CEBU, Philippines - How ever we may silently begrudge them for all the things they have — beauty, fame and/or fortune — that we don't, stars still do not have it all. They may be swimming in millions, have the best beauty doctors at their beck and call and enjoy love and affection from an adoring public, but they may also be parrying scandals, struggling with family sickness or spiritual emptiness, or dealing with yet another failed relationship.
But it's good to know they still realize how lucky their positions are from the rest. When The FREEMAN asked some of these visiting celebrities for their Christmas wishes, not one mentioned material things. In fact, most of them wished they would be able to give back more and spread the blessings they've been abundant with. Well, here's wishing these stars meant what they said!
KRIS AQUINO: This year has been the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows for me. So sana ang 2011 happy lang. I always pray for the good health of my whole family, my sons especially. I pray for my brother's safety all the time, that he may continue to do a good job for our country, at ma-sustain yung approval rating niya to the very end of his presidency. I have shows coming up, and it's a comeback in the game show genre so excited ako and very nervous about that. 'The Price Is Right' is coming before my birthday on ABS-CBN, five times a week. It's the real thing, the franchise with all the showcases. One car every night, so bongga talaga siya. I also wish for freedom. Freedom for James [Yap, ex-husband] and myself, so we can both truly move on.
APL.DE.AP: I'm already doing my Christmas wish, which is my charity tour. To be with my family and to finish up my Apl.de.Ap School. I've also started my label called Jeepney Music, so I'll be working in the studio with the first two bands that I picked. I just hope to keep on doing what I'm doing now, my charities and helping out other bands from the Philippines.
EUGENE DOMINGO: Maging maganda ang box-office results ng Ang Tanging Ina. Tuloy-tuloy pa rin sana ang magandang trabaho. In 2011, more significant films, more exciting roles and stories. Sana, makapag-ipon pa dahil alam natin na hindi palaging ganito na ma-ulan. Kung meron man akong natutunan kay Ms. Ai-Ai delas, bukod sa maraming pinag-iisipan niyang negosyo, ay yung mag-ipon.
CHRISTIAN BAUTISTA: I'm looking for a new song. An original song na medyo pang-gulat. Not the usual Christian Bautista. I'm looking for more acting projects, more Asian countries na pwede kong mapuntahan while I still can. Hopefully, I can also help OPM in turning things around for the music industry, through the leadership of Kuya Ogie [Alcasid].
WILL DEVAUGHN: Just more on the spiritual. I wish to be able to connect to God more and be closer to Him, because I was never close to Him. I don't know if you'll believe me but I was reading a book called "The Secret", at the same time, a friend sent me through text a passage from the Bible. I barely read the Bible. Yung Bible na meron ako, binigay sa akin, pero sabi ko sa kanya take it na lang, I don't want it eh. Sabi niya sa akin, 'No, just keep it.' So all this time, it was just inside the shoe box. When I got the message, sabi ko, sige I'll check it na lang. I got it from the shoe box and read the passage. And it said, "You shouldn't sleep with anger in your heart." At the same time, I was reading the same thing in the book "The Secret". As in sabay! When that happened, I had a feeling through my whole body. I couldn't move, I was just stuck there, my eyes were wide open and I just wanted to cry.
AI AI DELAS ALAS: Yung mga anak ko hindi magkasakit. Ang buong Pilipinas maging masaya, walang bagyo at peaceful.
YASMIEN KURDI: I just took my battery exams in school, so sana pumasa ako. I'm taking up Nursing now, second year na ako. Next year, duty na ako sa hospital. Sana tuloy-tuloy yung okey ko na grades at maka-graduate ako agad.
DIE-THER OCAMPO: Sana marami pa kaming magawang proyekto and be able to help out a lot of young people. I hope I get to inspire more unprivileged kids. Sana maging successful din yung teleserye ko, with Robin Padilla and Bea Alonzo, it's called 'Guns and Roses.'
IWA MOTO: Good health. Sana next year hindi na ako magkasakit. Patuloy na maging okay ang family at career ko. Yung pinaka-wish ko, sana yung pinagdadaanan ko ngayon, mawala na.