Aiza Seguerra on new passions and projects

CEBU, Philippines - Aiza Seguerra doesn’t really know why her second album attracted a big following in neighboring Asian countries, so much so that it climbed up the first slot of the Singapore charts and reached platinum back in 2008.

“Ewan ko. Honestly, hindi ko alam kasi I just do the things that I love to do. Until now, palaisipan sa akin on why it was special sa mga nakikinig. But I’m very happy about it,” she surmised on her success abroad.

Because that Asian edition album titled “Open Arms” was accepted very well outside the country and gave Aiza the title of Asia’s Acoustic Sensation, a follow-up had to be in order. Hence, the acoustic star simultaneously released this year her latest album, “Perhaps Love”, in nine Asian countries namely Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, and the Philippines.

Promoting the 14-track CD consisting of love song remakes rendered in her signature acoustic versions was what brought her to Cebu’s Ayala Activity Center recently where The FREEMAN got to chat with the singer briefly.

Another thing she’s focusing on aside from her singing is producing albums for fellow artists, starting with the comeback album of singer Carol Banawa who is back in the country after a seven-year stay in the United States. The ASAP Sessionista already produced a song once for the former lead vocal of the band MYMP Juris, but this is the first album she has produced.

Perhaps the reason she is also keen on helping Carol is because she herself made a successful comeback with her single “Pagdating ng Panahon”, after years of lying low when her appeal as a child actress waned. With her gift at songwriting and Carol’s melodic voice, this should be a collaboration worth listening to.

Aiza gives in to occasional acting stints mostly through ABS-CBN’s “Maalaala Mo Kaya,” but getting roles is not something she actively seeks. “Masaya ang acting pero sobra rin nakakapagod kasi ang taping niyan four days straight. Ang pinaka-importante sa akin ngayon is not acting, it’s singing na. But if something comes along and I feel I would enjoy it, then why not? I don’t actually think about my career, as long as I feel that I’m happy with whatever I’m doing.”

Aiza, who was first seen as a contestant in Eat Bulaga’s “Little Miss Philippines”, admitted that she can’t help but flinch in slight embarrassment when watching clips of her screen antics as a former child star. “I cringe. And I laugh also. Hindi ako makapaniwala sa pinaggagawa ko noon but I also find myself cute!”

She might no longer see her Eat Bulaga friends on a regular basis, but on the rare instances that she does, their time apart becomes irrelevant. “We’re like old friends in a way na we don’t talk and see each other often, pero kapag nagkita kami, the warmth is still there and alam namin that we’re important to each other. Kung ano man yung narating ko and whenever something good happens to me, nakikita ko na they’re really proud of me,” she said.

Even if she’s seen these days on ABS-CBN, Aiza avoids appearing on shows that fall on the same timeslot as Eat Bulaga. She used to get invited to “Wowowee” and “Showtime”, but begged off in consideration to her mentors Tito, Vic and Joey.

“Delicadeza na lang. One of the good things kasi na natutunan ko with the Eat Bulaga people is that kahit nasa ganito kaming industriya, dapat may prinsipyo at pagkatao ka pa rin. Hanggang ngayon, kahit saan man ako mapunta, I still try to uphold these principles that they taught me.”

Aiza is content with her career’s steady pace, adding that as long as her parents are well provided for, she wouldn’t ask for more.

“Matagal na akong kontento sa buhay ko. Of course I have dreams. Right now, everything is really good with me and with my family. As long as we get by, we get to pay the bills and my family gets to eat thrice a day, I’ll be contented. I just wish it will stay this way.”

One admirable trait of Aiza that we wish would also stay the same is her civic-mindedness. Not a lot know how she has had strongly supported the elimination of child labor in the country. For her continued support of the cause, she received the Child Rights Advocate Award.

After discovering the wonders of scuba diving, she has taken up a new cause. Because she found some of the best dive sites in Cebu — “I’ve dived in Moalboal, Mactan and Talima Island...” — she’s making an effort to contribute in the rehabilitation of our surrounding waters.

“Earth is basically water but our seas are often taken for granted. Totoo kasi talaga yun na when you dive, namumulat ang mga mata mo sa mundong hindi mo nakagisnan. It’s like, wow, there’s another world down there! Hindi yan nakikita ng mga tao kaya siguro hindi nila pinapansin when people engage in dynamite or cyanide fishing na sumisira sa magandang mundo down there. Siguro my advocacy is, it’s okay to fish, just fish responsibly. Just get what you need. Huwag tayong swapang.”

Truly one who walks her talk, she participated in a beach clean-up in Moalboal last month. Along with like-minded friends, Aiza is at work on another environmental project to be held in Cebu next year.

“We might actually need your help because we’re planning a big event here para sa dagat niyo. I don’t want to get into the details yet because we’re still fixing it,” stated Aiza.