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| ysabel ortega at 'the gift' presscon |
YSABEL ORTEGA is being introduced in Alden Richards’ new primetime drama series, “The Gift”, that is now trending worldwide every night, right after “Beautiful Justice”. She is the daughter of Sen. Lito Lapid with former actress Michelle Ortega who is now the DSWD assistant secretary. Is she in good terms with her biological dad?
“Yes, we talk on the phone,” she says. “Alam niyang I’m now with GMA-7 and he’s happy naman for me. Supportive po siya sa decision ko to join showbiz and he wishes me well in my career. There was a time nagkaroon kami ng tampuhan but we are okay now.”
But she admits she is closer to her stepfather, Gen. Gregorio Pimentel, the current PDEA deputy director general who married her mom in January of last year with no less than Pres. Duterte as main sponsor.
“After I met my Daddy Greg, I felt na nag-click kami agad. Ni wala kaming ilangan or adjustment period. I was comfortable with him right away and we’re now very close. I’m so happy for my mom that she found him at napangasawa siya. He treats me as his real daughter and I can feel he loves me talaga. So I now have two dads and, as they say, the more the merrier. I’m really happy.”
She admits boys are scared of wooing her. “Andami ko kasing bantay,” she laughs. “Maraming takot sa bago kong daddy dahil general. Nakaka-intimidate daw. Pero right now, wala naman akong time magpaligaw kasi kahit na I’m working now, tuloy-tuloy po ang studies ko.
"I’m majoring in political economy at the University of Asia and the Pacific. I really go to school everyday at hindi siya home school. So kung may free time ako after taping and after school, I’d rather just rest and go to sleep.”
In “The Gift”, Ysabel is the third child of Jean Garcia and Martin del Rosario plays his Kuya. Alden is Jean’s son in her first marriage, but Alden as Sep got lost in Quiapo and is raised by Jo Berry. Ysabel will meet Alden again but she doesn’t know that they are really brother and sister.