How does she feel that her daughter Andi Eigenmann has declared her independence and bought her own place? “Nasa akin pa naman sila. She got her own condo in Wack Wack but hindi pa lumilipat. I still have my son Gwen, who’s 13 na at mas mataas na sa akin. Pag nag-high school siya, balak kong lumipat dun sa new house I bought sa South Forbes in Sta. Rosa.”
It’s good they’re now in good terms. “Yes, nagkasakit kasi yung sister ko sa States. When she learned about it, kinausap ako. You should go and visit her. Mula noon, nag-uusap na kami uli. Pag may taping nga ako, pinagluluto pa ako ng baon kasi wala siyang soap ngayon dahil katatapos lang ng ‘Dyesebel’. Kamukha kahapon, may taping ako ng ‘Vampire ang Daddy Ko’, pinagluto ako ng bibimbap. Ayoko na uli mag-away kami kaya prinamis ko talagang hindi na ako uli magko-comment about her lovelife. I don’t mind if she’d fall in love again. Basta sabi ko, wag kang iibig ng dahil sa pera, kasi nauubos yan. Gamitin mo ang puso mo. Just like my advice about acting. If you’re just here for fame and fortune, forget it kasi mawawala yan. You have to do it out of passion. Ako, 30 years na ko sa showbiz, I still have passion for my craft.”
Her next TV series is “Ilustrado”, about Jose Rizal, topbilled by Alden Richards, who she predicts to be one of our best actors in the future. “Nakita ko ang growth ng batang yan as an actor, from ‘Mundo Mo’y Akin’ to ‘Carmela’. May depth siya.”
What about Albie Casino, said to be the dad of her granddaughter Ellie? “Mag-retire na lang siya. Mag-aral siya.”
She’s playing a comic role in “Vampire” and enjoys it. “Lahat ng awards, napanalunan ko na, so tama na yang serious actress. Gusto ko makilala ako ng younger audience. So I enjoy doing caricatures na natatawa sila. It worked in ‘Mundo Mo’ as Donya Charito and as Trixie in ‘Carmela.’ Ang wala ako ngayon, lovelife. 50 na ko, pero okay pa naman ako, di ba? Ewan ko kung bakit walang nanliligaw sa’kin. Ayoko namang maging cougar. Gusto ko yung mga kaedad ko na medyo maputi na ang buhok.”