Gwen Zamora and David Semerad are now ready to resume their respective careers.
Since welcoming their first child in 2019, Gwen and David chose to focus on family life, gradually stepping away from the public eye—including social media.
Gwen had intended to make a showbiz comeback after the pandemic, but the plan was put on hold when she became pregnant again in 2022.
David, formerly a professional basketball player, relocated the family to Sydney, Australia, where they lived for a year and a half.
Now parents to two children—Copper, 5, and Amber, who is turning 2 this July—the couple is easing back into the spotlight.
Read: 10 Filipino celebrities now based in Australia
LIFE IN AUSTRALIA
At their recent launch as the faces of Cosma Aesthetics & Lifestyle Institute, David was asked about his wife returning to acting.
He replied, “It’s her passion and it’s something that she enjoys and I don’t wanna take that away from her, so full support po.”
Back in Australia, while Gwen focused on running the household, David seized the opportunity to pursue two courses—one of which was remedial massage therapy at the Australian Institute of Fitness.
Gwen continued, “We moved to Australia kasi nag-aral siya ng massage therapy, so siya ang pioneer ng first remedial massage therapy sa Philippines.”
David established his own massage therapy clinic in Bonifacio Global City, specializing in “muscle and joint issues, scoliosis, lower back pain, tendonitis, more on muscle manipulation.”
Most of his clients are athletes and busy professionals seeking relief from work-related muscle and joint strain.
PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) asked the couple to elaborate on how they managed day-to-day life in Australia without any househelp.
David answered: “It was nice when we moved to Australia...It was quiet. It was nice. We enjoyed it.
"It was just us and our home. It was fun, the quiet time was fun.
“But now we’re ready to get back into it again. We tested it.
“It was good because we could see ourselves doing it, but we still prefer the Philippines.”
Gwen chimed in, “It was just our family. Kaloka kasi ako yung tagalaba. And then yung mga bata, ang linis ng mga damit.”
David then explained how they divided the household chores.
“She was washing and folding. And ako naman yung cooking with studying.
“When we do the gym, we take turns. So I go in the morning, she watches the kids. Then when I get back, she would go to the gym, then we would switch.
“So while I was studying, I was feeding Amber and studying. And I would call Gwen when she was crying.”
Read: Foreign celebrities living in the Philippines
CHOOSING THE PHILIPPINES OVER AUSTRALIA
When asked to choose between Australia and the Philippines, Gwen and David outlined the pros and cons.
Reflecting on their time in his homeland, David said, “It brought us closer together, and we spend way more time with the kids.”
"We're doing so much, a lot of distractions going on. It got tough. It can get tough."
Gwen echoed, “Actually, there was less away because we were concerned of what needs to get done. There was no time to fight.”
In the end, they made a unanimous decision.
The former cager said, “We spoke about it. We prefer the Philippines."
Gwen added, “It’s more like home."
He threw in, "When we were in Australia, I was born and raised in Australia. I’ve been in the Philippines for over 17 years, and it actually took me three months to adjust in Australia.
“It felt weird. And I got used to it after three months, and then I can see my life there… Philippines is better. [It's] home.
“And people ask, ‘Why?’ I mean it’s… anything is possible here. Maganda dito.”
Gwen seconded, “I agree, yes. Philippines always felt like home. Australia’s nice. The food, of course. But yeah, the Philippines pa rin so… better.”