The multi-titled and multi-tasking celebrity Cory Quirino wears another working cap in Celebrity Duets—a performer's hat.
Jill of all trades but definitely not a master of none; the acknowledged health and beauty guru is a TV host, radio anchor, philantrophist, author, endorser of several health and wellness products, a soon-to-be store owner, and now a performer with her participation in the second edition of Celebrity Duets that piloted successfully last Saturday, August 23, on GMA-7.
Cory is the host of the long-running show The Good Life airing on ANC and TFC every Sunday at 10 a.m. She also anchors for DZMM's Ma Beauty Po Naman every Sunday at 11 a.m.. She wrote the best-selling series of health and wellness books, Forever Young, now on its fourth series.
Besides her work for Rotary Club, she is also the staunchest supporter of Tuloy Sa Don Bosco, a home for the streetchildren being run by Father Rocky Evangelista in Alabang.
Cory is a favorite motivational speaker invited by several organizations in her advocacy for wellness of the body, soul, and spirit. She is proud to say that the Nurses' Board always invites her prior to the board exam to extol the positive-thinking approach in life, which delivers about 60 to 70 percent passing grades to those who attend the symposium.
One of the earlier supporters of virgin coconut oil (VCO), she met and partnered with friend Sheila May Velilia of Nutramedica who created for her a line of VCO products. This October, they are opening a health and wellness store in Virra Mall, the Cory Quirino World of Wellness, that is a cross-between NGC and The Body Shop but offering only locally-made products.
CELEBRITY DUETS. With so many to-do's on her list, Cory was surprised and challenged when she got a call from GMA-7 asking her to be one of the contenders of the second season of the FremantleMedia franchise Celebrity Duets.
"Ang unang tanong ko sa kanila, ‘Bakit ako, hindi naman ako singer?' Natuwa ako sa sagot nila, ‘Pero performer ka naman,'" recounts Cory over lunch today, August 26, in a Chinese restaurant on Tomas Morato sponsored by her line of VCO products Coco Zen.
Besides encouragement, the one-million-peso cash prize that she can donate to her favorite charity was a good incentive to accept the offer.
"It has always been an advocacy of mine to help the streetchildren in our country. Ang Tuloy Sa Don Bosco, nagsimula with just 10 streetchildren. Now there are 600 residents. Hinihintay na nila ang one-million cash prize doon. Alam n'yo naman ako, positive thinker," says Cory.
First she asked her DZMM boss Peter Musngi if she could accept the job, even though she considers herself a freelancer.
"Ang sagot sa akin ni Peter, ‘Maganda ‘yan, sali ka."
Now, she's thinking out loud if she can promote or vie for text votes over her radio show, which is in ABS-CBN.
"May meeting kami ni Peter mamaya. Itatanong ko kung puwedeng mag-promote or puwedeng sabihin ang show. Baka hindi pumayag, pero itatanong ko na rin.
"Aba, kung papayag sila, kakausapin ko na sina Ted [Failon] at Korina [Sanchez] na i-promote din ang text votes ko sa mga radio shows nila!" she adds jokingly.
The granddaughter of the late President Elpidio Quirino never dreamed of joining showbiz because she was raised in a strict household.
"I remember when I was eighteen, nagpunta pa sa bahay namin ang organizers ng Binibining Pilipinas para pasalihin ako. Sabi ko sa kanila, ‘Talk to my dad.' Hindi rin ako pinayagan. Strict kasi ang parents ko, e!" laughs Cory.
HEALTH & WELLNESS GURU. As to her being a specialist in health and wellness, Cory reveals that it all started when she was 21 years old and 15 pounds overweight.
"I was the PR Manager then of Hyatt Hotel and I was overweight, and I said to myself, hindi puwede ito. Paano ito mangyayari?"
Even at the age of six, Cory was never fond of meat. She remembers the steak her father insisted that she eat; she gladly gave it to her sibling because she never liked the taste of meat.
"Kaya at 21, I started eating healthy food, una Japanese. Then I started going to the gym. Doon ko naman nakilala ang isang grupo ng babae, they were five or six, who kept asking me kung bakit maganda ang body ko.
"So I told them to eat this and that and they said they will do it. Pero napapansin ko, walang nagbabago sa mga katawan nila kaya minsan, sumama ako sa kanila to eat after gym. Aba, ang mga nakalatag bulalo, lechong kawali... Sabi ko sa kanila, ‘Di ba, sabi ko don't eat these?' Ang sagot nila, sabi ko raw, low-fat lang so pinapaalis nila ang mga taba sa lechong kawali at balat lang daw ang kinakain nila. That inspired me to write my first book Forever Young."
HAVING FUN. She has yet to write the fifth book in the series. Meanwhile, Celebrity Duets has already started.
"Sobrang nag-e-enjoy ako ngayon sa Celebrity Duets. And we're really bonding talaga, ha. Tama ang sinabi ni Tessa [Prieto Valdes, Season 1 winner], it's so much fun!
"Ngayon, hindi lang ako singer, dancer na rin. Ang first song ko "Dancing Queen." This Saturday [August 30], "Bailamos" naman with Renz Verano. Sabi sa akin ni Renz nang nagpa-practice kami, hindi naman daw siya dancer. Sabi ko, ako rin naman kaya let's enjoy na lang.
"Gusto ko kasi, I will not have any regret in life pagtanda ko. Na hindi ko nasubukan gawin lahat ang puwede kong magawa. When I'm 100 years old, I can look back and say to my apos, I joined that show.""
LOVE & POLITICS. Separated from former Ateneo player Mon Tapales, Cory has a daughter and an eight-year-old grandson. She is not dating anyone right now.
"I'm enjoying myself right now, so now is not the time for me to commit to anyone," she quips.
What about politics where her roots are?
"Four elections na akong tinatanong kung papasok daw ba ako sa politika. Ngayon pa nga lang, may dalawang parties nang nag-aalok for 2010. Hindi ako tumatanggi, pero hindi ako nagsasabi ng yes. Makakatulong naman ako even without going to politics."