idding goodbye to her teeny-bopper image to take on more mature acting roles and tackle hosting for fashion-oriented TV program Us Girls, Chesca Garcia makes the perfect canvas for cutting-edge origami-inspired creations.

Diner at Cork at the ABS-CBN compound is just about as blasé Pinoy showbiz can get. The waiters her see a star, starlet, or a star maker just about every 15 minutes to fame. The atmosphere is so darkly cool, presumably as a restful contrast to the bright lights of the studio sound stages upstairs. No one bats an eyelash no matter who comes through the door. This is where Chesca Garcia asks me to meet her, a year after I interviewed her for the Preview June 2005 issue. In the dim, I see exactly why comedic actor Vhong Navarro pet names Checa (pronounced Chekah), “Glow-in-theDark”. Even amidst the stars, she is alabaster. She is a porcelain doll—delicate and diminutive with big round eyes, fan-like eyelashes, the cutest perfect pinched nose and pursued lips. With her 95 lbs. perfectly proportioned on a 5-foot-4-frame, Chesca photographs much taller—as if 5-foot-8.

She appears much changed since we last met. Before she seemed girlish, giggly, shy, she looked down at the floor or at the ceiling when she paused. Today she looks you straight-in-the-eye, composed, gracious, grown-up. Peculiar that her face doesn't appear to have aged a Dorian Grey day since Johnny Manahan launched her in Ang TV 15 years ago.

It was a simple start for Chesca Garcia in show business. Her first cousin, Culte Femme designer Hindy Weber-Tantoco was taking her practicum with Johnny Manahan at the ABS-CBN Talent Center when he inquired if she had younger siblings or relatives to recommend for this new show of young talents he was launching. Hindy immediately thought of Chesca and Patrick Garcia and called up their mother Bing. Bing was game for them to give it a try. Her two younger children had found early success as commercial models. Ang TV paved the way for many a beginning in showbiz—Claudine Barretto, Jolina Magdangal, Katya Santos, Carlos Agassi, Rica Peralejo, Patrick and Chesca Garciato name a few. For most of them other television shows, drama series, movies and commercial endorsements followed. Chesca was never out of work or luck for almost a decade.

GIRL INTERRUPTED

In the middle of the year, Chesca's best laid plans of the past six months, including endorsements, a new television drama, TV show hosting and a movie, had all disappeared like smoke in the air. Chesca only had one movie Don't Give Up On Us and her endorsement of clothing brand Petit Monde for that year and a half. She had no other projects and no prospects in sight. “My managers and I worked so hard on them. I didn't see why things were not happening. I would look for someone to talk to. I felt like such a loser,” she says. “Gosh, I didn't even know what to do with my room,” she'd think, sitting alone in her baby pink bedroom.

But somehow as her life on the outside was becoming uneventful, inside, Chesca Garcia started growing. She started to ask herself if she was ready. Could she take the stress, the stolen sleep, the actual work involved when an actress' star is on the horizon? “I saw my flaws. I should have grown as an actress,” she admits. All of 25, she had been afraid to let go of “teeny-bopper” roles. She started to reassess what she wanted. It was high time Chesca let the audience see her as a grown-up, rather than lying back and allow herself to be stuck in the “mean girls” roles she had always been given on a silver platter.

“Before I didn't believe in myself. I would try too hard and I'd screw up,” Chesca explains. “I once auditioned for this music channel. I stuttered. My mouth went dry. I had to ask for water. I was so nervous! Everyone could hear my heart beat through the lapel [mic]. Seriously, that's how scared I was. Of course I didn't get it.”

Today, Chesca gets it. “Now, I'm open to people, open to learning. I want to know where I can improve. I ask to help. I am appreciative.”

TURNING POINT

The long break she hadn't counted on turned into the best kind of break, a coming of age for Chesca Garcia. These days she has to boss her road manager Miro Codog to make sure she has time for herself, family, and loved ones.

Chesca is tackling her first non-teen role with a dramatic turn on GMA 7's daily Agawin Mo Man Ang Lahat, playing for the first time a young wife fighting for her husband in a love triangle. She's gone into hosting for the very first time, a shoe-in for Studio 23's Wazzup Wazzup 06-I and one of three hosts (with Angel Aquino and Iya Villania) of Us Girls, the new lifestyle show of ABS-CBN after F. Each project allows Chesca to showcase her recent growth spurt.

The teleserye involves a complex character that will go through some major twists and turns to keep viewers awake during Philippine siesta time. Wazzup 06-I involves humorous timing and stand-up comic news delivery. It is a very vocal and physical role. During each taping she has to hold a poker face while modulating an authoritative tone with tongue twisters like “humuhulagpos” and “kumakawalang”. Then she has to do a spin and some hand movements after each spiel in unison with castmates Vhong and Archie Alemania without missing a breath or a beat. Us Girls allows her to showcase her taste and allow us to see her more personally, places in the Philippines , giving advice on everything from fashion to grooming and exercise. This trio of projects is merging into what appear to be Chesca's big break in her 10-year career.

Aside from her full television schedule with tapings Mondays to Saturdays for all three shows, Chesca has a wave of new endorsements; a comical turn as the star for a new cola campaign (as of this writing still under warps), the face of Lancôme in the Philippines, the lifestyle endorser for Technomarine, My Diamonds, and Oficina del Tiempo, and the woman-on-the-go for Singaporean shoe line Schu.

Her mother Bing, discloses that Chesca wants to get into fashion design some day. She loves clothes and has a natural sense of style.

“I think about designing my own line of evening clothes for women when I have to decided what to wear to go out,” says Chesca.

“They are usually so pricey—as if money grows on trees. You only need a prom or party dress for one night.”

Chesca's down-to-earth sensibilities are not surprising considering her most enduring collaboration as model-endorser for the affordable Petit Monde brand, going on the tenth year. In the fickle fashion world, alliances that endure are rare. Dorothy Tan, the entrepreneur behind Petit Monde explains, “What particularly stands out about Chesca is her independence and her efficiency. Even when she was just starting out, she would come prepared, by herself with no maid. She neatly packs up and goes without any fuss.”

Chesca is the rare endorser who has been able to maintain her lithe 95 lb. figure and youthful and fresh appearance at her age that keeps her relevant to young women. Lancôme Senior Product Manager Zerline Chan elaborates, “We chose Chesca Garcia since she is the epitome of the modern woman: classy, elegant, and seems to grow more beautiful as she gets older.”

A lot has changed with back-to-back pictorials and shooting schedules. The only time off she has is Sundays when she attends services at Victory Christian Fellowship. “I prayed for all of these things. It's all God's blessings. Before I probably would have thrown away whatever (opportunity) I had. I thought I was ready but I wasn't. When things are given to you so easily, you don't realize what you have. In retrospect, it was the best thing that happened to me (to be out of work) even if it seemed the opposite at the time.”

REAL GIRL

In the next few days I will come across Chesca's family, friends, and co-workers. Over and over again, loyalty, dedication and honesty are used to describe her. In this time I will come to understand that Chesca does not mince words. She says what she thinks and means what she says. She's the first to admit she has a temper. She will often argue stubbornly with people especially when it comes to having time to spend with her family and friends. She will always speak her mind, however she doesn't like to put people down.

Clearly, she also knows what is right for her image and her career. During a recent FHM cover interview, Chesca deflected the more racy questions by giving thoughtful answers, leaving the interviewer no room to misinterpret or prod her further.

“For me there is no need to tickle a guy's mind or the public with other talk. It is enough that they see me like that on the cover. They won't see me like that every day, unless I'm at the beach.” When posing for the bathing suit-clad covers on FHM and Uno Magazine, she chose more modest tops or bottoms, rather than create a completely racy appearance. She doesn't think any more such covers will be forthcoming. “I don't need to appear that way again. I don't think of myself in that way,” she says.

The great thing about Chesca Garcia is that she comes across a very real. She isn't crippling humble nor is she hungry for fame, attention, or money. Even her mother tells it, “She's not wild or rebellious but she's not a pushover either. She can be very firm. She doesn't like to complain. To her brothers, friends, or even her boyfriend she is never a nag, however she will squarely tell anyone when she doesn't think they are doing the right thing.

With herself as well, she is always fair but firm about what she thinks is the proper way she should act. As an example, when she first met her boyfriend Ateneo Blue Eagles Basketball member Doug Kramer. She and her then boyfriend of one year had just broken up. She met Doug through friends in Boracay. They went out with common friends, but when she felt she might be getting interested in him, she told him they should break communications until she got her feelings sorted out. She didn't entertain his calls or SMS messages for two months while she tried to reconcile with her ex. Only when she had tied up loose ends did she see Doug Kramer again. “I liked him but I wasn't ready at that time. I still wanted to work things out.” Chesca explains. She clearly has her convictions. And when she makes up on what side of the fence she wants to be in there is no way to corrupt or convince her otherwise. Doug just had to wait even if he ended up almost losing hope. The girl would not budge. In her own good time, Chesca was ready so she sent him a text saying she saw his game on TV. Without missing a beat Doug asked her where she would be that night.

Two and a half years later, Chesca says that this is the most serious relationship she has had. Without fail (unless one of them is out of town) she and Doug see each other everyday. They love to hang out with friends at Greenbelt , watch DVDs, or have dinner with her family. Whenever they can, they trek to Baguio to spend time with Doug's family. “Chesca is my soul mate,” Dough professes unabashedly.

For his part, Doug says, “Chesca can be the most charming, affectionate, and sweetest girl. However she can get moody when she doesn't like something. It would scare people who aren't as sure of themselves.” Her friends attest that she is sugar and spice. She can get worked up with something. “I am high strung. I scream. But when I'm really mad I keep quiet and walk out. It means I don't want to see you for a while”, Chesca explains. “I don't have an ego. If did or said something wrong, I acknowledge it, I apologize always.”

The people closest to her say she is most protective about having enough sleep or time for her family, friends, and Doug. She is devoted to all of the above. The closeness of their family, Bing and her brood of Pichon, Chesca and Patrick, is evident to anyone who meets them. “Even when my parents split up our resolve as a family has always been that even if we're not all together we can still enjoy each other fully, Chesca puts their practice into words. “We still live with my mom—my brothers and I. I will live with them until the day I get married. We love living together even if we can afford not to.”

“I am passionate with my friends, family, loved ones. I am in love with them. I get away with a lot of things. I make them lambing. Even with my dad” Chesca narrates, “Please, please Daddy. I love you.” In the last ten years she has been able to buy her own vehicle and her own condo, which she prudently rents out.

Looking around Chesca's bedroom only describable as pristine of the obsessive compulsive order. Her countless clothes arranged by size and function, and color-coded; shirts folded like you thought only Martha Stewart could, scanning through 200 pairs of shoes all in their boxes that she sanitizes with alcohol after each use, bags in there just-got-them store satchels from collections years ago, and then there is the teeny-tiniest white bikini. “You know I am prim and proper—but not quite,” Chesca says with a certain smile. Then I notice, belatedly, her framed purely baby pink room is now an elegant shade of white.

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