Sharon Cuneta recalls when she made her first million, billion
MANILA, Philippines — “Megastar” Sharon Cuneta shared when she made her first million and billion — in Philippine pesos and in US dollars.
At a round table interview last Tuesday following her performances to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the “Sheroes” campaign of Filipino insurance company InLife (Insular Life) for which she is the endorser, the award-winning actress-singer told reporters, including Philstar.com, that she made her first million pesos at 15 or 16.
“S’yempre exemption kasi kumakanta na ‘ko ng 12, nag-momovie na ko ng 15. I made my first million (in Philippine pesos) ng 15, 16,” she recalled.
According to her, her 1981 first movie with ex-husband Gabby Concepcion fetched her the first P1 million because it was her dad, the late Pasay City Mayor Pablo Cuneta, who negotiated for her talent fee.
“I did my first movie at 15 and at that time, it was the highest-paid movie. I was being paid for parang superstar at that time because my dad gave that price for singing for ‘Dear Heart,’ thinking they would say, ‘Sobra naman!’ Eh kinall. So biglang napilitan, happily. So when I made it, tuloy-tuloy lang s’ya. So I really saved. My parents didn’t touch my money.”
She shared that she bought her first house when she was 27 or 28 in Wack-Wack Greenhills, a five-year loan she finished in three years.
“First million dollars at around 24,” she added in a text message press statement.
“At 30, which was when I married (politician Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan), I promised myself and wrote down that I would become a billionaire asap and had two witnesses to sign it!” she said.
“Then I hit my first billion in my early or mid-30s! Best as I could remember.”
According to her, it was her dad who taught her how to handle and grow her money.
“My father taught me this and he taught me how. It’s easier to make 10 million from 1 million than to make your first million. But I was in showbiz, so it was a lot easier for me. But the thing is, I listened so I grew and grew and grew, and I’m 58 now.”
InLife Sheroes, the Filipino insurance company’s flagship program for women empowerment, was established in partnership with the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group. It aims to reach out to the relatively untapped segment of the women in the Philippines, especially women entrepreneurs who need life and health protection as well as financial solutions to expand their businesses. Sheroes’ four focus areas are financial literacy, health and wellness, women-specific solutions, and access to social and business networks.
During the anniversary show held at the Rigodon Ballroom of the Manila Peninsula, the Sheroes Awards Program was also launched to honor Filipino women who embody the program’s four pillars: champions of financial education, advocates for physical and/or mental health and wellness, accomplished women who work for the benefit of women and business leaders whose products and services address women’s needs. Nominations should be accompanied by a 500-word write up on the nominee’s profile, explaining her advocacies and endeavors, and must be sent to inlifesheroes@insular.com.ph from March 12 to August 15, 2024. For more information, visit https://www.inlifesheroes.com/. — Video by Deni Bernardo, additional video editing by Martin Ramos
