Define Friendship? Kris & Ai-Ai!

Until Kris Aquino and Ai-Ai delas Alas came together more than a decade ago…for better or for worse, through thick and thin, come hell or high water, come what may…their kind of relationship was called “friendship” (defined by Merriam Webster as “the state of being friends”) and they were, strictly and literally, “friends” (Webster: “One attached to another by affection or esteem”). But they started calling each other “friendship” and that’s who people in the same “state of affection and esteem” now also call themselves — friendship instead of friends.

The two ladies are friends in the true and real sense of the word, fair weather or foul, friends in need who are friends indeed who have many things in common including fascination with basketball players — Kris’ ex-husband and a few other guys linked to her were hardcourt stars and Ai-Ai’s current squeeze is also a graduate of the same field (and now helps run the family’s car-dealing business). They are both single parents, independent in more ways than one — and have a weakness for nice (read: branded) clothes and are highly-opinionated.

“We never had any serious misunderstanding,” said Ai-Ai who co-stars with Kris in the comedy Sisterakas, one of the two Star Cinema entries in the 2012 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), which also stars Vice Ganda. Directed by Wenn Deramas, the movie casts Kris and Ai-Ai contrary to real life, in characters that are not really good friends.

“We became close after I did Tanging Ina more than 10 years ago,” continued Ai-Ai. “Maybe because she knows that I am a Coryista (a Pres. Cory Aquino loyalist). Friendship Kris watched the movie and I think she liked it so much that we became friends naturally.”

But wait, let’s find out how “friendship” Kris and Ai-Ai match from the following “quiz” that they answered separately.

Kris

• I hate people who…Actually, I avoid hating now.

• I avoid people who...Are negative.

• My greatest pleasure is...Being with my sons Josh and Bimb.

• My worst moment is...So far life is good, walang mga worst moments.

• My biggest fear is...Hmmmm...dying young and leaving my two sons before they’re ready.

• I pray for...Okay, I really always pray, first and foremost, for our country and for P-Noy, for my sisters, for my family, for good health,  for patience and for success. And, of course, I always pray in thanksgiving.

• The most important person in my life is...There are only two, Josh and Bimb.

• If I were to be reincarnated as an animal I would be...Animal? Lagay mo ‘yan, ha? Animal? (Laughs) Uhmm...Baka I want to be ano... a dolphin. Why? Kasi parang ano, mabait sila and ano... Kasi I read na ‘yung being in contact with dolphins, parang may calming feeling na nabibigay and then supposedly, uhm, for children who are afflicted with autism and ADHD, ‘yung being with dolphins and communing with them helps talaga to heal, so baka gusto ko talagang maging dolphin.

• My most traumatic experience was...Traumatic? Hmmmm... Probably almost dying while giving birth to Bimb, ‘yung ano, the health crisis that the two of us went through.

• I deal with gossip by...Boring na life ko. Wala nang chinichismis about me now, so okay lang. (Laughs)

• The one thing I can’t do without is...Hmmmm...the one thing I can’t do without... okay, so I really need a complete sleep kasi talagang ano...uhmm...I work every day, as in since starting this movie, I’ve worked straight except for every other Sunday, so in an entire month, I only have two days off, so my gift to myself is complete eight hours sleep because that’s the only way I can function.

• Am I afraid of growing old...Old and healthy is fine, old and sick is scary.

• The type of guy that turns me on...Wala na ‘yun. Ayoko na.

• The type of guy that turns me off...Wala na rin. (Laughs) Wala na sa pag-iisip ko ‘yun.

• My philosophy in life is...Now, I think it’s really appreciating what’s here and what’s now and being grateful for everything I have and not wishing for more.

• I lose my temper when...Ahh, simple lang, kasi I’m home so rarely. So, the times I’m home and I want to eat and then mabagal silang lahat, d’un lang ako umiinit ang ulo. And ano, I just…and ano siguro kasi I respect time, I respect being there and working. So, sometimes nakakainit ulo talaga ’pag, uhm, may late kang katrabaho or may mga delays because you know you’re giving your 100 percent, so nakaka-disappoint when others are not.

• When I’m alone in my room I fantasize about...I’m never alone because my two sons sleep with me every night, the three of us together forever. We have six bedrooms but we sleep in one room. (Laughs) Gusto namin talaga forever together.

• If I were somebody else I would be...Hmmmm...Siguro, locally, ha? I mean in our country if I could be anybody else, I choose to be Gov. Vi. No, kasi parang I really feel na she has preserved her celebrity and we continue to respect her so much and yet she’s given so much back to the people as a public servant. So, idol talaga.

• I am happiest when...I’m traveling with my sons. When we have moments na it’s really just us. Kasi there are times when you travel na I allow the yayas to parang have a night-off, ‘yung parang maka-relax naman sila, so talagang it’s just really the three of us. So, nag-e-enjoy kami talaga na ano, eating out together tapos kami ni Josh papaliguan namin si Bimb, tapos ibibilin kay Josh na bihisan niya ‘yung brother niya habang naliligo ako and then kami together. ‘Yung parang ewan ko, happy na talaga kami na just the three of us. So ‘yun, we enjoyed that. We enjoyed our moments talaga na abroad. We enjoy actually kahit anong gawin namin na together kami, maligaya na kami.

• I am saddest when...Kasi Bimb really likes Ben 10, the cartoon, so there’s a grandpa there, so I think Grandpa Max ang name, tapos nagpapa-kuwento siya about his grandpa and about “what happened to my grandma because she died of cancer.” Parang I’m sad that my mom had to die when Bimb was just two years old because she would have really, really enjoyed seeing him now at five na ganito kadaldal. And ‘yun…and parang I’m sad that my mom didn’t live to see the day na Josh would be able to lose 90 pounds and be able to run at 10-kilometer. And then when I show my sons pictures of who their lolo was, nasa-sad ako na ‘yun, na they did not experience growing up with grandparents. ‘Yun yung parang that’s the only thing that I feel my sons really missed out on.

• My ultimate goal is…When my mom was alive, she always said that she prayed that I would go, meaning  I would retire, when the public still wanted me, na I would be able to walk away daw na eager pa ‘yung tao for more. So that’s my goal — to know the right time to go, ah, when to retire, when  hopefully, fingers crossed to go, while I’m still on top and be happy already to have a quiet life with my sons and to live comfortably and later on parang ano, to see what other roads there may be for me to travel.

• What I like about myself...Ay, I like myself now (Laughs). No, I mean I like who I become, I like everything that, uhm, I’ve molded myself to be and ‘yung I’ve learned how to prioritize and I think what I like most is I feel like I’m so much more mature and ‘yun, I’m just really positive. Happy lang talaga ako sa buhay ko siguro this is the happiest I’ve been talaga because ‘yung uncomplicated joy ang nafi-feel namin in my small family unit na kaming tatlo na parang ‘yung ano it’s really true that you don’t need to be in a relationship to feel complete because I really feel fulfilled, complete and content.

• What I don’t like about myself...Wala naman. Gusto ko talaga sarili ko. (Laughs) Sorry, baka mabuwisit sila sa akin for saying that, I’m okay. (Laughs)

• Face to face with God I’d tell Him…Thank You. I’d just say thank You, thank You, thank You so much kasi, uhm, He has given me so much more than I’ve ever dreamed of and thank You because He gave me really two wonderful sons, ‘yung I hear so often of families na nag-aaway-away, uhm, na parang di sila united and I’m really blessed that my siblings and I really get along, wala kaming masyadong conflict and ‘yun we support each other and parang blessing talaga ‘yun. So ‘yun, I just thank You, God, and thank You na He really gave me good parents and He blessed me with so much.

Ai-Ai

• I hate people who…Lie.

• I avoid people who…Are negative.

• My greatest pleasure is…Eating food and buying cars.

• My worst moment is…When it’s full moment.

• My biggest fear is…To grow old alone.

• I pray by and for…Saying The Lord’s Prayer and The Hail Mary, for my family and loved ones.

• The most important person in my life is…Persons na lang — my children Sancho, Shaun, Sophia and Seth; my moms; and my sweetheart Jed Babe.

• If I were to be reincarnated as an animal I would be…A chimpanzee.

• My most traumatic experience was…My married life.

• I deal with gossip…By praying and dedma (nice combination).

• The one thing I can’t do without is my…Coffee and my celfone.

• Am I afraid of growing old?...No, as long as I’m not alone.

• The type of guys that turns me on is…Jed Salang (my Papa).

• My philosophy in life is…Let your dreams be bigger than your fears, your actions louder than words and your faith stronger than your feelings.

• I lose my temper when…Hmmm, do I ever? I never!

• When I am alone in my room I fantasize about…Being a billionaire.

• If I were somebody else I would be…Mother Teresa.

• I am happiest when…My loved ones are happy.

• I am saddest when…My loved ones are sad.

• My ultimate goal…Is to help people.

• What I like about myself is…I am generous.

• What I don’t like about myself...When I’m angry.

• Face to face with God…I’ll tell Him that I want to go to heaven when I die and I will thank Him for my children and my Babe and my good life.

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