Piolo and KC, Dingdong and Marian get real about Christmas

MANILA, Philippines – Sweetness can lead to sticky situations. When overdone, sweetness can be cloying, overdone, or tacky. And yet, isn’t sweetness as essential to life as air and water? Experts on evolution say that human beings first developed a taste for sweetness so they could distinguish good fruit from deadly or poisonous produce. 

Perhaps the key to sweetness is that it must be real. 

Real Leaf’s new ambassadors Piolo Pascual, KC Concepcion, Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes embody the values of authenticity, naturalness and the ability to meld body/mind fitness, as the real tea leaves and real honey of this product are not only refreshing but ultimately health-giving as well. 

When asked how they keep it real, as show business is notoriously fake and fickle, they all give different yet enlightening responses. 

KC reveals, “I have just come from Mindanao, in Lanao del Norte as part of my work (for World Food Program), and friends always say that I’m so energized when I come back from there. Yes, it’s dangerous but we have the support of the local government and we were there for the Islamic New Year, and I just really enjoy that part of my job.” 

Piolo turns philosophical. “Faith keeps it real. Showbiz can be deceiving but prayers will always ground you.” 

With sparkling eyes and a wide smile, Marian says, “Ever since I started in showbiz, I’ve always been real, always been myself, which is why I get involved in intrigues and issues. But I’ll always be transparent, that’s me.” 

Dingdong answers with conviction, “I have never believed in not being real. I would never try to be someone I’m not just to be popular. No pretenses.” 

All four of them agree that they are innately sweet people. KC shows her sweetness by being a trusting person. Piolo says that he is very affectionate. Marian admits that she is a touchy-feely person who loves to say, “I love you!” On the contrary, Dingdong doesn’t believe in speaking much but says, “I show my sweetness more in what I do.”

At the recent press launch to announce these four new brand ambassadors, there was absolute pandemonium. When there are group questions at these events, I always make sure that I find a good spot, so that I can also take down notes on what the other journalists and writers are asking. But with these four gathered, there was absolutely no way I could edge my way forward. Bloggers, showbiz and lifestyle reporters and more cameras than you could imagine all pushed and shoved to try to get nearer to these superstars. And yet, they all managed to remain composed, cool and collected. 

KC, in a figure-hugging and architectural dress by Joey Samson, managed to say, “This is my first non-beauty endorsement, plus my first time to be part of a group so it’s really special. And what I love about it is, not only is it a healthy and refreshing drink, it allows us to remain true to who we are and our values. It challenges us to go beyond the ordinary and give ourselves what we really deserve. We all believe in that and we want others to do the same.”

When event host Bianca Valerio turned to Piolo, like a true gentleman, Piolo said, “KC said it all.” KC then quipped, “I’m sure Piolo has more to say!” Piolo then just flashed his trademark smile.  

Marian, in an elegant cocktail dress by Francis Libiran, declared, “I’m making the big switch. Why wouldn’t I?” Dingdong summed it up when he stated, “It’s something fresh, something new for all of us and I’m sure each one is just as excited as I am to make history together.”

Sharon Tanganco, Hydration and Tea Category director of The Coca-Cola Company, also shared her excitement over the addition of the four A-list celebrities to the Coca-Cola family. “We couldn’t have made a more fitting choice for our dream team of brand ambassadors,” Tanganco said. “We believe all four of them have uniquely real, vibrant and dynamic personalities. Plus, they all live uncompromising and healthy lifestyles. In today’s fast-paced, physically taxing and highly stressful world, just like the regular Filipino, they need to restore balance, recharge and refuel themselves to keep up and keep going. Real Leaf is all-natural, all real — it is not only made from natural green tea leaves but is also deliciously blended with the natural goodness of honey. It’s the one-of-a-kind combination that helps revive both mind and body, made even more luscious by infusing fruit flavors — perfect for people who would never settle for less than what they deserve.”

The twelve ways of christmas

(Or how the most Fab Four in local showbiz show their Christmas spirit)

THE PHILIPPINE STAR: What is the sweetest holiday gift you’ve ever received?

KC CONCEPCION: When my sister Frankie was around seven years old, she made Christmas posters for me that she painted herself that she put all over the house. It was really very cute.

PIOLO PASCUAL: All gifts from my childhood were special to me.

MARIAN RIVERA: Darna was truly super special to me, so one Christmas, Dong gave me a figurine of me in my Darna costume, and it looks exactly like me, with my moles and dimples!

DINGDONG: I got a certificate that I would be a sponsor of a child, and that touched me so much, that it got me involved in more and more programs to help children.

What was your most memorable Christmas as a child?

KC: When I was around 11, my cousins and I performed I Just Can’t Wait to Be King (from The Lion King). What I remember was how fun it was to perform all together for the adults. We just sang and sang all night long.

PIOLO: All my Christmases when our family was all under one roof, and my dad was still around were memorable.

MARIAN: When I was old enough to go Christmas shopping with my lola, I enjoyed it so much.

DINGDONG: When I was around eight, someone told me that Santa wasn’t real. And then when I saw my parents and the other “organizers” of Christmas, I figured out what was going on.

What was your most memorable Christmas as an adult?

KC: I really love a white Christmas. Every white Christmas I’ve ever had is memorable.

PIOLO: You can make every Christmas memorable, you can choose to make it that way. With gift giving, thanksgiving and of course, by contemplating exactly why we are celebrating and just what Our Lord has done by coming down to become a human to redeem us.

MARIAN: Siempre, the first Christmas that I met Dong’s family.

DINGDONG:  Last Christmas. Because for me, Christmas should get better and better with each year. With everyone who comes and goes, and everyone who is always there for you, every Christmas should be the best.

What is your favorite Christmas dish?

KC: It’s hard to choose because I’m a vegetarian, but I really love ube jam. If I let myself go, I think I could eat a whole jar!

PIOLO: When I was a kid, I would help my mom make Cathedral Windows (a colorful and creamy gelatin dessert). So every Christmas, I really look for that.

MARIAN: It’s not really a pang-Christmas dish, but in our family, we serve garlic and shrimps and that’s my favorite to eat.

DINGDONG: Lahat, lahat. Turkey, Christmas ham, those are all my favorites.

If Santa were real, what would you ask for?

KC: May I have a sleigh ride with you? Just one, please?

PIOLO: Just for a meaningful Christmas, for everyone, and all families.

MARIAN: That’s easy. A ticket to Spain, so I can have Christmas with my papa! I really would love to see my papa again.

DINGDONG: I’ll ask him to take me to the North Pole and I’ll tell him, “Because I like my Real Leaf really cold!”

How will you share your blessings this Christmas?

KC: I’m moving out (of my place) this year, and Korina Sanchez asked me to be part of her charity outreach this year, so I’m donating all the things that I’m not taking with me to her.

PIOLO: We always do gift-giving with our foundation. What we do is we choose kids to be beneficiaries, and our kids who are scholars help with the distribution of gift packs and food, so they will also learn to give. We want that those we help will also help others, for a trickle-down effect.

MARIAN: Every year, my lola and I give to our neighborhood. And this year, we will be sharing canned goods and rice.

DINGDONG: I can’t say that I just share my blessings during Christmas because I believe in sharing the whole year round.

What is the most meaningful gift you ever gave?

KC: I once gave a video that I conceptualized, shot and edited all by myself.

PIOLO: Well, I love to really research and find out what people want and find a way to give it to them. Girls love bags, and I have four sisters, so every year, I make sure to give all of them nice bags. One year, I gave them all Coach bags. This year, I was lucky enough to be in Paris, and there were Kate Moss for Longchamp bags, and I hoarded those for my sisters and other female relatives.

MARIAN: Even the smallest gifts I give are meaningful.

DINGDONG: Two years ago, I got a gift that completely changed my life.

What is your most treasured Christmas memory?

KC: The first time I ever saw snow. I was 12 years old.

PIOLO:  During Christmas dinner, when we sit down to eat, and there are no issues, no outside world, just me and my family sharing stories.

MARIAN: All my memories, of being in my lola’s house during Christmas.

DINGDONG: There really isn’t just one. Well, maybe back to that one Christmas when I learned who the real Santa was.

What is your favorite Christmas carol?

KC: This Christmas, the Vonda Shepherd version. (she then sings a few bars of the carol) “I’m going to get to know you better/this Christmas/the fireside is blazing bright/we’re caroling through the night/and this Christmas will be/a very special Christmas for me!”

PIOLO: I like White Christmas, but my all-time favorite is Silent Night. I think that’s very me, don’t you?

MARIAN: There’s a Taglish carol, I can’t remember the name, but I would always hear it when I was a kid. “Pasko ang saya,” was the first line. I always feel so happy when I hear those words.

DINGDONG: The one about simply having a wonderful Christmas time.

What is your favorite Christmas movie?

KC: Home Alone. The first one.

PIOLO: I don’t really have one.

MARIAN: Parang wala.

DINGDONG: Love, Actually. I really love that movie.

What is your favorite Christmas décor?

KC: The capiz parol. There were many Christmases that I didn’t see that, when first we were in Boston and also when I was in Paris, so of course, sobra kong na-miss yon.

PIOLO: Of course, the Christmas tree. It has to be real. And if I happen to be in the States pag Christmas, I make sure that I choose the tree. I choose the tallest one that I can find.

MARIAN: Siempre, the Christmas tree, and all the Christmas balls and lights plus the angel on top. I really wanted an angel on top instead of a star. I once saw an angel with a super beautiful face and I knew that she had to be on top of our tree.

DINGDONG: It has to be the belen.

What is your real Christmas wish?

KC: To stay fit! To just continue enjoying my work.

PIOLO: A more meaningful Christmas. To fully realize that there’s more to Christmas than just celebrating.

MARIAN: Happiness. With happiness, you can’t buy that. But if you are happy, you can do everything.

DINGDONG: To have everybody who is meaningful to me be all under one roof. It’s just as simple as that.