Cindy Kurleto: As an empowered woman, I can be both housewife and actress

Cindy Kurleto

Actress-TV host Cindy Kurleto left local show biz in the late 2000s “for love” and to start a family. But while she now considers herself a “full-time mom,” she’s still open to acting projects if interesting offers come her way.

“I had a colorful career here in the Philippines. I would be lying if I said I didn’t miss it,” she told reporters at her recent launch as the new endorser of the skincare supplement Myra Ultimate. “I love acting. And once you catch the acting bug, you will always have it.”

“As an empowered woman, I feel I can do both. If you can plan well enough and balance things out, you can prioritize your loved ones and, at the same time, entertain good projects,” she said.

The Filipino-Austrian celeb is best known for being a host in the noontime show “Eat Bulaga!” and for playing Cassiopeia in the popular fantasy series, “Encantadia” and “Etheria.”

“I had some of my life’s happiest moments doing those shows,” said Cindy, who’s currently based in Vienna, Austria, where she was born. “I miss working with creative people with a similar mindset and creating something that would stand the test of time.”

But though she has been away from the limelight for the past decade or so, Cindy is thankful that social media has allowed her to keep abreast with what’s happening here. “People sent me photos of the actress who got cast as Cassiopeia (Solenn Heussaff) for the remake of ‘Encantadia,’” she related. “I was proud.”

Cindy, 39, is a mom to two girls, Noa, 9, and Lima, 3. Raising children and looking after the family is a full-time job, she said—one that requires patience. “But I enjoy family life and being a mother,” she said.

Being a parent requires one to be selfless. But that doesn’t mean you have to neglect your own well-being. “To be able to look after your loved ones, you must also look after yourself, love yourself. It’s my mantra. That’s why I maintain a healthy and active lifestyle,” she said.

Cindy will return to Austria after her promotional duties this month. But she will be back, she promised.

“My family and I will be back in either July or August. We will visit Siargao, Bohol, Boracay,” Cindy said. “I want my children to fall in love with this place, the way I fell in love with it the first time I arrived here.”