The long and winding road has led Jackie Forster back to where she feels she and her children should be — home.
“I’m giving ourselves five years and if things go well here, we will stay,” Jackie told Funfare during the launch of the third outlet of Shinagawa Lasik & Aesthetics at the 21st floor of Ore Central Building (corner of 31st St. and 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City). “I miss performing and if the project is right, I wanna do it. I feel like I spend so much time with my children that if I have to come back home just to be away from my children, it doesn’t make sense.”
Jackie’s three children (ages 3, 9 and 4) by Michel Franken, a Dutch businessman, will continue schooling here. The family initially lived in Singapore, moved to Malaysia, back to Singapore, then to London (for one year and a half), to China (for a year) and finally to the Philippines. Franken also worked for a multinational company.
“Our children have been here before,” said Jackie. “They don’t like the traffic but they love the food, the beach and the sun. When they learned that we were moving to the Philippines, they jumped with joy at gusto nang magpa-party.”
Their daughter has survived an illness that, according to Jackie, made them “live practically in the hospital” during the treatment that lasted for two years and a half.
“She’s okay now. She’s excited to go back to school and she’s making friends. That’s one reason why we decided to transplant ourselves to the Philippines. The kids are growing up without a solid group of friends. Palipat-lipat kami at nakakapagod.”
Will she let the only girl join showbiz?
“Why not? If something comes at hindi siya masyadong mapapagod, okey lang. But her dad is somewhat scared — you know, the media. With me, he doesn’t worry. He knows that I am strong and I can handle it.”
If ever, Jackie said that she’s willing to work with Andre.
“That would be fun,” said Jackie who has made peace with Andre and his brother Kobe, her sons by ex-husband Benjie Paras.
Because Andre is super busy (with work, playing basketball and working out in the gym, etc.), he seldom sees his mom, unlike Kobe who, just two days before this interview last Saturday (Feb. 9), bonded with his mom.
“I’m good with them,” assured Jackie. “Kobe is more open with me now. He’s a lot like me…very honest. I grew up in America and I’m straightforward. Tito Alfie (Lorenzo, her late manager) said that I was taklesa (tactless) and he was right. I’m really like that. Kobe is like me. He also looks more like me. Showbiz is not his thing. He’s an athlete. Kobe is very creative. He has so many ideas. He confides in me.
“With Andre, he’s somewhat cautious. It took a while before he got comfortable connecting with me on social media. He’s showbiz and yet he is not. It’s understandable because you know how our lives were, magulo. He wants to keep most of his private life private, and I respect that. By the way, people think that I’m good with social media when actually I’m not. That’s why my posts have a lot of misspelled words because I don’t know what buttons to press.”
She added, “They are adults now. Unless they approach me for whatever, I don’t meddle in their lives. Ayokong maging paki-alamerang mother. But I’m always ready to listen.”
Contrary to a few years ago when she was estranged from Kobe and Andre, this time around Jackie is relaxed, stress-free, and can talk openly about her life. And she looks even lovelier than she was during, understandably, the turbulent period of her life.
Asked if she’s okay with Benjie (and his wife Lyxen Diomampo), Jackie was honest.
“I’m not gonna say that we’re friends, plastic naman ‘yon. Basta walang gulo, okey na yon. Everything is good, everyone is happy.”
Incidentally, Jackie was among the celebrities who graced the Shinagawa event. The others were Julie Ann San Jose, Mimiyuuuh and Ai-Ai delas Alas (with daughter Sophia). Leading the inauguration were Shinagawa president Masako Uemori and IPS, Inc. (Tokyo) chairman Koji Miyashita. Shinagawa has two other branches, one in Makati City (Enterprise Center Tower 2, Ayala Avenue corner Paseo de Roxas) and the second in Pasig City (on 21st Floor of Hanston Square, San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas Center).
(E-mail reactions at rickylophilstar@gmail.com. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)