Tales of two sisters making a name in the same field are a dime a dozen but Janice and Gelli have taken different routes to fame–proof that even in the crowded and fickle world of show business, there is enough room to shine.
Janice, the fragile Flor de Luna, is Philippine TV’s original soap opera queen who paved the way for the likes of Judy Ann Santos, Claudine Barretto and Angelika de la Cruz to make it equally good in a genre that she popularized via the ‘80s top-rating show Flor de Luna.
Gelli, the funky, bubbly younger sister, may have won an Urian Best Actress award for her poignant portrayal of the aids-stricken Sarah Jane Salazar, but it was in the comedy show Tropang Trumpo that she made her mark. She’s now best remembered as the show’s mainstay comedienne who drove audiences crazy with her nutty antics and hilarious shenanigans.
Janice and Gelli are truly actresses of a different mold, even if they share the same roots.
Their respective onscreen images, reveals Janice, has basis in real life.
"We are very different as individuals," Janice begins. "Gelli is outgoing while I’m really a homebody. I go out sometimes with my friends but I’d rather stay home."
Their so-called "personality difference," as Janice puts it, can be traced even to their growing up years.
"We never fought over toys or dolls," Janice relates. "We fought over things we loved like a piece of chicken na umabot sa buhusan ng toyo. Ayaw akong bigyan, kaya tinuluyan ko nga."
Did Gelli allow Janice to dominate her when they were kids? "I couldn’t do anything," Gelli answers. "Ginagamit niya ang pagiging first-born niya. Kaya minsan inaaway ko siya."
Though Janice and Gelli were not extremely close due to their five-year age gap, they still consider their "tumultuous" childhood a beautiful experience.
"Simple living lang naman kami," Janice says. "We eat together with the rest of the family. Every Sunday, we attend the morning Mass at the Lourdes Church in Mayon, (Quezon City). Later, we’d hang out at our favorite place, the sago-gulaman store, located right in front of the church. There we would have fishball. Very simple!"
Gelli remembers Janice bringing her along to tapings and location shootings. This was where talent manager Douglas Quijano spotted Gelli and asked her to become his talent. The rest, as they say, is history.
"When she started working," Gelli relates, "sumasabit-sabit lang ako kapag may shooting siya. Nanonood lang. Masaya na ako noon."
By the time Gelli discovered her own passion for acting, Janice was way, way ahead in popularity. She was already a young idol, a star in the making. Did Janice, at one time or another, use her star status for Gelli’s benefit or advantage? "Never," Gelli firmly replies.
When Gelli entered showbiz, Janice advised her younger sister to be careful at all times. "You know me, masyado akong madaldal," Gelli explains.
"When we reached the dalaga stage, that was the time we really got close and began to understand each other better," Gelli recalls. "Finally, we have something in common and therefore have a lot to talk about–boys!"
It was also then that Janice and Gelli’s personality differences became more evident. While Janice preferred a simple lifestyle, Gelli opted for a more flamboyant way of doing things.
"Gelli loves make-up," Janice says of her younger sister. "Kailangan kapag lumabas siya ng bahay naka-liner siya. Naka-kilay siya. Naka-lipstick siya. At mahilig siyang lumabas nung mga dalaga pa kami. In my case, I can go out without makeup. Wala akong hilig sa mga ’yan. Gusto ko lang tignan."
What makes the sisters click? Janice muses, "Yung pagiging different namin sa isa’t-isa. When we exchange ideas, insights about life," Janice explains, "we learn so much from each other. Kasi kapag ang dalawang tao ay parehong-pareho walang challenge or exchange. What else is there to know?"
Just like the characters they portray in the movies, Janice and Gelli have had to go through a lot of personal trials.
Whenever the sisters confront showbiz intrigue, the other never intervenes. Each gives the other space to think and breathe, so to speak.
"We don’t trade and share secrets," Janice clarifies. "We both live independently. She lives her life. I live my life. We solve our own problems. Basta, at the back of our minds, suportado ko siya. Suportado din niya ako."
Now that both Janice and Gelli are mothers, they are still as different as night and day, but they now complement each other.
"Kapag free kami together," Janice says, "magkikita kami sa house ni Mommy. Dadalhin ko yung mga anak ko. Dadalhin din niya yung kanya. This is the only way we can bond as sisters."
How do they handle their children? "I’m very particular about training my kids to be responsible," Janice replies. "I’m always explaining to them what is right and what is wrong. I also set rules on everything, like the use of the cellular phone and telephone."
Gelli, mother of two boys (two-year-old Wacky and baby Julio) by singer-performer Ariel Rivera, says she wants her two boys to grow up very independent and responsible. She describes her parenting style as "not too strict but not very lenient either."
They may be busy mothers now, but this hasn’t stopped the de Belen sisters from doing what they truly love doing–performing. Which is why, tomorrow, Aug. 20, Janice and Gelli will return to television to delight televiewers with their new day-time talk show on GMA-7, S.I.S.
"It’s a talk show na parang, ‘She says. He says’," Janice explains. "Yon nga lang pareho kaming girl. Since Gelli and I are different, you can expect a lot of insights and concepts on a lot of things."
"One can also expect more words from me," Gelli adds. "We will tackle issues mothers and homemakers like us would be interested in. Besides parenting, housekeeping, cooking, beauty tips, tsismis is one thing you can also hear from us."
S.I.S., with its innovative format, defies the conventional talk show, which normally consists of the usual panel discussions, celebrity confessions and surprise stuff.
S.I.S. is a straightforward, fast-paced show where the popular sisters will discuss issues in a relaxed atmosphereand answer questions and issues straight to the point.
The show will carry Gelli’s "what-you-see-is-what-you-get" disposition, and Janice’s gentle personality. At the end of the day, televiewers will see the sisters handling issues the way real people handle them in real life.
Asked why they accepted the offer, Janice and Gelli answered in unison, "We will have more time together."