Both are to showbiz born. Jolo inherited the powerful agimat from his grandfather, former senator Ramon Revilla, who passed it on to his son, Sen. Bong Revilla. Shaina is following in the footsteps of her older sister Vina Morales, her inspiration.
Both started young in the business. Shaina was six and still neck-deep in child’s play when she entered showbiz. Jolo was 12 when he entered the field his family is familiar with.
No wonder they create a chemistry that has made them a hit in their first project together, the 2002 Metro Filmfest topgrosser Agimat. And ABS-CBN is duplicating that success on the small screen: via Seasons of Love, a youth-oriented drama airing Sundays at 3 p.m.
As Jomar and Shane respectively, Jolo and Shaina depict the joys and pains of young love, together with other teen stars (Iya Villania, AJ Eigenmann, Karel Marquez in an offbeat role and Serena Dalrymple).
In typical Filipino fashion, the innocent romance blossoms under the watchful eyes of loving parents, played by Carmi Martin and Lito Pimentel.
Like the characters they play, Jomar and Shane must accept the fact that after summer vacation and the thrills it brings, they must trek back to school and its grueling schedule of assignments and exams. Students have no other choice.
But unlike Jomar and Shane, Jolo and Shaina have a choice. They can take a leave from their studies to concentrate on showbiz, where projects are piling up and the pay is good. Thankfully, the thought of abandoning their studies have not entered their minds.
Showbiz is unstable, Jolo and Shaina know that. So they’ll stick it out in their studies, never mind if Shaina must lug her books to tapings and Jolo must review his notes for an upcoming exam on the set. Education is a valuable fallback during the rainy days.
Jolo is not discounting the possibility of entering politics someday and is bent on taking up Law. Shaina, on the other hand, has her sights set on a totally different field: child psychology as a prelude to her one big dream, to be a pediatrician.
"I can even help run the family business (the Ystilo chain of beauty salons) someday," Shaina adds.
Their class schedules are different, though. Jolo goes to school in the afternoons and Shaina from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Their dual worlds have given the two a maturity beyond their years. As a result, Jolo and Shaina usually find themselves more knowledgeable on many things than most people their age.
"On the set, we talk to people older than us — the director, the staff, the press. And we learn a lot from them," Jolo explains.
Shaina likes to think combining school and work allows her to keep in touch with her peers while soaking up nuggets of wisdom from her elders.
"It’s a big advantage," she says with pride. And, judging by the tone of her voice, it’s one thing she wouldn’t exchange for all the glamour and perks showbiz has to offer.
Life has been good, and the two are in no hurry to succumb to the pressure of turning their onscreen romance into something real. True, chemistry as a romantic pair is important, but Jolo and Shaina will be the first to say there’s no use hurrying things up.
"We’re still young," Jolo, 16, protests (Shaina is a year younger).
"Besides," Shaina chimes in, "we’re just starting to get to know each other."
Her parents and her Ate Vina are forbidding her to have a boyfriend yet, suitors notwithstanding.
Jolo, on the other hand, has just learned his lessons from a serious, though controversial relationship with Rosanna Roces’ daughter Grace. Beyond saying that he and Grace still communicate as friends, Jolo refuses to talk about the past romance.
He’s willing to share lessons learned, though: "Sixteen is too early an age to fall deeply in love. So many people will get affected. It will also have an effect on your studies.The thing to do is to concentrate on school first. Eighteen would be a better age to fall in love. By then, you would be more in control of yourself."
He insists that like Shaina, he is loveless at the moment and in no hurry to get on to a new relationship.
Instead, the two are bent on becoming "good examples" to other young people. Jolo knows he should be more circumspect in his behavior, now that his Dad has been newly elected senator. The public will look at him through a magnifying glass, and what he does (or does not do) will reflect on the person he idolizes so much, his Dad.
Shaina knows she owes it to fans not to get into any kind of trouble. This way, she can inspire and lead them to paths straight and narrow.
No wonder Jolo and Shaina click. Their wholesome personalities make them just right for each other. The public, sensing this, has given their team up the all-important seal of approval.