by Rhea Manila Santos, ABS-CBN showbuzz

With her ever-growing list of singing engagements abroad, Charice Pempengco has become a frequent flyer, shuttling from Manila to the United States almost every month.

English translation in orange text by cha_rade

But after leaving for Los Angeles last February 11, the 16-year-old singer will be staying in California for up to two months to make preparations for her international album debut,

“Bale makikinig na ako ng mga original at cover songs then mag-sa-start na din ako mag-recording so mapapatagal na ako dun. Siguro March or April na ako babalik. Pero kung may time, kung may one week break lang or three days, puwede pa rin ako bumalik dito,” she explains.

["I'll be listening to original and cover songs then I'll start recording so I'll be spending quite some time there (LA). Probably I'll be back around March or April. If I have time, even for a week or three days, I can still return here," she explains.]

Charice admits that she still gets jetlagged during the 13-hour flights, but that she’s gotten used to it.

“Napapagod din ako sa biyahe pero tinutulog ko na lang yun kasi ‘pag hindi ko itinulog, talagang nahihilo ako eh,” she adds.

Although the singer admits it would be more convenient to live in the US, Charice will not relocate there permanently.

“Actually napag-usapan na namin yun, na talagang hindi pupuwede talagang hindi ako uuwi kasi home base ko talaga is ABS-CBN. Then pumayag sila kasi kahit papaano, napakalaki ng utang na loob ko sa ABS-CBN kasi dito ako nagsimula. Siyempre iba pa rin dito. Nasanay na ako dito. Kaya nga kahit na mahirap, kahit na two to three days lang ako libre, talagang umuuwi ako,” she admits.

["Actually, we already talked about it, that it's impossible for me not to go home because ABS-CBN is really my home base. Then they agreed because no matter what, I owe ABS-CBN a lot because I started with them. Of course, it's still different living (in the Philippines). I've gotten used to it here. That's why even though it's tough, even if it's just for 2 or 3 days that I'm free I make it a point to come back home," she admits.]

“I do get tired from the trip but I just try to sleep it off because if I don’t sleep, I get really dizzy,” she adds.

Instead of feeling homesick when she’s abroad, Charice looks forward to every time she returns home.

“Okay naman kasi nag-e-enjoy naman ako. Kasi pagdating ko, may mga uwi akong big news tapos tuwang-tuwa yung mga tao. Kaya gustong-gusto kong umuuwi. Yung parang gusto ko i-share sa kanila yung mga ginagawa ko sa States para hindi nila ako makalimutan,” she says.

["It's okay since I can enjoy myself. It's because when I arrive, I bring back big news and people are elated to hear about them. That's why I really enjoy coming back. It's like I want to share with them all these things I've been doing in the States so that they don't forget about me," she says.]

All set to sing at one of this year’s post-Oscar parties, Charice is excited about seeing her favorite Hollywood stars.

“Sana makita ko si Justin Timberlake or Whitney Houston. Or kung sa actresses, si Anne Hathaway sana! (laughs). Naku, tatakbo na ako sa kanila, yung camera ko handa na,” she admits.

["I hope I get to see Justin Timberlake or Whitney Houston. Or if it's an actress, Anne Hathaway! (laughs). Oh, I'll run to them, with my camera all ready," she admits.]

Charice also shares her first brush with the paparazzi abroad.

“Natutuwa ako kasi yung isang paparazzi dun, nakuhanan ako ng video tapos last year pinauulit-ulit sa YouTube. Kasi every time after ng guesting ko, sa backstage ako lumalabas. Alam mo yung feeling ng mga paparazzi na foreigner tapos paglabas ko nagkakagulo sila, may harang na dun, tapos yung mga bodyguard ko ang lalaki ng katawan tapos iba yung feeling na may nagsasalita sa harapan mo ng, ‘Where’s Charice’s limo?’ Basta parang pinapanuod ko lang siya dati tapos ngayon nangyayari na sa akin,” she recalls.

["I'm filled with glee because of one paparazzi there, he took a video of me and then last year it was widely played on Youtube. You see, every time after my guesting on shows, I exit backstage. You know how foreign paparazzis are, when I exited and they started to have a commotion behind the fence. My bodyguards are these big guys and it's just a different feeling when there's someone in front of you saying, 'Where's Charice's limo?' It's like I just used to watch those kinds of things and now it's happening to me," she recalls.]

After an unexpected emotional episode during her guest appearance on The Buzz, Charice shares the reason why she ended up crying during her interview.

“Nag-flashback kasi sa akin lahat ng nakaraan. Yung hirap na pinagdaanan namin, yung nanakawan kami tapos P3,000 yung nanakaw sa amin. Malaking pera na sa amin yun. Tapos dumayo ako ng napakalayo sa Batangas tapos ubos na yung pamasahe namin, so sabi ko kailangan makuha ko yung first prize. Tapos ang nauwi namin P8,000. Mas malaki pa dun sa ninakaw. Tapos minsan wala kaming pamasahe, nanghihiram kami sa kapitbahay, ganun. So parang ganun nga, dahil sa mga hirap na pinagdaanan, ganun talaga yung kapalit na binigay sa akin,” she shares.

["It's because I had a flashback of how it was before, all of those hard times we went through, when things were stolen from us, including P3,000 taken. It was a large sum for us. After that, we traveled far to Batangas and we didn't even have enough for the return fare so I told myself that I have to get the first prize. Then, I won P8,000, which was more than the stolen amount. Other times when we don't have fare money, we would even borrow from our neighbors and such. So it's like that, because of the sufferings we've been through, these are the blessings we now get in return," she shares.]

Charice says her blessings have given her the strength to ignore her detractors.

“Actually, ayoko ko magtanim ng sama ng loob, kasi sabi nga nila, mas maganda kung ikaw yung magbibigay para mas madaming blessings yung dumating sa ‘yo. So ‘pag naririnig akong ganyan, sa umpisa lang masakit pero pag tumagal, ba’t ko papansinin yun so bakit ako masasaktan? Maaapektuhan ko pa yung sarili ko. Huwag ko na lang pansinin. So wala yun sa akin,” she says.

["Actually, I don't want to bear grudges because, as they say, it's better to be generous of oneself so that you receive more blessings. So when I hear things like that, it only hurts at the onset but when it persists, why should I mind it so why would I let it hurt me? It'll just affect me negatively if I let it. I just decide to ignore it, so it's nothing to me," she says.]

Charice was also recently named one of the top three rising stars in Hollywood by US channel Fox News.

“Number one si Robert Pattinson and number two si Kate Winslet. Then top three ako. Hindi ako makapaniwala kasi I mean, Kate Winslet tapos yung bida ng Twilight, yung parang sa dami ng artists sa States na nag-uumpisa, ako yung napili nila na magiging hot this year, so nagpapasalamat ako sa Fox News,” she says.

["Robert Pattison is in first place while Kate Winslet is in second. And I'm in the top three. I couldn't believe it because, I mean, Kate Winslet was the lead in Twilight; out of all the artists from the States, they chose me to be the one of the hottest stars this year. I'm really thankful to Fox News," she says.]

Charice, who is coming out with her second solo album for Mother’s Day, says she did not expect to become so popular.

“Gulat na gulat nga po ako eh (laughs). Nagulat talaga ako kasi December 2007 lang ako nag-start nung Ellen DeGeneres tapos binigyan ako ng break ni Miss Oprah Winfrey. Iba rin yung feeling na nakapag-duet ako sa mga big stars like Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion. So sanathis year, naku mabait si God, sana mas malalaki pa yung opportunities na ibigay niya sa akin,” she adds.

["I was really surprised (laughs). I was really surprised because I had just started in December 2007 at the Ellen Degeneres show and then Miss Oprah Winfrey gave me my break. It's a different feeling to have had duets with big stars like Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion. So hopefully this year, God willing, hopefully He bestows upon me even bigger opportunities," she adds.]

Charice has been investing her savings with her recent purchase of a seven-door apartment as well as a new car.

“Ang pinagiipunan ko ngayon ay isa pang sasakyan at makapagpatayo ng sariling bahay para sa mommy ko,” she says.

["Now I'm saving up for one more vehicle and having our own house built for my mother," she says.]

Posted by Madz, Submitted by Zhen

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