THIRTY-six-year-old actress-entrepreneur Neri Naig got her inspiration being a successful businesswoman from her `madiskarteng’ mother while growing up na malaki ang pangarap para sa kanilang magkakapatid.

Nag-aaral pa noon si Neri ay umuuwi siya ng bahay para kumuha ng mga panindang pagkain ng kanyang ina para ilako sa mga office workers. As early as then ay nakuha na niya ang pagiging madiskarte ng kanyang ina pagdating sa pagne-negosyo.

Nang mag-asawa si Neri sa frontman ng Parokya ni Edgar na si Chito Miranda, nagsimula siya sa kanyang Neri Gourmet Tuyo with only P3,000 bilang panimula. She started selling them to her friends, then started participating in bazaars hanggang sa unti-unting lumago ang kanyang business.

It was not an easy climb to success sa pagnenegosyo dahil nakaranas din si Neri ng failures along the way, Kumuha siya ng ilang franchise business pero dahil hindi niya ito personal na natutukan kaya hindi ito lumago. Pero ang kanyang Neri Gourmet Tuyo ay nagtuluy-tuloy hanggang makapag-put-up siya ng iba pang mga negosyo tulad ng Neri Beddings, Very Neri Sleepwear, Very Neri Wedding Gowns and Accessories, Ang Paboritong Suka ng Asawa Ko, The Wais Planner, Neri’s Bakeshop, Neri’s Not So Secret Garden, Miranda’s Resthouse at iba pa.

Sa recent birthday ng kanyang mister na si Chito last February 7 ay niregaluhan ito ni Neri ng isang small yacht.

Nakabili rin si Neri ng isang farm na kanyang dini-develop ngayon.

Neri started her showbiz career in 2004 nang siya’y sumali sa Star Circle Quest ng ABS-CBN. Magmula noon ay nagtuluy-tuloy na ang kanyang TV and movie assignments sa tulong ng Star Magic kung saan siya naging bahagi from 2004 to 2017.

A hands-on entrepreneur, wife and mom to two sons (Miggy and Cash), Neri admits na ang kanyang pamilya ang kanyang inspirasyon sa kanyang pagiging isang matagumpay na negosyante na ang pag-handle ng pera ay natutunan naman niya sa kanyang mister na si Chito. She made sure nasa bangko ang 75% ng kanyang kinikita at nag-iiwan siya ng 25% na panggastos.

Although hindi siya ganoon ka-aktibo ngyaon sa kanyang showbiz and acting career, mas naka-focus ang attention ng actress-entrepreneur una sa kanyang pamilya at sa kanyang mga itinayong negosyo.

Kahit mahigit limang taon pa lamang ang kanilang panganay ni Chito na si Miggy ay binilhan na ito ni Neri ng sarili niyang condo for investment. Part ng pera na ipinambayad ng aktres ay kita mismo ng kanyang panganay sa product endorsement nito.

Gusto ni Neri na kahit maliliit pa ang kanilang mga anak ni Chito ay matuto nang mag-invest ang mga ito. Ang condo na nakuha niya sa pre-selling ay nakatakdang i-turn over sa susunod na buwan. By then ay puwede na nila itong paupahan at ang kikitain ay diretso sa account ng kanilang panganay na si Miggy.

Kung ang maraming celebrities ay sobrang nag-suffer ang career dahil sa kawalan ng trabaho because of the pandemic, kakaiba naman ang nangyari kay Neri at mister niyang si Chito dahil nagtuluy-tuloy ang mga negosyong itinatag ni Neri with the help of her husband.

Nasaan na si Jennifer?

HINDI ikinakaila ng 47-year-old actress-entrepreneur na si Jennifer Sevilla-Go na naapektuhan din ang ilan sa kanilang mga negosyo ng kanyang mister na si Symour Go dahil sa pandemic at mabigat man sa kanilang loob, napilitan umano silang magsara ng ilan sa kanilang shop at magtanggal ng mga tao na matagal magtrabaho sa kanila. Pero umaasa silang mag-asawa na unti-unti itong maibabalik balang araw not just for their business kundi laluna sa kanyang mga employees na nawalan ng trabaho.

Ang Lynelle Hair Fashion business with six branches at kung saan tutok si Jennifer ay nag-iwan na lamang ng isang branch, ang kanilang flagship shop na matatagpuan in Virra Mall in Greenhills, San Juan ay siya na lamang naiwan habang tutok naman sa kanilang ibang business (including Clean Fuel gas stations) ang kanyang mister na si Symour.

Married for over 14 years now, Jennifer admits that she’s so lucky having her husband who is four years her junior. The couple is blessed with two sons na ang panganay ay si Simon Rafa (13) at 9 naman ang kanilang bunso and second son.

Bata pa si Jennifer ay mahilig na siyang mag-business. She put up to her dress shop nung nasa showbiz na siya. Siya ang personal na namimili sa Divisoria ng mga supplies for her dress shop. As fate would have it, sa Tutuban, Divisoria niya nakilala ang kanyang mister na ngayon na si Symour Go whose family runs various supplies ng fabrics and accessories including mannequins at iba pa. Symour was not even aware that Jennifer was a popular showbiz personality.

Ang first meeting ng dalawa sa Tutuban, Divisoria ay nasundan ng iba pang meetings, tawagan sa telepono, texting hanggang sa umabot na ito sa kanilang dates. At that time ay pumanaw na ang ama ng aktres na sumakabilang-buhay nung 1999 kaya inabutan lamang ng young businessman ang ina ni Jennifer na sumakabilang-buhay naman nung 2004 due to cancer of the lungs. Pero bago pumanaw ang ina ng aktres ay nakuha pang mamanhikan sa mag-ina si Symour at ang kanyang pamilya. But their wedding took place in 2007.

Si Jennifer ay only child and it took sometime to get over the grief sa pagkawala una ng kanyang ama kasunod ang kanyang ina a few years later.

Hindi na rin inabutan ng mga yumaong magulang ni Jennifer ang kanilang kasal ni Symour at ang ang kanilang dalawang apo.

Si Jennifer ay nagsimula sa edad na walo bilang commercial model at bilang child actress. She was already in her teens siya’y kontratahin ng Seiko Films at maging bahagi ng “That’s Entertainment”.

Dominique James malaking kawalan

WE first met professional photographer Dominique James in the late 90’s when he was referred to me by another well known celebrity photographer, the late Raymond Isaac when I couldn’t find a free date from his already full schedule.

“Tita, subukan mo si Dominique James, magaling `yun,” Raymond told me.

True enough, Raymond was right. Dominique was not only a good photographer but became an instant friend as well. Although Raymond was my favorite photographer since my OctoArts days, I slowly moved to Dominique because of Raymond’s busy schedule.

Tulad ni Raymond, napaka-endearing and engaging ni Dominique kaya unti-unti siyang nakilala sa photography world sa Pilipinas. He was among the first photographers (if not the first) who introduced digital photography in the Philippines bago pa nagsunuran ang iba.

When we put up our own magazines in 2001, ang “S Magazine,” “Inside Showbiz” and “Celebrity Living,” we did all our cover pictorials sa studio ni Dominique, ang Dominique James Photography na matatagpuan noon sa Cavite Street, West Avenue, Quezon City pati na ang aming location shoots. He even contributed a column sa “S Magazine” about photography.

Then one day, Dominique told us that he’s moving to the US for good. Although nakaramdam kami ng lungkot, we felt happy and proud for him because he was on to a bigger challenge in the U.S. Sadly, we lost touch since he migrated to the U.S. (Atlanta, Georgia and New York) at ang pinakamalungkot na parte ay nang malaman namin (thru Facebook) na siya’y pumanaw na.

When he was still alive, he has photographed famous people from Asia and other parts of the globe which include entertainment personalities, fashion models, political figures, prominent sociates, commercial advertising and his corporate clients include Apple, Epson, Fuji, Nikkon among others.

Dominique would regularly conduct popular models and photographers workshops, serveds as judge and consultant to photography contests and model searches. Has presented over 50 solo and group exhibits. He was also known for his celebrity portraits, cutting-edge fashion, products, food, travel, landscape, architectural interests and adventure photography.

Just like Raymond Isaac who died of Covid-19 in the US last September 4, 2021, Dominique James is also a big loss sa photography industry not only in the Philippines but in the U.S. as well.

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