Regine on GMA 7: I feel at ease here

REGINE Velasquez-

EVERY time Regine Velasquez-Alcasid’s contract with GMA Network is about to expire, rumors of her jumping ship surface without fail, and as if on cue. “Do these people set an alarm or what?” she quipped, drawing laughs from reporters, shortly after recently inking a two-year deal with the station.

The gossip, however, wasn’t totally unfounded. Regine admitted that she had, in fact, been approached  by competing networks—but nothing enticing enough for her to abandon GMA 7, her home in  the biz for the past 19 years.

“I feel at ease here. I know almost everyone and I consider them family. It’s a good and happy place for me,” Regine told the Inquirer. “If things are going well, why transfer?”

And she’s not one to wonder or wallow in the what-ifs, either. At this point in her career, stability and flexibility are the 45-year-old singer-actress’ prime considerations. “I’m not getting any younger. What’s important is that I’m given the chance to work and, at the same time, be a mother. When it comes to that, GMA 7 has my back,” she said.

The music artist dubbed “Asia’s Songbird” recalled how her bosses, led by GMA chair and chief executive officer Felipe Gozon, advised and allowed her to take a leave upon finding out that she was pregnant, despite having an ongoing show, the TV series “I Heart You, Pare,” in 2011.

“I almost ruined the show; they had to find another actress to replace me. It wasn’t easy for them. But they understood that my pregnancy was delicate as I was already 40 then,” Regine related, adding that she and  network executives have always been upfront with each other when discussing her offers from other stations.

“There’s no point in hiding those. Hindi rin naman ako nagpapahabol,” said Regine, who jested that she requested to have an entire floor in the building to herself, as part of her contract. “I’ll turn it into a massive disco,” she said, cackling.

Asked if she has ever entertained thoughts of joining Ogie Alcasid on TV5, Regine said her husband respects her decisions concerning her career. “He knows what I want to do,” Regine said. “He knows where my heart is.”

This year, aside from being active in the concert scene, Regine will be busy with an upcoming musical variety and comedy show, as well as a lighthearted TV series. “Apparently, I’m quite effective in comedy,” Regine said.

However, Regine, who last appeared in film in 2012 (“Of All the Things”), seemed reluctant about doing a new one. “But if I were to do a movie, it has to be something interesting, because then I would be giving up time I could spend with my family, instead,” she pointed out.