Body Talk with Ruffa Gutierrez

Sixteen years after she finished Second Princess (third place) in the Miss World pageant, Ruffa Gutierrez is still as drop-dead gorgeous as ever, every inch queenly even after a failed marriage (to Yilmaz Bektas) that left her wounded but unbowed.

“Look closely,” she would tell you, “I haven’t had a single part of my body cosmetically enhanced. Lahat original.”

She has become a real actress, too, after, as she put it, “having loosened up” and thrown caution to the wind the moment she goes before the camera.

“That part of my life has become natural, too,” she stressed. “Life has taught me a lot; life is indeed the best teacher.”

In the Ukay-Ukay episode (directed by Don Michael Perez) of the smash-hit Regal trilogy franchise Shake, Rattle & Roll XI (or simply SRR XI), Ruffa plays a bride-to-be whose wedding is deterred by a “possessed” gown from ukay-ukay. She’s paired with ex-boyfriend Zoren Legaspi from whom she has been separated for more than seven years. Unlike Ruffa, Zoren is happily married...to Carmina Villarroel with whom he has twins (a boy and a girl).

The other episodes of SRR XI are Lamang Lupa, directed by Jessel Monteverde and Diablo, by Rico Gutierrez.

A former Miss Argentina (who competed in the 1994 Miss Universe pageant held here, won by India’s Sushmita Sen) died from complications of a butt-enhancing surgery two weeks ago. What’s your take on cosmetic surgery?

“It’s up to the woman to decide. Whatever makes her feel good about herself, if she feels more confident about herself after cosmetic surgery, then go right ahead. I think cosmetic surgery should be kept to a minimum because when people notice that you have something done it means that it’s bad plastic surgery. Personally, after giving birth I’ve never done anything to my body.”

So every part of your body is original, from head to foot?

“Yes, every little part. You know, I’ve been offered so many times to do liposuction but I’ve seen so many people who have had liposuction gain weight afterward. So why would I do it? I’d rather just go to the gym and have my Belo non-invasive slimming treatment which really works well with me.”

Aren’t your friends who have gone through it convincing you to, well, try it, too?

“No, they are not. I think natural beauty is still the best. With the way that I look now, hindi naman ako nawawalan ng admirers. Nakapila pa rin sila. Hehehehehe! So why touch my face and my body? I think I still look fine the way I am. People tell me that I look younger than my age. If it ain’t broke, why fix it, di ba? One thing that I promise myself to do next year is to go back to the gym regularly.”

By osmosis, you draw considerable amount of youthfulness by associating with young(er) and happy people, right?

“I have my brothers Richard and Raymond and all their friends who are all young. Yes, it really helps. I always pray to God that He surround me with good, loving friends who can lead me in the right direction.”

How do you take care of your body?

“I’m very maalaga with my body. I’ve been going to the derma since I was 13 for regular facials. I always use sunblock before I go out and a bunch of creams and moisturizers. You have to take care of yourself while you are still fresh, while you still don’t have any wrinkles. I stay out of the sun.”

Not having time to go to the gym, what workout do you do?

“I do Pilates twice a week. One of my New Year’s resolutions is to be sporty. I plan to do yoga and to run. Basta, I promise to go to the gym as often as I can.”

What part of your b ody needs some improvement?

“If ever there was, why would I say it for the whole world to see? That’s for me to know.”

What part naman is most vulnerable?

“My heart. Because when I fall in love I give my all. People always say, ‘Why don’t you fall in love with someone who loves you more than you love them?’ But then, I think that’s not living a passionate life. I always listen to the dictates of my heart and sometimes it gets me into trouble. But no regrets.”

And what part is your favorite?

“My legs. Everyone notices my long legs.”

How’s your diet?

“I eat everything except pork. I don’t have a regular diet. Life is too short, so I eat whatever I want but in moderation. That’s the key: doing everything in moderation. Believe it or not, but my favorite foods are the fattiest, like daing from Cebu, chicken adobo and sinangag. I just make sure that if I do eat a lot in the morning, I don’t eat so much in the evening.”

What’s usually for breakfast?

“I usually just have my espresso coffee...I have my own espresso machine... so I usually have cafe latte or capuccino. Then, I usually have my sinangag for lunch with either corned beef, Spam or egg sunny side up. That’s when I’m home. If I’m out, iba naman.”

For dinner?

“Usually I just order something light, like a salad or steak.”

Snacks in-between?

“You know, I love desserts but I have cut down on sweets because diabetes runs in my mom’s family. So snack is usually carrots or singkamas.”

Vitamins?

“Woman’s multi-vitamin, Vitamin C Extract, Iron and Calcium.”

How much water do you take per day?

“I know I should be drinking more than six to eight glasses per day. I don’t like juices and softdrinks so much.”

With your busy schedule, do you manage to sleep eight hours every night?

“I’m supposed to sleep 10 hours per night but lately I’ve been having only six to seven hours. If I don’t get enough sleep, I get cranky.”

Favorite sleep wear...nothing?

“Of course, not! Grabe! I will freeze kapag ganoon. Magkakasakit ako the next day. I love wearing short nighties. My favorite brands are La Perla and Natori.”

Do you sleep alone or with the kids?

“Sometimes I sleep alone, sometimes I sleep with the kids, sometimes I sleep with only six or seven pillows to keep me warm. And I always sleep with a comforter. Ginawin ako, eh. Kaya super-tipid ako sa kuryente because I seldom use the aircon. And especially since I have no one to hug naman.”

Do you snore?

“Only when I’m super, super, super tired. Pero ‘yung cute na snores, huh. Hindi ‘yung nakakadiri.”

Do you talk in your sleep?

“No. Never!”

Do you sleepwalk?

“No. I’m a safe sleeper.”

Last thing that you do before you go to sleep?

“I need at least 15 minutes to completely wash my face, put cream, body oil and body lotion kahit mag-isa lang ako sa bed kailangan silky smooth pa rin ang skin ko.”

Akala ko ba you wait for calls from Turkey.

“Yes, I wait for calls and texts but not from Turkey. Hehehehe! Hayaan mo na ako maging masaya sa text at tawag, ano! And then, after the whole ritual, I pray.”

And the first thing that you do when you wake up?

“I ask for my cup of cafe latte or capuccino.”

How do you cope with stress?

“Quite easily. You know, the stress level in Istanbul is much more difficult than the stress level here. Here, the stress level is more about showbiz, about intrigues. When I was living in Turkey, the stress is more, you know, real life — about cultural difference, about family. When I’m stressed out, I go to the spa or I go somewhere far away. What relaxes me is the sound of the ocean. I like Boracay nowadays. You know what, I plan to travel around the Philippines. Ang dami pala nating magagandang places, like Palawan which I plan to explore next summer.”

Favorite hideaway.

“I have three. One is Maldives. It’s so beautiful. There, you can hear yourself think, you can relax, feed the fish. Two, Paris, the most romantic city in the world. Third, yes, I would have to say Istanbul. I really fell in love with the place. Given a chance to go back there, I would love to. It’s an east-meets-west city. You have the culture, the history...it’s the only place in Europe with so many religions co-existing with one another. I was living on the Asian side. You cross the bridge and you’re already in Europe na. Istanbul amazes me. I hope Yilmaz will allow me to visit his country again.”

Ah, but you are persona non-grata naman there, ‘no?

“As of now? Kinda! Hehehehe!”

How’s your love life?

“Honestly? Wala. I would like to close my path. I already filed for annulment and custody for our daughters (Lorin, five years old; and Venice, four). I would like to close that chapter of my life before I could move on to what God has in store for me. God has the perfect plan for me. Right now, wala akong boyfriend at hindi ako naghahanap. I believe you should never look. Because whenever I fall in love it always comes at the most unexpected time and at the weirdest situation. And when you look, you never find anyone, so I wait for him to find me.”

You prefer a younger man, somebody your age or somebody older?

“You know, for me age doesn’t matter; it’s just a number. What’s important is the maturity and as long as you have meeting of the minds. I know older men who are like 45 who can’t even commit. And I know younger men who are more mature.”

Name three men you think have nice bodies?

“Puede palitan ang question? Kasi pinag-isipan ko na ‘yan, eh. Better pa, men over 40 who still look good and still take care of themselves and look younger than their age. Gabby Concepcion, Richard Gomez, Robin Padilla and Edu Manzano.”

And three women...

“Ibahin ko rin kasi pinag-isipan ko rin ‘yan. Three women na lang who have the most beautiful faces — without make-up, huh, without make-up. Kahit bagong gising, maganda ang skin nila, maganda talaga sila. KC Concepcion, Heart Evangelista and Kristine Hermosa. And the two hot women all-around — Georgina Wilson and Solenn Heussaff (A model and make-up artist, said to be Derek Ramsay’s ex-girlfriend — RFL). I’ve seen so many beautiful women in my life and when I first saw Georgina, who was introduced to me by my brother Richard (Who was then going steady with Georgina — RFL), I was really blown away. Sa akin, for a woman to be sexy, she must have substance; it’s not just a body. It’s also in the mind. They must also be smart and know what they want.”

Using only body language, how would you make a man know that you admire him?

“I don’t. He has to pursue me! Grabe! Hehehehe!”

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