Working 18 to 24 hours a day due to four shows and 22 active endorsements, a cheerful Kris Aquino told the press yesterday, February 18, that her work schedule does not allow her to eat well anymore.
"Hindi ko kayang kumain. Inom lang nang inom ng gatas. Wala talaga akong energy to do any eating. Minsan, ayaw mo talagang mag-chew. Inom na lang ng milk," Kris said during the launch of the Cory Aquino commemorative watch by Philip Stein at Podium Mall in Ortigas, Mandaluyong City.
And with the audition rounds of Pilipinas Got Talent well underway, Kris said she has to sleep during travel. As one of the talent show's resident judges, Kris had to travel to Batangas, Baguio, Cebu, and other provinces over the past weeks.
"Nap... sleeping in the car. Basta pag sumakay na 'ko sa car, tulog na 'ko," she said.
According to the Queen of All Media, it was her mother, former president Cory Aquino, who instructed her to work very hard. The recently deceased national hero told her daughter she has to save money for the future.
"Things could change. My mom said to me na, 'Be ready if you get older, if you get wrinkled, if somebody new emerges, you have to have enough to retire and be comfortable. The last thing you want is that you reached the peak of success, and at the end of the day, nangungutang ka.' Sobrang realistic yung mom about that so that's why I work this hard," Kris explained.
JOSH AND BABY JAMES. Despite the grueling work schedule, Kris said she still has time to take care of her kids: Josh, her love child with action star Phillip Salvador, and Baby James, her son with cager husband James Yap.
For instance, Kris takes Baby James with her anywhere she goes.
"Ito kasama ko everywhere. Hindi ba obvious? Pati sa Baguio, sa Batangas, wala siyang na-miss," she said.
The youngster, who already has his share of fans at the tender age of two, will also start taping with Kris in the ABS-CBN soap Kung Tayo'y Magkakalayo very soon.
But what about Josh?
"Hindi, okay lang siya. Kasi nga busy rin siya. May workout na siya, tutoring pa siya, e. Awang-awa nga yung siter ko, sabi niya, for a kid, Kris, seven a.m. to nine p.m. meron siyang schedule," she said.
Kris said she's proud for her first son, who has been working out at the gym since December. The 14-year-old already lost more than 20 pounds, Kris added.
"Very disciplined si Josh now kasi four times a week he works out...super proud kami sa discipline na na-instill namin," she said.
In contrast,Kris said Baby James is as naughty as her when she was a kid.
"Lahat siguro ng ka-naughty-han na ginawa ko. Kasi talagang, lahat ng ka-naughty-han talaga. Sabi ko, 'Mom, ito na yung karma ko,'" Kris said.
Kris related Baby James's "pasaway" antics to the press.
"The other day kasi nagno-naughty siya sa 'kin. And then sabi ko 'Pag nagno-naughty ka pa, magkakaroon na tayo ng another baby who will be good to me.' And then sinabi ba naman niya, 'No, mom, I'll bang bang the baby.' Oh, my God! Oo, he will kill the baby!" Kris recounted cheerfully.
RETIREMENT PLANS. Back to the reason why she works so hard, Kris said she wants to retire when she reaches 50.
"Fifty. Sana maabot ko naman si Ate Vi [Vilma Santos]. Yun ang dream ko, di ba? I have four years remaining in my ABS-CBN contract, so beyond that I don't know," she said.
Her dream retirement plans, Kris said, would be to live in her own small hotel by the beach.
"I want to have a hotel. A small bed-and-breakfast, 20 rooms, by the beach. That's where I want to retire. I want to be like Barefoot Contessa. Ako yung magluluto, I mean hindi naman yung every day. Times three yung cost pag ako yung nagluto. I want to be able to decorate the rooms, so personal talaga. Yun yung retirement plan ko talaga," she said.