang nag-host ng event sa launch ng kanilang travel accessories collection called the Travel Zone... Pero matagal na akong gumagamit ng mga produkto ng Lock&Lock.
"Simula pa nung ikinasal kami ni Julius nung 2003, isa ang Lock&Lock sa mga una naming boxes sa bahay. Alam mo na, bagong kasal...Alam mo up to know, amazing kasi buo pa siya."
CHRISTINE'S BUSINESS VENTURES
What are some of the businesses that she got into?
She proudly said, "For two years na, meron akong Styled Pop-Up store dito sa luxury mall na Shangri-La Plaza, 450 square meters, ha. Hindi ba nag-start ako sa pagtiya-tiyangge? Bazarista ako, di ba?
"Naalala mo yung Celebrity Bazaars? Di ba ang mga bazaar [ay] sa medyo hindi upscale na mga venue?"
But she clarified, "Hindi ako may-ari nung mga store sa loob, ha? Nagre-rent sila ng space sa akin.
"Ako, nagre-rent ako sa Shang ng space.
"Pero ang mga clients ko, nagre-rent sa amin. Pinoy designers. So, I give Filipino designers a chance to shine."
Tintin proudly revealed the identity of one her celebrity clients.
She continued, "Alam mo kung sino ang sasali sa amin?
"Sana matuloy si Jessy Mendiola.
"Yung kanyang [swimwear and beach accessories]... di ba pumasok na siya sa online, yung kanyang Jessy Line?
"Ayun! In-invite namin siya.
"'Tapos, sabi niya, kapag marami na raw siyang gawa, kasi laging sold-out online.
"Dyu-join na siya sa amin. Ayan, Jessy Mendiola!"
With her booming businesses, she joked, "So, sino ang mas mayaman sa amin ni Julius?"
Julius is currently the main anchor of ABS-CBN's late-night news broadcast Bandila and DZMM's Lingkod Kapamilya.
Smiling, Tintin remarked, "Aba, siya kailangan niyang magtrabaho seven days a week.
"Ako, hindi. Housewife. Hindi ko kailangang kumayod. Hahaha!"
Doesn't she miss being on television?
In an interview held in August 2018, she said, "Hindi ko nami-miss yung schedule, yung magigising ng madaling araw, araw-araw, 'tapos super traffic, 'tapos ito [sa business], hawak ko oras ko.
"Palagi naming sinasabi, 'Huwag ka mag-depend sa trabaho kasi kapag mawala yang trabaho mo, empleyado ka lang, paano ka na?
"Kailangang marunong kang gumawa ng sarili mong pera. So paano? E, di business."
She then underlined, "Kasi iyan yung ikayayaman ng tao, e."
Aside from the pop-up store, the veteran television host-producer has the CBB Food, Beverages and Services, Corp., which champions all locally made, all-Pinoy food products.
In an article published on September 26, 2018, by PEP.ph, she said, "I distribute. I don't bake my own food, I don't make my own food, I don't cook my own food.
"I find brands na under the radar, baguhan, or wanting to be established, and then I sell them to supermarkets, sa mga bazaars."
Christine has also written and published her own series of books via CBB Publishing, and is the founder of parenTIN.tv, the very first online parenting show in the country.
How does she know which venture will work?
"It’s easy when you love what you’re doing," she said in the same interview.
"Di ba sabi nga nila, pagka gusto mo, may paraan. Kapag ayaw mo, may dahilan. Ako laging may paraan, lagi akong may time for it.
"...So when you have a goal, you do everything to get that goal."
CHRISTINE: A HANDS-ON MOM
Despite all her various business ventures, the proud mom still takes great pride in being a hands-on mom to her kids Antonia and Nio.
She revealed, "Sa ngayon, 14 na si Anya at naghu-home schooling na siya.
"Naniniwala kasi ako na teaching your own kid is the best."
She is happy her business ventures have given her the gift of time.
I'm enjoying motherhood," Tintin told PEP.ph in 2016.
"I want to live long so I can see my apos. A long and happy, healthy, productive life.
"Kapag nakikita mo mga anak mo, naiisip mo, 'Wow, ten years from now, I'll be 57. Iyong anak kong 6, 16 lang.' Alam mo iyon'"
Back to her recent interview, the producer-author resumed, "Being at home most of the time keeps me closer sa mga anak ko.
"Saka para rin hindi sila sobrang pressured kapag nag-aaral.
"At yun nga, mas madalas ko sila kasama, kaya we would often create engaging video blog content para sa social media account ko.
"Nilalagay ko sa YouTube channel ko yung mga bonding moments namin ng anak ko whether nagluluto kami or nagbabasa ng libro."
CHRISTINE THE VLOGGER
Like most celebrity influencers, Christine has also diversified her content to cater to the whims of her growing base of fans and followers.
She put out her first vlog on October 30, 2018, her 48th birthday.
She said, "May travel vlog din ako. I finally joined the bandwagon of YouTubers and bloggers. I finally gave in.
"Truth is, matagal ko nang gustong gawin iyan.
"Pero October of last year ko lang nasimulan.
"Yung mga unang nilalagay ko sa YouTube channel ko, karamihan tungkol sa milestones ng mga anak ako at mga adventure namin."
Her second vlog was a virtual tour of their family home, Casa Uccello.