Tila unti-unti nang pinapasok ni Dominique Cojuangco ang showbiz.
Isang taon na halos mula nang makita ng publiko ang marangyang debut ng nag-iisang anak nina Gretchen Barretto at Tony Boy Cojuangco, at ngayon ay kasama na rin ang dalaga sa hanay ng celebrity endorsers ng Bench.
Silang tatlo nina Addie Manzano at Sam Rodriguez ang mga bagong mukha ng Bench sa kanilang bagong Bench Skin whitening lotion, kunsaan nire-represent nila ang iba't ibang bersyon nito na supra white, nature white, at hydrawhite.
Si Addie ay anak ni Edu Manzano, habang si Sam naman ay anak ng yumaong mestisong aktor na si Miguel Rodriguez na sumikat noong 1980s at pumanaw noong February 1997.
Posible kayang hudyat na itong Bench endorsement ng tuluyang pagpasok ng showbiz ni Dominique?
“No, no... She's not going full time in show business,” paglilinaw naman ng ina nito na si Gretchen nang makausap ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) at ilang TV crew sa ginanap na launching para sa anak kagabi, Biyernes, April 4, sa Bench Tower, Taguig City.
Ayon pa kay Gretchen, “Babalik siya ng London. In a few hours she's going back to London.
“Madaling-araw ang flight niya. She's doing commercials. Marami siyang offer na commercial and yun ang mga gusto niyang gawin, namimili siya.”
Hindi na rin daw kinailangan pa ng anak na humingi ng permiso sa kanya para tanggapin ang pagiging Bench endorser.
Aniya, “She's 19, she's an adult. She just tells me, 'Mom, I want this. Mom, I don't want this.'
“Kasi, yung offer they go through me, 'di ba? She tells me, 'Mom, I think I can't do that' or 'Yeah, I'll do that.'”
Natatawa naman si Gretchen habang nililinaw na hindi siya ang manager ng anak, kundi si Pia Campos para sa Bench at ang Backroom Inc. naman para sa iba pang proyekto nito.
MORE FABULOUS THAN MOM? Isa sa mga personalidad na maitutulad sa mga nangyayari ngayon kay Dominique ay si KC Concepcion, na habang nag-aaral noon sa ibang bansa ay gumagawa ng TV commercials, at pagkatapos nitong mag-aral ay saka pa lang pinasok nang tuluyan ang showbiz.
Posible rin kaya na pagkatapos mag-aral ni Dominique ay mag-artista rin ito?
“That's three more years from now, so I can't tell the future,” sabi ni Gretchen.
Kung sakali, may nakikita naman ba siyang interes sa anak?
Saad niya, “I really don't know. Right now we're spending a lot in sending her to school.
"I want her to be a very, very successful international designer, you know what I mean? That's what I dream for her.
“But of course, ito ang buhay na kinagisnan ko and you know, she's always a part of show business. I'm in show business and Julia [Barretto, ang kanyang pamangkin] is and my family is.”
Posible kayang maging mas “fabulous” pa si Dominique kesa sa mommy nito?
Natatawang sagot naman ni Gretchen, “She will be more fabulous than me, believe me.
“I dream for my daughter to be better than me in every way. Siguro kung nanay ka, 'yan ang wish mo para sa anak mo,” pahayag niya.
CAN DOMINIQUE HANDLE INTRIGUES? Isa si Gretchen sa lapitin ng mga intriga at kung sakali, hindi malayong maging ang anak ay madawit din sa mga intriga ngayong nagsisimula na nga itong maging bahagi ng publiko.
Sabi naman ni Gretchen, “Well, Dominique is so private. Alam kong ang intriga will always be part of her life.
“Simply because she's a Barretto. Simply because anak ko siya. Kakambal ko na yata ang intriga at ng pamilya namin. So, hindi 'yan maiiwasan.
“I believe Tony and I have raised Dominique with so much love. She's equipped with so much love na puwede ko na siyang pakawalan.
“She's not a baby anymore. She's turning 19 and ang dami niyang alam more than I know. Maybe, more than I'll ever know.
“She's so independent in London. She takes the tube [underground railway]. She has been offered an scholarship in her school.
“She achieved so much in a few months in London and I'm just very proud. Her dad is very, very proud of her.”
Sa palagay niya, kaya na kayang harapin ng kanyang anak ang anumang isyu na ibabato rito?
“You know I always tell her, intrigues, problems or any situation will always be part of life.
“Whether you're rich or poor, fat or thin, tall or short, you will always have problems. No one will go through life without problems or intrigues or whatever it is.
“You might as well face it. And I think she's tough. I think she's a tough girl,” pagmamalaki ni Greta.
Alam daw ni Dominique ang mga isyu tungkol sa mommy niya at mga kapatid.
Ayon kay Gretchen, wala raw silang tinatago sa kanyang unica hija.
“As I've said, she's turning 19 and I believe she's smarter than me. Even Tony said, 'God, I never thought this girl is smart.' She's better than I do and yeah...”
“I'VE SAID MY PIECE.” Tumanggi naman agad si Gretchen na magsalita nang tanungin sa isyu nga ng Barretto family at kung paano ito natatanggap ni Dominique.
“You know, that's something I don't want to talk about simply because I believe natigil na... yung usapang pamilyang ganyan. So, to bring it up again... what for? What for, 'di ba?”
Dugtong pa niya, “We have moved on and it's been a year. Things change and people change.
“Enough is enough. We have become very positive. We have been leading and living a very quite comfortable life... peaceful life, I mean... So to deal with negative things, what for? What will we achieve?”
Kung pakikinggan ang gusto ng karamihan, marami pa rin ang naghahangad na maayos silang pamilya.
Sabi naman ni Gretchen, “I really don't want to talk about it and sana you'll respect me. I said it many times and if you wanna talk about it just to get ratings, I'm not gonna give it to you.
“I've spoken, I've said my piece.”
Ang nagbato ng naturang katanungan ay ang PEP contributor na si Gorgy Rula para sa Sunday talk show ng GMA-7 na Startalk.
Dugtong pa ni Gretchen, “I'm serious. I mean, why try and make me talk and then make life miserable just for you to rate? I mean, I've said my piece. I am happy. Don't make me unhappy.
“Don't bring back the past, you know. It's pointless, it's a happy occasion, what for?”
Sundot na tanong naman ng PEP sa kanya, bahagi na nga lang ba ng nakaraan niya yun?
“It's part of my past na and I like my present and I'm looking forward to a great future. Not only for me but for my daughter,” pakli pa niya.
ON NIECE JULIA. Masayang-masaya naman daw siya para sa pamangkin niyang si Julia na iniidolo rin siya.
“Yes, I'm very happy for Julia. I'm very happy for the kids.
“Daniella [kapatid ni Julia] is into blogging. She's very successful. Julia is very successful. She's doing a lot of commercials and her show. Clauie [isa pang kapatid ni Julia] is also doing commercials and si Dominique.
“Everybody is happy,” natatawang sabi niya.
At saka nito sinabi muli na, “So, don't bring it up [the controversy].”
Kinumusta rin kay Gretchen ang tungkol sa pelikulang pinagtatambalan nila ni Richard Gomez sa Star Cinema.
Ayon kay Gretchen, “Na- revise na ang script. I'm supposed to be reading it and then, I'm leaving for London because it's Dominique's birthday.
“Mauuna lang siya and then, susundan ko siya after a few days and I'll be back after her birthday and then, I have to work.”
Sa Instagram account nga niya, makikita sa mga post niya na madalas siyang nasa London.
Talagang pabalik-balik na lang din sila ni Tony Boy sa London para bisitahin si Dominique?
“E, siyempre nandoon ang anak ko. Siyempre, every break I have.
“Kasi sabi ko noon, parang I was feeling very sad that my daughter was going to London. Sabi ni Tony sa akin, there's no reason to be sad. When you're sad and you miss her, just fly to London.
“So, okay... I tell him, 'I'm sad and I'm flying to London,' and then he goes, 'I'm sad too. Let's go to London.'”
“You know, I was in London for a while and when I got home, kami na lang ni Tony sa isang napakalaking bahay.
“I'm not complaining na napakalaki ng bahay namin, baka ilipat ako ni Tony sa maliit na bahay,” natatawang sabi niya.
“Pero sabi ko nga, kapag umuwi ka at wala ang anak mo, it's not the same. It is not the same.
“So, I can't enter her room. When I'm in Manila and she's in London, I can't enter her room. What I do is, there's this one time I just cried and cried. My God, I can't take it. I miss Dominique.
“So Tony said, 'Okay, stop it. We fly the next day.'”
NO PLANS FOR SECOND CHILD? Naitanong din kung wala bang plano si Gretchen na magkaroon pa ng isa pang anak.
Sabi naman niya, “I haven't really thought about that. It's gonna be complicated to get into that. Tony's quite old na rin to really take care... I think we're fine.”
Nami-miss lang niya ang anak sa bahay?
“Yeah, I missed Dominique when she's away, but I think it's normal.”
DADDY'S GIRL? Hiningan din namin si Gretchen ng mensahe niya para sa anak.
Ayon kay Gretchen, “She's just making her dad and me, really, really proud. I can't ask for anything more. She's such a good girl. Hindi tulad ko, bad girl.”
Nasa event din ang daddy ni Dominique na si Tony Boy at kitang-kita rin ang kasiyahan sa mukha nito habang pinapanood ang anak.
Sabi nga ni Gretchen, “Nandiyan ang daddy niya, pinanood lahat from the rehearsal.”
Daddy's girl ba si Dominique?
“The love of his life. More than me.
“I accept. What can I do?” natatawang biro niya.