MANILA — Jennica Garcia cannot be happier that Pie Channel recently gave her a chance to host with the weekly program, “Ur Da Boss,” with Melai Cantiveros.

“When I started acting in showbiz, I became very dependent on the character I portrayed to build my confidence, to build the how-to’s on how I will present myself,” Garcia told ABS-CBN News.

“So I did the same way for hosting. It’s so nice when I hear Melai or Jolens [Magdangal] say they watch on the Pie Channel ‘yung tunay na sila. I want to see that, too.”

Admittedly, Garcia’s real self is not ideal for hosting yet. “Ini-isip ko na lang na for this show, I’m going to be the nineties version of Jean Garcia.”

She can hardly keep up with her loaded showbiz schedule.

“With ‘Ur Da Boss,’ ‘Fractured,’ then I have TV guestings,” Garcia said. “Sometimes, I don’t even know what day is it. I am often not aware anymore. I just make sure I have my schedule for the week. It can really get overwhelming. Hindi ko agad tinatanong ang schedule ko sa handler ko.”

Her two daughters, 7 and 4, are also part of her schedule. “The activities that they do in school, the field trips, I make time for them,” Garcia said. “Also, if my presence is needed.”

She wrapped up lock-in taping for the romance drama, “Fractured,” in the island, but she is still doing scenes in other location, although lock-in is no longer required.

Garcia is aware this is her second shot at showbiz. “I don’t think many people know, but my mom also had her second shot at showbiz,” she said.

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“She made it big with ‘Pangako sa ‘Yo’ [2000]. So, I’m praying na sana pareho kami ng kapalaran ni Mama kasi, after my seven-year hiatus, when I returned, that was the same age as Mama then. History repeats itself. Ayos na ayos sa akin ‘yun. This is my second wind.”

Garcia only got important advice from her mom. “The first one was when I was 17 and she told me to be nice to everybody. Basta katrabaho mo sila, regardless of their position, be respectful,” she said.

“Her second advice to me, when I returned to showbiz, she told me that was exactly what happened to her. She went to Japan, migrated and worked there. But when the ABS-CBN offer for ‘Pangako sa ‘Yo’ came, Mama accepted it.

“Since then, she never left the country again. Nagtuloy-tuloy na ang trabaho niya. My mom told me, ‘Anak magaling ka ng artista. Kailangan lang mabigyan ka ng tamang project. Magtiwala ka lang’.”

Garcia is surprised why all the good breaks are happening to her right now. “Dalawa ang anak ko,” she said. “Hiwalay ako sa asawa. Ang daming artista ngayon. Hindi ko alam kung ano ginagawa ko why they are giving that kind of support to me.”

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She is simply thankful for all the good breaks now and that her family is helping her take care of her kids. “People think that I’m strong, I can do everything. No. I have people behind me that’s why I am able to do it,” Garcia asserted.

“My Papa [actor Jigo Garcia] and his wife, Amy, I leave my kids to them when I have work. At times when my dad couldn’t take care of my kids, my Ninay from Bicol, comes to Manila to take care of my kids. She was the one who helped raise me.

“Once is a while, when my mom is not busy, she also helps me take care of my kids. Thank you, God, for the gift of family. When I cannot count on my Papa, my Ninay, my Mama, I really cannot work because no one will take care of my children.

“As long as I know my kids are happy, I can also happily do my work. In my dad’s house, five floors ‘yun. My kids happily see their cousins and play with them.”

When she’s not busy with work, Garcia finds time for her daughters. “I can take them out and we can eat out, go to our favorite restaurant,” she said.

Garcia worked as medical officer in the Alliance Search and Rescue, especially when Taal Volcano erupted.

“Galit na galit sa akin si Mama, kasi daw lahat ng tao sa Taal bumababa, ako naman, umaakyat. Kulang tayo talaga sa rescuers. Takot din sila for their health because of COVID.

“Hindi lang ‘yun ang problem. Lupus din. Leptospirosis kung susulong ka. May mga patay na rin. I get my confidence from the Lord.”

Although she is now open to dating, Garcia is hardly entertaining any suitors. Interestingly, she gets linked to showbiz guys like Ryan Bang and Christian Bables.

Last Mother’s Day, Bables surprised her with flowers and took her out to dinner. “Parang kapatid ko si Christian that’s why we’re close. He’s very close to his family. When he’s not taping or shooting, Christian is always in Cavite with his family.”

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“That day, wala kaming taping so I got to meet his mom. But even before that, sobrang kilala ko na ang mom niya kasi palagi niya ka-Face Time while we’re taping ‘Dirty Linen.’ I’d like to think that we’ve very close already,” she said.

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