Ni REGGEE BONOAN

“AH, ‘one of’ lang ba?”

Ito ang nakangiting tanong ni Kris Aquino nang ipakilala siya bilang endorser ng numero unong Philippine brand ng make-up na Ever Bilena sa festive na event sa Kamia Room ng Edsa Shangri-La Hotel nitong Sabado ng umaga.

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Nagtakatawanan ang lahat ng mga dumalo sa tugon ni Kris kaya naman agad ikinorek ng moderator ang sinabi with full confidence: “The main ambassadress of 35th year of Ever Bilena.”

Alam ng lahat na choosy sa brand ng make-up si Kris na aminadong nasubukan na niyang lahat ng mamahalin, pero nang malaman niyang kukunin siyang endorser ng Ever Bilena ay nagpabili (nagpa-hoard yata ang tamang salita) siya sa dalawang staff niya sa SM Megamall outlet nito ng eyeliner, lipstick, concealer, press powder, at pangkilay sa halagang P12,000.

“I think it’s so important to have a brand portfolio that encompasses everything, I think you want to be able to say na from A to Z meron ako. For income levels meron ka, but the great thing is that I am getting to do something that everyone can afford and it shocked me, because nu’ng namili si Jack (Salvador) at si Rochelle, I gave them 12,000 and I said, ‘Bilhin n’yo lahat ng mabibili ninyo’ and then, ubos daw lahat kasi they went a week and a half after New Year. So ubusan talaga, ‘tapos ‘yung mga lipstick talaga, it blew my mind na nandoon siya sa price point na P159/P169. Parang sabi ko, ‘May ganu’n pa’ (na presyo?), and then nu’ng i-try ko, oh, my gosh, ang saya!”

Una raw narinig ni Kris ang Ever Bilena kay Eugene Domingo nang magkasabay silang mag-guest sa isang TV show.

“Sabi ko sa kanya, ‘You look so fresh, ang ganda ng nasa cheeks mo!’ And then she said, ‘Ano ka ba, P50 lang ‘yan.’ Na bumibili raw si Uge ng box by box ng Ever Bilena na para sa cheeks niya.”

Nabanggit pa ni Kris na, “There must be something in Ever Bilena kaya nakahanap si Uge ng forever niya, kaya hahanap din ako.”

Lahat ng Ever Bilena products na nagustuhan ni Kris, dinala niya nang makipag-meeting na siya kay Mr. Dioceldo Sy, presidente at CEO ng nasabing produkto, para sa negosasyon nila.

“Okay it was like, I think what impressed Boss Dio when we first met, I brought the products that I like because I was super impressed right away with the pangkilay. And for me pangkilay is life. I have that feeling that my face is incomplete if I have no kilay. And I think all Filipinas feel that way, that you can leave the house with just powder but you cannot leave with no kilay. So when I tried your pangkilay -- oh, my gosh! I shouldn’t say it but the (it’s) the same quality with the pangkilay that starts with an M (brand of make-up) that is imported and cost P1,800. But this Ever Bilena cost P165!” excited na salaysay ng bagong ambassadress ng nasabing produkto.

Kuwento pa ni Kris, hindi siya tumatanggap ng endorsement products kung hindi niya gusto at ginagamit.

“Bumagay talaga, kaya before I met him (Mr. Dioceldo), I tested everything because I knew that there would be skeptic and they (ibang tao) would say na nagpabayad ka lang na hindi mo naman talaga ginagamit, but I’m really a believer that you cannot maintain endorsing or being affiliated... actually this is my 39th endorsement, 40th on Monday (ngayong araw ang contract signing) and 41 and 42 are coming before my birthday, sabi ni Kris na ikinatawa ng lahat).

“So, you wouldn’t be able to have that if you don’t actually use the product and if you don’t believe in the company.

“And I did my research because isa sa close friend ni Boss Dio is a billionaire construction magnate na female friend ko rin and so I ask, ‘How much does he (Dio) earn a year? The sales of Ever Bilena?’ And when she told me, I said, ay, I’m signing with them, I’m so sure na, this is it!”

Mas lalo pang nagustuhan ni Kris ang pagiging mapagpakumbaba ng may-ari ng Ever Bilena na nagsimula lang sa pagbebenta ng nail polish noong ang halaga nito ay 5-6 pesos pa lang (P35-40 na ngayon). At ang lipstick na nagsimula sa 8 pesos, ngayon ay nasa P165-185 na.

“I like the liquid lipstick because it really glides on as in dry and it stays put,” sey pa ni Kris.

Samantala, pagkatapos ng Q and A ay natanong si Kris tungkol sa ipinost niyang litrato nila ni Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista na kuha sa Rome, Italy noong 2017. Inamin niyang hanggang magkaibigan na lang sila.

“I think, kasi, there are people na dapat i-friend mo na lang. Dapat i-friend zone niyo ang each other. Because if you don’t do that, you’ll just end up hurting each other,” saad ng ex-girlfriend ni Mayor HB.

May matinding dahilan kung bakit hindi puwedeng magkatuluyan sina Kris at Bistek, ! ang penalty clause sa multi-national contracts niya.

“I think beyond that, one is, to be perfectly honest talaga -- several contracts have provisions that if you end up with an elected official, may penalty. Because of the money trail, it will appear that they are paying somebody in elective office.

“Dati kasi nu’ng kay Noy (2010-2016), okay ‘yun, kasi hindi conjugal. Magkapatid kami but we shared nothing. Pero ito, if we end up together, even if I announced na, let’s say mangarap na tayo -- na-engaged, sauli ng pera ko na binayad sa akin, sauli ng production cost, and may penalty clause pa du’n sa mga mawawala sa kanila. It’s very expensive, yes, ha-ha-ha!” kuwento ni Kris.

Bukod sa penalty clause na sinabi ng Queen of Online World at Social Media ay tanggap na raw niya sa sarili niya na hindi marrying type si Mayor Herbert.

“Alam mo, I don’t think he’ll ever be ready. When you reached 50 and you’ve never gotten married, I honestly don’t think you’ll ever gonna get married.

“Hello? How old is my brother? Perfect example! He is turning 58. Noy will be 58. Hello? Never kinasal. So alam na alam mo na.