by Manila Santos

Now enjoying a very fruitful career and living on her own, Angelica Panganiban seems to be every cosmopolitan Pinay’s role model. At 21, she has already top-billed a hit movie alongside showbiz heavyweights Maricel Soriano and Aga Muhlach aside from gracing the covers of the hottest men and fashion magazines.

Glitz and glamor aside, she says there is still so much more she wants to do. On top of her list is traveling around the world with boyfriend Derek Ramsay. “Pareho kaming makakati yung paa, ayaw namin na nakaupo lang kami. Na-e-enjoy kasi namin yung sobrang simpleng buhay. Yung mag-co-commute kami, sasakay kami ng bus tapos bitbit namin mga gamit namin. Yun yung sobrang babaw na kaligayahan namin. Kakain kami sa mga karinderya lang tapos gusting-gusto namin yung nakaka-discover kami ng mga bagong bagay. Gusto namin yung maghahanap kami ng masarap na kainan tapos lilipat-lipat kami sa iba ibang kainan,” she shares.

Part of the lure of travel for Angel is that she gets to live a normal life while abroad. “Siguro gusto ko gawin yun kasi yun yung mga hindi ko ma-e-experience dito. Yun yung mga bagay na hindi ko magagawa dito unless madaling araw. Sa abroad, walang tumitingin sa amin. Pantay-pantay yung tingin sa amin ng mga tao. Feeling ko pag nasa ibang bansa kami (ni Derek), normal lang. Doon wala kaming limitations, sobrang free kami. And at the same time, may na-di-discover kaming mga bagong bagay. Meron kaming mga nagiging bagong kaibigan,” she adds.

A different kind of adventure for Angel has been moving out of her mother’s home and living in a condo by herself for the past year. “Parang non-stop pa rin yung adjustment. Noong umpisa, akala ko mag-a-adjust ka lang sandali. Ok naman, nasanay na ako. Pero ngayon, hindi pa rin nawawala yung pagtitipid. Iniisip ko yung puwedeng huwag ko munang bilhin. Yung ganun,” she shares.

Although she has house help, Angel prefers to be more hands-on when it comes to doing the chores. “Mahilig ako maglinis ng bahay. Gusto ko yung sobrang linis tingnan. Sobrang maayos. Mas gusto ko yung ako yung nag-aalaga ng mga gamit ko kasi ‘pag ikaw mismo ang maglilinis, mas may pagmamahal ka sa gamit mo,” she concludes.

After cutting her hair short for her mature role in Your Song Presents: I’ll Take Care of You, Angelica surprised her fans by cutting it even shorter for her character in the upcoming teleserye IisaPa Lamang. “It’s a new look. Excited ako kasi this will be a different type of role for me. I’m sure magugulat din ang audience sa character ko,” she says mischievously. Iisa Pa Lamang also stars Claudine Barretto, Gabby Concepcion, and Diether Ocampo.