Carmella Gana: ‘Bahala na si Batman’

A P25,000-silk blouse sounds rather unreasonable unless it happens to come from Paul Smith, the plush, sophisticated boutique where witty Carmella Gana works. As business development manager, Carmella, communicates with the head office in London, coordinating orders for clothes, shoes and accessories. Men’s articles are the most popular in Paul Smith’s line, she says, with choices ranging from funky floral styles of pants for the man with a strong personality to elegant suits and traditional shirts and ties. Paul Smith has over 150 branches around the world with 118 in Japan alone.

Laughter comes easily to joyful Carmella, 33, who supervises 12 employees in the two stores located at Glorietta and at the Edsa Shangri-La Mall.

With flexible working hours, our BS Psychology graduate of Assumption, also makes time to get involved in managing the 15 employees at Struan and Tang.

As the daughter of Thelma Gana who is active with the Friends of the Cultural Center group and Tony Gana, former manager of the Manila International Airport , Carmella is the youngest in a family of six children. Our bachelorette pauses here to reflect on Batman and the theories of Freud.

What does your dad often say to you?

When you take out your gun, be ready to shoot and face the consequences. Don’t use it just to scare people.

On what occasion do you lie?

Interviews.

Which living person do you admire most?

I admire Freud for his psychological theories but then he is no longer living.

Who or what is the greatest of love of your life?

Has to be my black Labrador, Sam. For six years now, he has been my first love.

What is your passion?

Every morning I wake up at 6:30 a.m. to play badminton at the Dasmariñas Village courts. It is super addictive.

What film influenced your life?

Ghostbusters. It’s nice to have people who can defy the supernatural.

Which hero of fiction can you most identify with?

Darna. She is the funniest superhero. What does she say to get back to her normal self? "Narda!"

What is your motto?

When I was younger, it was "Cry and you cry alone. Laugh and the whole world laughs with you. Now, it is "Bahala na si Batman."

What is your current state of mind?

Green.

If you had the chance to change something in your life, what would that be?

I would have studied harder. Education is something that you need to complement common sense.

What is your greatest extravagance?

My diamond earrings.

Which historical character would you like to have been?

Cory Aquino. Imagine, to be the first woman president in the whole world.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Having a lot of good friends.

Which living person do you most identify with?

Chona, my eldest sister. We have the same birthday, same personality. She is also strong willed.

What do you dislike most about your appearance?

Where do I start?

Which famous quotation would you have wanted to be the author of?

C’est la vie.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Being self-centered.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Her loyalty but I am not saying that it is one of mine.

What do you most do with your hands?

When I am idle, I cross them in a menacing manner.

* * *

E-mail: babycamp2 @yahoo.co.uk