Marjorie Barretto: A life more meaningful

Motherhood the fourth time around becomes her. Marjorie Barretto has shed 20 pounds after giving birth to Leon Marcux, her youngest child by husband Dennis Padilla, Caloocan City councilor.

And, thanks to religious trips to the gym, she has never looked better.

She’s also back on TV, but not as a soap opera star or a sitcom mainstay. Her new assignment is Okay Ka, Mom, a lifestyle cum public service show on ABC 5, 10:30 to 11 p.m. every Saturday, with Gigi Malonzo and her son, Christopher or PJ.

Marjorie, 29, can’t help but gush about her new job as co-host.

"It’s close to my heart since I’m a mom myself (she has three girls and one boy)," says Marjorie, who just came back, refreshed and recharged from a long weekend with the family in Boracay.

Her three eldest children are doing well in school, a nontraditional learning center called Multiple Intelligence along Katipunan Road, Quezon City, which brings out the students’ individual talent without the pressure of grades.

"My second daughter, Julia, loves it so much. She overstays in school, and leaves as late as 4:30 p.m., when her dismissal is at 12 noon," reports Marjorie.

The eldest, Daniella, is inclined towards music and the sciences while Julia is into sports and musical theater, Marjorie adds.

The youngest girl, Claudia, is in pre-school. With just once-a-week tapings and occasional projects, like co-hosting the upcoming Hair Asia event, Marjorie has enough time to attend to their needs.

No faraway movie location shoot, no nasty showbiz intrigues get in the way, thank you.

Her marriage is as solid as a rock, with Dennis supporting her career as TV host all the way. It’s a two-way street. Marjorie represents Dennis in Caloocan activities, like ribbon-cutting rites, baptisms, weddings, etc. in the morning, when her husband prepares for MTB.

The whirlwind of activities has become an eye-opener for Marjorie. "I’m more aware of poverty," she says with pride. "Because of this, I’ve learned how to appreciate what I have all the more."

There’s a hitch, though. Marjorie admits seeing want and squalor around her can also be frustrating.

The thought that she can only do so much can be unnerving. So she reports the problems she encounters to Dennis, who takes the cue from there.

Their shared experiences have kept Dennis and Marjorie on honeymoon mode for the past seven years they have been together.

"Dennis and I plan to return to Boracay, just the two of us," Marjorie says. With the kids out of the way, is another baby in the offing? "I plan to finish giving birth before I turn 30," is Marjorie’s quick reply. Translation: no more babies after seven-month-old Leon.

This way, she’ll also have more time for herself and what she wants to do. What it is exactly, Marjorie admits she still has to find out.

"I don’t know yet what I’ll concentrate on outside the family. But one thing I’m sure of, I want to do something for myself when I reach 30 (or next year). I want to be really good at something," she reveals.

Marjorie handles the Celebrity Moms segment, where she interviews what else – high-profile mothers and discusses their lifestyles.

But glamor is just the tip of the iceberg as far as Marjorie’s job in Okay Ka, Mom is concerned. In the Dear Mom segment, Marjorie stood as godmother to a long-time Caloocan resident’s wedding in the city’s cathedral.

The pint-sized groom has long been living in with his brand-new bride. Thus, the wedding fulfilled one of the couple’s most cherished dreams.

Caloocan Vice-Mayor Tito Varela stood as godfather.

Marjorie Barretto leads a charmed life, with her role as councilor’s wife filling her days with more meaning, purpose and depth.

That, in itself, is something to crow about.