Happy bring China

Take that shirt off, China!

Perverts! Nobody’s telling her to disrobe and turn all sexy. Besides, she wouldn’t dare. Even if China was offered the world. Not that she doesn’t already have the world and more…

In case you’ve missed it, the country’s leading fashion retailer decided—with much melancholy, no doubt—to let go of the Cojuangco sisters and latch onto a more, well, bizarre (yet intriguing nonetheless) female endorser who definitely became the talk of the town for a while.

Then Rico Yan decided to bid adios…after which nothing else in the Philippines seemed to matter but that.

But that’s beside the point. Isn’t anyone ready to mourn for China and her endorsement loss? According to the charming young lass, growing with Kamiseta in the public eye was definitely one of her more interesting experiences to date. "I was really sad that my contract wasn’t renewed anymore. I got so used to being the endorser of Kamiseta and my relationship with the owners have become more personal. I guess I'm just really gonna miss the work and the shopping... haha!"

Without a doubt, "It’s Fun Being A Girl" holds most true when you’re given the chance (and the funds) to comb malls the world over and shop your heart out.

Seriously though, apart from the fact that China has found lifelong friends in the brand owners (she’s the doting ninang of their bundle of joy) and may be designing bags to add to the many basic yet innovative items the store is more than successful for, let’s help the chick close this chapter in her life by putting it all aside and catching a glimpse of the real China…stripped of all that jazz.

So here’s what’s been dug up. All natural. No put-ons. Just her.

China was thrilled at the prospect of a solo photo shoot. She had been told that the concept was for her to be "glamed up" in chic dresses from different designers. On the said day, she was not enthusiastically early. Nor fashionably late. The girl was right on time. What a trooper.

Punctuality says a lot. It takes a certain discipline—especially in this country of "Bahala na si Batman!"—to be the talent ahead of your staff. Maybe it helps that she has her own car and driver. Or maybe it has a lot to do with the fact that she’s a true thoroughbred.

It’s highly common knowledge that China’s family is more than tight-knit. She is from a father of silent power, a mother of glamorous poise, and shares the pea pod with a bunch of achievers in their own right. Whenever faced with the query of being the bunso forever in the shadow of the rest, she is quick to dispel the fallacy. "We were all treated the same way so there was no sibling rivalry. We all grew up to have our own likes and goals. Mikee is the simplest one. Mai is more into fashionable and artistic things. I’m more the spontaneous one. I like surprising people."

And surprise people she does.

From her somewhat placid behavior pre-shoot, comfortably seated on the studio couch, casually chatting with anyone who tries to reassure her that things will start soon, patiently waiting for that seemingly essential (though not in her case…what gorgeous skin) makeup artist…it wasn’t in anyone to expect her to be such a regular riot!

When the hassled makeup artist finally rushed through the front door, minor reprimands surrounded the place. To lighten the mood, China jokingly mused, "Hi, ako si China. Kanina, I had short hair. Ngayon, mahaba na siya." Laughter prevailed. She put everyone right at ease.

Who would have guessed it?! China’s actually a little baklita…ready to roll with the punches. The entertainment world painted a rather foul picture of her while she was dating heartthrob Onemig Bondoc, accusing her of stifling his career by getting involved in the Judy Ann-Onemig on-screen match-up. "I was automatically the kontrabida, when I actually never said or did anything."

Hmmm, what would be logical, or even easy, to believe:

China was sorely affected by Onemig spending way too much time on the job, cuddling close to Juday, the ultimate threat to any relationship. (Watch out girls! She’s lost even more weight on that strange diet of hers…what a looker!)

OR

As always, showbiz stepped up to its reputation of naturally meddling in people’s private lives, fabricating scenarios just to make things more interesting, consequentially having movies earn way more…thanks to the public’s stupid curiosity.

NOTE: Juday fans prohibited from answering this little quiz.

Think hard, people. China’s reputation is on the line!

Then again, believe what you want. Why? Because honestly, China couldn’t care less. Apart from the fact that she’s very much in love—and that’s all you’re going to get for now (poor gossip-hungry fools…it’s not too good for your sanity…but this much we can say, theirs is a long-distance relationship)—this easygoing chick doesn’t sweat the small stuff, so your opinion of her won’t count for much. Not that she’s this classified rebel who gets into everyone’s hate list. She’s more than likeable, in fact. She has a lot of relatively close acquaintances, but chooses to confide in a few favorite friends. "And when I have problems, I usually run to my mom and sisters." What loyalty.

As much as anyone can try and separate China from the rest of her brood to focus on her individuality, the conversation always manages to head back home. No doubt her life has been a seemingly easy one, having such a loving and supportive (yet sometimes protective) family to fall back on. However, an easy life rarely amounts to being an uneventful one…

Yes, travel is a bit part. Never alone, though. Apart from being chaperoned by either her sisters or parents, China admits that she’s the type of gal who always needs to have people around her. She enjoys sharing the experience of new cultures (not to mention attacking the shopping malls)!

Though she says that Mai is more appreciative of art design and more open to living abroad and soaking all that culture up, China can proudly say that she’s found her niche in a different kind of art, that of the theater.

"Theater is one of my passions! Singing is a frustration of mine. I’ve been taking lessons ever since I was a kid…still do. I was so thrilled at the chance to be a part of Alikabok—a Filipino musical by Musicat Productions. I’ve always wanted to go on stage and perform and I found my opportunity and I’m glad I had that experience."

Such sparkle in her eyes. Such enthusiasm for the stage! Wouldn’t put it past China as she was definitely quite theatrical throughout the supposedly "glamorous" shoot. Garbed in womanly frock, China contradicted the sophisticate look every other second by prancing around like a child and making funny faces at the camera…to give the photographer options, of course.

With all that natural energy, one cannot help but assume that the girl has some sort of fitness regimen. Of this query, she answered:

"I’ve been playing soccer for eight years now. I’m on my 9th year. At the moment, I play for Los Borrachos Football Club. I also play golf with my dad but I don’t play regularly anymore. Bye-bye to my 26 handicap! I also go to the gym for workout. I used to go everyday but then I got busy for a while so my schedule got mixed up. Now I only go around three to four times a week."

Being a fresh college graduate, China admits to having a lot of free time on her hands.

She’s hardly fazed by the fact that one may consider her a bum. Part of her highly candid, carefree nature, one can suppose. So refreshing to come across someone of good lineage, having siblings of a certain popular stature, with no qualms at all. Heck, she’ll even tell you that her being a "personality" was hardly her doing at the start.

"To face the facts, I wouldn’t have been known if it weren’t for my sisters. In the beginning I was known as ‘ang kapatid ni Mikee’, but it never really bothered me."

As it’s quite obvious that it’ll take more than a supposed insecurity complex to bother China. Classic example: When asked where she got her nickname, this is what she had to say: "Funny story. I’m actually Regina Patricia Jose Cojuangco! Since I was the youngest, my dad really wanted me to be a boy. So I had no choice but to be the junior! As for my nickname, when I came out, my mom started crying! Mikee asked her what was wrong, she found me to be the ugliest thing! I had those smiling Chinese eyes! Hence the name."

Knowing that your mother cried at the first sight of you can seriously damage the most normal individual.

Not China.

Not that she’s not normal. In fact, she’s probably a good vantage point for normal. She does her own hair color from a gift packs she wins at soccer. She paints her own nails. She thrives on tempura…the simplest thing on any Japanese menu. She has two dogs and some fish. She goes to Sunday Mass and says her prayers before bedtime. Even her view on love and relationships fits the simplicity bill:

"In relationships, not all grow and bloom the way you want them to. Sometimes its just that you’re too young and you dream to get married already with that certain person you’re with but as time goes by, you and your partner grow...sometimes together but sometimes apart learning that there are so many differences in the end. I just live with what I believe, no regrets. I’ve loved and have gotten hurt but it’s never the end. Your heart will heal and its time to start over again. You definitely have to learn from mistakes."

Smart, but almost cliché. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, from all information gathered, one could easily conclude that China is ultimately ordinary.

On print, maybe. In person…hardly.

China’s deceptively harmless face lights up a room when she smiles. Her puns are few and far between, yet they are highly effective and laugh-inducing. Her demeanor, albeit easygoing, never comes across as garish…but accommodating. Her love of family and country is awe-inspiring, never phony nor too insistent. Her content nature makes you want to find your own sense of inner peace.

She may not rule the nation one day, climb Everest to its highest peak, or end world hunger in one blow. However, it’s definitely a thrill to feel so much youthful, positive energy from an individual whose only crime is staying true to herself.

And China will probably never have it any other way.