Carmina Villarroel & Zoren Legaspi: Twin Parenting

The family that laughs together, stays stronger together.

That sums up the family of Carmina Villarroel and Zoren Legaspi, and their twins Cassandra (nicknamed Casey) and Maverick (Mavy) who turned 13 last Jan. 6 and who are enrolled in the same school.

Fans still fondly recall the couple’s fairy-tale garden wedding two years ago after they had lived together for more than a decade. The twins, who were part of the secondary sponsors, actually participated in secretly planning the event along with their father and close friends (including Carmina’s manager Dolor Guevarra and friend/fellow talent manager Shirley Kuan). It caught Carmina by surprise.

In a free-wheeling Conversation, Carmina talks about how she and Zoren are bringing up the twins hands-on, being more like barkada to them.

How different is Casey from Mavy?

“Physically, talagang magka-iba sila — the eyes, the nose, the mouth, the hair, the complexion. Even their body structure.”

And how are they similar to each other?

“They are both sweet…mababait, eh! They both have dimples, mas malalim lang ang kay Mavy.”

Obviously, they inherited their dad’s dimples, ‘no?

“I think so. Kasi I have no dimples naman, eh!”

Who between them is older?

“I delivered them by Caesarian section at a hospital in the States. If it were by normal delivery, Casey should be older by a few minutes. When they opened me up, unang nilabas si Mavy but even then it’s Casey who is older…by two minutes lang naman.”

What is your and Zoren’s parenting style?

“Zoren is more of the disciplinarian. But at the same time he’s the children’s friend, parang barkada. I am the typical mommy na, you know, ‘O, did you wash your hands, brush your teeth?’ The usual reminders ng mga mommy.”

Aren’t you a spoiler?

“Spoiler? Not so much. Zoren and I are the same. It depends. Like, if they want something, they should earn it. When they get high grades, which is all the time because they are very studious, we give them rewards. That’s the only time we buy what they ask for. But always, kailangan ‘yung talagang needed…need ha, not just like.”

Are you the spare-the-rod-and-spoil-the-child type of parents?

“Not exactly. When the kids were younger, may spanking rod talaga si Zoren. It was a small stick lang naman. Me, I don’t have the heart to spank the kids. But before Zoren would use the spanking rod, may mga warnings muna ‘yan. We never use our hands in spanking them. After the spanking session, we would talk to them, explain to them why they deserved it para hindi na nila uulitin. But now at their age, wala na kaming mga ganoon. I think we have been able to instill in them the values.”

Like what values?

“Respect for other people, especially the elders. We always remind them to say ‘po’ and ‘opo’ when they are talking to people older than them. For them to treat people equally, wala ‘yung mas nakaka-angat ka. Equal rights lang talaga lahat. For them to be considerate of other people.”

They are growing up fast. Soon they will have crushes. Any reminders about this?

“Actually, even at 13, they don’t entertain ‘yang mga crushes na ‘yan. Friends-friends lang. Cassandra has friends who are boys and Mavy also has friends who are girls. Wala pa sa isip nila ‘yang mga crushes-crushes na ‘yan.”

Are you and Zoren bringing up the kids the way you were brought up by your own parents?

“Medyo…whatever I have grown up on. But medyo iba na. Our generation wasn’t that open, di ba? My parents were the ‘touching’ type, very demonstrative and with our kids, dino-doble ko. Mas nag-a-I-love-you kami sa isa’t-isa. Kids today are more advanced because they are exposed to the social media. But I limit their use of social media, I try to balance them. I don’t want their lives to revolve around it. Also, Zoren and I make sure that our communication lines are open.”

In the commercials (Selecta Ice Cream, Jollibee, etc.), you really look like a happy family. Kayong-kayo talaga.

“Yes, kaming-kami. That’s why siguro it was easy for us to shoot those commercials because we don’t have to act; we just have to be ourselves. I think that’s what the agencies like, na huwag ilayo sa kung ano kami talaga. You know, it’s hard to pretend. With us, what you see is what you get. I love our commercials because they always have funny parts. We are like that. We laugh a lot together.”

What have been your trying moments as a mom?

“Siguro, as a mother, the hardest part is when the children get sick. Fortunately, hindi naman nagkaroon ng malalang sakit ang mga anak namin. But every time they get sick, Zoren and I would say, ‘Sana tayo na lang ang may sakit, ano, huwag na sila.’ We want to spare them from the pain. Like now, they are coughing, one month bago matanggal ang ubo. In moments like that, doon lumalabas ang pagka-selfless mo, your unconditional love as a parent and as a mother.”

How do you balance your time between parenting and showbiz?

“Right now, my schedule is flexible, so I have more time for my kids. Good timing because it’s summer and they are out of school. Since I have no shows at the moment, the rest of the week I’m always with them. Like today, we did the grocery together. Palagi silang parte ng buhay ko and vice-versa. If, for example, I have a soap to do, I tell them, ‘O, mga anak, in the next three months my schedule will be like this…’ They understand naman because at an early age, they have been exposed to our kind of work. But always, even if I’m at work I always check on them, I call them.”

You started in commercials early, ‘yung edad ngayon ng mga anak mo. (That was 20 or so years ago when she did quite a few, the most prominent being the Jollibee commercial showing her sitting by the door, her hand resting on her chin, waiting for her folks to come home with their pasalubong from Jollibee.)

“How time flies! Twenty years later, I’m again doing a Jollibee commercial, now with Zoren and our children. Actually, Casey and Mavy were much younger than I was when I started doing commercials. They were only four years old when they started, while I was already 10.”

You’re really a Jollibee Baby.

“Correct! That’s why I’m super happy when they got us again (as Jollibee ambassadors).”

Does it mean you are letting your children eventually join showbiz?

“Our usapan is for them to finish college first. After that, if they really want to go into showbiz, sige, we will support them. As of now, guesting-guesting once in a while. They have guested on ASAP (the ABS-CBN Sunday show) twice already. Okey lang because they love to dance and they enjoy what they are doing. Besides, it’s summer naman. But once school opens, tigil na muna.”

Any plan of having another child?

“Ay, parang hindi na yata, hindi na siguro. We have a boy and a girl, and that’s enough already.”

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