Peas in an aquarian pod

His may not yet be an instantly recognizable face or household name, but if the ad campaigns of Bench’s Fix Salons and the U Department (Young Adult Division) of Rustan’s are up to par, Felipe ‘Ipe’ Cruz may soon be eliciting stares, double takes and whispers from a great majority of women, young and old alike. The son of Gina Vera Perez de Venecia and construction magnate Philip Cruz, Ipe may be just one in a long list of corporate and product endorsers, but he comes with a provenance that sets him apart.

Ipe is especially close to his mother and Gina gamely admits he’s her favorite. "Maybe it has to do with the fact that we’re both born under the sign of Aquarius. All the children mean the world to me, but with Ipe, there’s a bond that’s extra special. When I need an escort for some function, whether it is the FAMAS or some art gallery opening, it is Ipe who would enthusiastically join me. That’s been the case since he was in his teens, and we’d always have a great time."

People write about this special relationship, the bond that’s created and nurtured, between a mother and a son, and it’s soon evident that these two Aquarians have much more than a horoscope sign in common. Throughout the photo shoot, there are special looks and asides exchanged between mother and son. They can look at each other when a question is posed, and break into smiles and laughter, as if a joke is shared in some unspoken, telepathic language.

It’s all very refreshing, as it supplies a human side to this lady we traditionally see by Speaker Joe de Venecia’s side, or engaged in some charitable, civic-conscious function. As one of the driving forces behind the Congressional Spouses organization, or spearheading the havens she has set up all over the country for needy women and children, or on the TV drama anthology she hosts and produces, there’s a very formal, careful image that’s been etched on the public’s consciousness. Having Ipe by her side compels Gina to show a more unguarded self, and it makes for a welcome change.

They reminisce about the Vera Perez legacy and growing up in Valencia, where the Vera Perez mansion and movie production facilities are housed. Ipe waxes nostalgic, "Growing up there was really magical. Right behind my Lola’s house was the studio lot, so on Sundays, my cousins and I would be playing hide and seek amidst Japanese tanks, a commercial jet’s passenger section, a makeshift indoor jungle–right in the middle of San Juan! We’d play pilot and imagine taking off while seated in a ‘faithful to the last detail’ cockpit. If it was barilan, it would be behind bunkers with foxholes to dive into. And when playtime was over, we’d troop up to Lola and find her playing mahjong with Gloria Romero, German Moreno and Barbara Perez. For us, those were the sort of people you’d find hanging out in the house on any given Sunday afternoon."

Gina throws her head back and laughs, "How real is that? Playing on abandoned movie sets and having merienda with movie stars! But for us, that was our version of ‘everyday’. As a result, there’s always been that affinity to the world of entertainment and the performing arts. On this modeling, I joke Ipe that he is, in fact, the late bloomer. His sister Carissa actually played the role of the young Alma Moreno in Dyesebel. Christopher is now strictly into his studies, but some may remember him as having played the title role of Billy Bilyonaryo, a television comedy series."

Has this breaking through into the world of modeling, becoming the new ‘It’ boy, gone to Ipe’s head? Listen in.

"It was a fluke. Some male model couldn’t make it and as the one organizing was a friend, they asked me to fill in. For some reason, the right people took notice and the calls would start coming in. It’s exciting and I can’t deny I’m enjoying it, but it is a sideline thing that I’m allowing to happen and seeing where it takes me. My priority is still my day-job–I’m working at Exchange Capital, an investment banking firm. I’m also keeping an eye on completing an MBA in the near future, perhaps, in entrepreneurship."

Gina adds, "I’m very happy for Ipe. My advice is to always keep his eyes open and to keep his wits about him. There are people out there who will take advantage of his naivete, of his very trusting nature. I know he’s got such a good heart, so I hope he stays grounded, knowing what the priorities should be. Beyond that, he’s old enough to make his own decisions." Of course, as most mothers and sons know, that’s so much lip service; a Filipina mother can’t help but continue to prod and guide out of love and concern. Fortunately, Ipe does seek his mother’s advice, wanting her input before making decisions.

As to whether he’s attached to anyone right now, Ipe demurs, "I go out on dates and hang out with friends. If there’s to be a special someone, at the very least, she’s got to have some of the special qualities my Mom has in abundance. She’s obviously the benchmark for any woman I’d be interested in." And, of course, Manay Gina beams at this admission.

We touch on some more serious matters. Mention is made of how, for many, the Philippines continues to "shoot itself in the foot", laying to waste the great potential it has and jeopardizing the future of the younger generations (of which Ipe is representative).

Gina carefully admits, "There is too much politics in this country; we seem to be obsessed with it, and it detracts from the business of ‘getting our act together’. Joe has always contended that one of the major reasons for this is our form of government. What kind of consensus does any President really have? Elections often turn into popularity contests, and with some 30 percent of the votes, one can assume the post with no real support from any of the legislative bodies. That in itself is a formula for frustration, impasse and outright failure. The President’s mandate may be valid in terms of how we define our democracy, but is it a mandate in a truer sense? The system has to be changed."

Comment is made that for some observers, if there’s someone who successfully straddles the arenas of politics and show business and should turn it official by running for office, it’s Manay Gina. Ipe concurs, "Mom really has those two worlds figured out; but I think she’s more than happy playing the role she presently has."

Gina concurs, "One politician in the family is more than enough. In fact, I feel I can do more with my advocacies by not being a politician per se. I have more freedom to do what I want and it affords me the time to still be mother to the children. Not for anything, but in an official capacity, politics is truly a different kind of world. When Joe lost in his bid for the Presidency, I saw just how ‘real’ the friendships and loyalties that supposedly exist are. From an endless stream of people passing through those doors, it was as quiet as a graveyard; and it was difficult to invite or be invited to affairs. And yet, you take that all in stride, realizing that these are the same people you’ll encounter on the way back up."

There is one pipe dream Gina has for Ipe. "When he turns 40, I’d like him to be an ambassador. He speaks French, Spanish, Italian and German. He had an avid interest in international relations when he was taking up Political Science. He’s very sociable and I’m certain, as he acquires more knowledge and skills, he’ll be able to convince foreign industrialists to invest in the Philippines. Our system was to send him to these European countries and immerse him in the culture. That way, it was quicker for him to pick up the language."

This makes Ipe break out in a grin. "Mom would send me abroad and she’d be texting or calling almost every day. And you should see her travel to Europe. One piece of luggage is devoted to food. There’s the sinigang mix, the canned adobo, even the rice cooker. I may bring her to the restaurants that are being raved about, but after two days, she’ll surrender, and insist we stay in and eat Filipino food! That’s Mom."

So if Ipe does realize Manay Gina’s dream of being our ambassador to some European country, we can be certain that the pantry will be stocked to fulfill any Filipino breakfast or dinner we can dream up–and then some.