armina Villaroel talks about the joy of parenting twins and how a supportive husband and father makes all the difference.

About five years ago, at the beginning of the new millennium, Carmina Villaroel came to a life defining moment: She was pregnant with twins in the United States , on the run from her public in the Philippines because the father of her children was not her then husband. In 2000, the quintessential younger sister who has to be cared for had to look after herself and her family with fellow young star Zoren Legaspi . The sweet girl who caught our eye in the burger ad and who would call Richard Gomez kuya in the hit sitcom Palibhasa Lalaki was also in the middle of a messy annulment from Rustom Padilla and sought privacy and solace in the U.S.

But strangely, in the middle of all the confusion and controversy, she was happy. “It was a wonderful time,” Carmina shares. “It was just Zoren and me. It wasn't like you and me against the world. We had time bond together, just by ourselves. That time in the US gave us the chance to live together as normal people. Kaming dalawa lang, walang helpers, walang nakakakilala sa amin . We went to the grocery together, we did our laundry together. And saya ng experience! It was different. It think it strengthened our relationship. We found out our strengths and weaknesses by going through that experience together, just the two of us.”

During Carmina's 16-hour labor and caesarean section, Zoren was the only one there. No mom, no family, no friends. The intensity of the experience and the immensity of the responsibilities that followed only sealed their bond as a couple. “Zoren is hands-on,” she says. He assisted her from child-bearing to childbirth to twins-caring.

History together

Despite being in the limelight, this celebrity couple appears strong and well-grounded. “Honestly, hindi kami nahihirapan . We have love, trust, and respect. Kampante ako kay Zoren, I know him so well. Mahiyain at hindi babaero . Zoren is God-fearing. Hindi siya gagawa ng masama dahil iisipin niyang kasalanan sa Diyos yun . Sabi nga niya sa akin, ‘Kung may gagawin akong masama, hindi naman ikaw ang iisipin ko kungdi ang Diyos .'

Yes, Carmina and Zoren talk about everything. “ Kahit konting problema, sasabihin namin agad sa isa't isa . Sa totoo lang, hindi pa kami nag-aaway . Kung nararamdaman kong naiinis na siya, lalambingin ko siya , ‘ Bati na tayo ha ?'” And what are these tiny irritants? Carmina admits she's a little bit more obsessive-compulsive than what Zoren is comfortable with. “When I come home from work, kahit pagod na pagod at antok na antok na ako , I still fix my makeup, I straighten up things around the house. They have to be a certain way or else I'm bothered.

The more relaxed Zoren tends to get mad when she tries to impose her sense of order on her belongings. “He'll say, ‘This is my side of the room. Don't mess it.' If I fix it, he'll say, ‘What did you do, hon? I know where my things are.' Natatandaan niya kahit mukhang magulo . Zoren is independent. He doesn't want to have things done for him.”

When they're going on vacation, Carmina makes a day-to-day, hour-by-hour schedule. “May to-do list ako . Alam ko na kung saan magpapa -gas kasi nga ayoko ng may hassle pang maghahanap ng gasolinahan kung kelan mauubos na ang gas. Gusto ko maayos talaga . But Zoren is super relaxed. He'll say, ‘ Bakasyon ba ito ? Relax ka lang .' Kasi nga plano na sa akin .”

In a way, Carmina says, she and Zoren are a mirror of her parents. “My mom was like me, dadada , maingay . Zoren is like my dad, super cool, but when he's angry, he can explode.”

Family matters

Surprisingly, Zoren and Carmina don't fight about how to raise their twins. They agree that kids should be spanked—not with bare hands, but with a belt. But Carmina won't do the spanking. Like her mom, she just scolds the kids a lot. “Si Zoren, he's really disciplinarian. After three warnings, it's the belt. That's why now the kids already know how to behave.” Maybe that's why kids call Zoren “father” and Carmina “mommy.”

Their traditional disciplining style aside, Zoren and Carmina are still overwhelmed with emotions and expectations of their children. To my first question of how it's like to be a mother, Carmina gives out a great sigh of weariness and amazement. “Ay, ang hirap!” Pero , seriously, indescribable. Masarap na mahirap , fulfilling. Aside from being a first-time mom, I'm a first-time mom to twins. Double dose agad, may bonus. I don't even have a comparison kasi nga dalawa agad .”

Her exhaustion is not surprising. Aside from arriving promptly for the GH cover pictorial at nine in the morning when her taping for Nuts Entertainment had just finished at three, Carmina has two four-years-olds “na magkaibang-magkaiba ang ugali.”

Maverick is an early riser. “He's usually awake by six.” His sister Cassandra like to stay up late. “ Nakikipagsabayan sa amin .

Parang si Zoren, hindi masungit pag gising . Animated kaagad. Mavy has his own style, he can entertain himself. Cassy is a mini-me, very maarte. When Mavy found out that he came from my tummy, amazed siya. He would touch my tummy and say he wants to go back inside. Si Cassy naman, ‘Ewww! No!'”

Although the twins have a room of their own, they sleep with their parents. Carmina set up a futon at the foot of the big bed,” “but Cassy usually sleeps between Zoren and me. Si Mavy parang clock matulog , paikot-ikot sa kama . Kaya hayun , riot ang kuwarto namin . Their bedroom functions as their playroom.”

Like many parents, Carmina and Zoren will sometimes watch their sleeping kids and ask each other, “ Anak ba natin ang mga ito ? They're so pretty, so perfect. When we watch them, we cant help but think they're really God's gift. They're my answered prayers. They came into my life when I needed them.”

Past and future

Although ex-husband Rustom Padilla is part of her past, Carmina has learned to accept that chapter of her life. “ Wala akong regrets kasi na-realize ko na hindi ako magiging ganito without that experience.” What lessons did she pick-up? “To love yourself and to listen to your parents.” She has clearly moved on. “ Wala na , he's not even a friend,” she says of Rustom.

When her kids are a little older and able to understand her past, Carmina wants to tell them her story. “ Gusto kong ikuwento sa kanila para matuto sila sa pinagdaanan ko . Mahirap din baka marinig pa nila sa iba .”

When Cassy behaves like she does, Carmina can't help but think of her mom, who has already passed away. “ Lahat ng sinasabi niya naalala ko kasi nga matigas ang ulo ko . Ngayon nakikita ko ‘yun kay Cassy. Bata pa lang, strong na ang personality niya . Parang three times ng tigas ng ulo ko . Noon, parang aso't pusa kami ng mommy ko . We couldn't stand each other but we couldn't live without each other.”

Like every parent, Carmina only wishes good health and a solid education for her kids. She also wants them to grow up with traditional Filipino values; “respect for elders, for Mavy to be a gentleman na nagbubukas ng pintuan ng babae , for Cassy to be ladylike. Cassy already does that, she bows like a princess and sits like a girl.”

For these milestone in her children's life, Carmina credits their dad Zoren, who “is really with the kids. Sobrang tiyaga talaga .”

Hectic schedule

The past three weeks before the GH shoot (the Friday before Holy Week), Carmina had to rely on Zoren to hold down the home front. She has been very busy. There the daily variety show Sis, the weekly taping for the adult comedy show Nuts Entertainment , the final taping of fantasy serye of Mulawin , the taping of new episodes for its replacement Darna , and the commercials she had to shoot. “ Sabi nga nila when it rains, it pours. I'm just tired but it's OK. Like I said, baka bawiin ni Lord pag akala niya nagrereklamo ako . That's why I just pray na sana Monday night na ( the night of the Holy Monday is when she finishes all her commitments before she goes off with her family to vacation in Subic). Fast-forward Monday night na. Ilang tulog na lang .”

When she's super busy, Carmina misses the things they do together as family—from the sweet (group hugs) to the funny (like going to the mall all dressed in The Incredibles T-shirts).

But after all she has gone through, Carmina knows attitude to take: “I'm really grateful to be able to do what I want to do. Nawala na ako for one year, nagdaan na ako sa maraming intriga, nagkaanak na ako , naglipat na ako ng channel, nandito pa rin ako , doing what I really love doing.”

And her family keeps her going. “They are my trophy, my inspiration. Precious sila sa akin. ” And they treasure her back. “When I get home from work, they massage my back and say, ‘Mommy don't get sick. We need you and love you.' how can you get sick with that?' How, indeed. - -