“It’s a difficult task kasi di ako puede maging plastic,” she says. “Once, naka-night gown pa ako, may kumakatok na sa’ming bahay sa Ilocos para humingi ng tulong. Sabi ko, puede ba, you wait, wala pang 7 AM, e. Naku, sabi ng husband ko, hindi ganyan ang buhay politika. You can’t do to that to my constituents. Nasermunan ako pati ng mother in law ko. Tinuruan ako how to entertain the constituents. Aba, maghapon na ako nang nagluluto for them. At bawal daw akong humarap sa kanila nang naka-sleeveless o naka-shorts kahit mainit. I have to be prim and proper. I then realized that being married to a politician is a calling. It humbled me kasi I’m very comfortable with my life and I saw how poor they are. So I helped sa kanilang livelihood. Napabayaan nila yung weaving ng Iloco cloth so I bought them thread and materials so they can weave again, we introduced backyard gardening, planting medicinal plants, binili ko sila ng pigs and goats. And I helped them market their products, pati bagnet and Vigan longganisa na iba-iba ang flavors. Seeing their lives improve give me a different kind of fulfillment than the awards I got from acting.”
Will she eventually join politics? “Naku, marami ngang natakot noong una. They thought I’d run. But I’ll never do that because it’s not for me. Wala akong interest and I’m happier working behind my husband.”
Besides, she’s still acting. She’s enjoying playing the role of Debbie Almeda, the mother of the triplets played by Erich Gonzales in ABS-CBN’s “Blood Sisters”. “I enjoy working with the show’s whole cast. I’ve worked with most of them before and they’re all very professional. Parang family na kami and everyone gets the chance to shine. Erich and I have become close. We even go to church together, with my own kids.”
One of Dina’s proudest accomplishments is raising her two kids, Danica and Oyo, well. They’re now both happily married, to cager Mark Pingris and actress Kristine Hermosa, respectively. Does she get along well with her in-laws?
“Oh yes. Mas magkakampi nga kami ni Mark kaysa ni Danica. Before, when I visit them, I noticed si Danica, konting kibot, Mark nang Mark. Hands on kasi si Mark, pati sa pagpapalit ng diaper sa mga anak nila, just like Oyo. So sabi ko, tigil na yang kama-Mark at ikaw mismo ang umasikaso sa anak mo. At si Danica, makalat. E, ako, I’m so particular when it comes to neatness. Kailangan, organized lahat. So inayos ko ang mga closet nila. One thing with both my kids, they love to cook. Pati si Mark, nagpapaturo rin sa’king magluto. Si Kristine, masinop sa gamit, parang ako, so magkasundo kami. We all see each other during weekends. Sina Mark, nakasama ko pa in traveling abroad when we met his French father in Spain.”
