Kyline’s 18th b-day wish: More offbeat roles, freedom to handle finances

Kyline Alcantara officially bade her teenybopper days goodbye when she turned 18 last Sept. 3. She celebrated the once-in-a-lifetime occasion without the usual party due to the pandemic.

“Although it was intimate, I celebrated my birthday the way I liked it. We will just re-sched the party,” said Kyline of her Maleficent-inspired debut which was set since December 2019.

It would be such a waste to cancel what she and her team had been preparing for months prior to the lockdown.

“I’ve already booked a hotel,” she revealed, “and nakapag-meeting na, nakapag-downpayment na, then this pandemic happened. Actually in the first few months of quarantine, I thought hindi aabot ng September, akala ko matutuloy pa rin yung aking debut. But at some point, I just accepted it na wala na talaga akong magagawa. Napakalaking problema ang meron tayo ngayon so hindi na ako nagbaling masyado ng negative emotions dun.”

Even if becoming a certified adult hasn’t sunk in yet, Kyline is keen on setting new goals for herself.

“I feel like I’m still 17…that I’m still a minor pero sabi nga nila age lang naman yun. My handler, Ate Molly, told me that when you’re 18, ‘People will expect more from you’ so I need to level up my game. So yeah, I’m excited for that challenge. And I am looking forward to more challenges in my career and my personal life because I need to be independent and be extra responsible sa mga bagay-bagay, such as handling my finances,” she explained.

“That’s going to be my priority now kasi ang mga magulang ko yung nag-ma-manage ng money ko, and that’s what I’m going to work on kasi importante po yun. Am I ready to live on my own? Sumasagi siya sa utak ko pero I don’t know,” she replied, yet adding that she has bought a property in Batangas for her family.

As for pieces of advice her parents have given her, Kyline said there’s a lot but she chose not to share the very personal ones.

“Most of them… hehehe kasi medyo malalalim po yun and about sa personal life. But in terms of my career, they told me to always be open-minded. Na kailangan aware ako sa lahat, alam ko yung bawat galaw ko, yung bawat sinasabi ko because people are smart.”

Speaking of career, Kyline is eager to portray more offbeat and challenging roles but seems to have second thoughts about sexy and daring ones.

“I don’t know, let’s see,” she said. “I can’t promise and hindi ko po alam kung anong mangyayari sa future pero kung naka-bathing suit man ako, it’s my own body so I will do what I want.”

Asked if she’s ready to entertain suitors now, Kyline replied, “Hindi pa po kami (me and my parents) nagkaroon ng conversation kung pwede na ba akong ligawan.” Besides, even if someone courts her, Kyline will turn it down because “I’m still young and I need to explore many things” and will not get into virtual courtships via apps like Zoom.

“Kasi gusto ko personal, eh. Kung manliligaw ka, manligaw ka muna sa mga magulang ko,” said Kyline who is very fond of her one-year-old pet corgi.

Meantime, the All-Out Sundays mainstay and Bilangin ang Bituin sa Langit lead star keeps her fingers crossed that the afternoon series, she co-stars with Nora Aunor and Mylene Dizon, will resume in October.

“Ang sarap din sa pakiramdam na magtatrabaho na ulit kami but it’s scary at the same time because of COVID-19,” she concluded.