PETAL attraction

WITH her Kuya Seigfred, mom Petty and dad Dindo

February is the busiest time of the year for the family of actress Mercedes Cabral.

Mercedes’ mom, Petty, has been running a flower shop business for the past 10 years, and their Quezon City home would always be in complete chaos, especially during the days leading to Valentine’s Day.

“There’s no corner that’s not filled with flowers and leaves,” Mercedes told Living Stars during this visit to their 300-square meter apartment in White Plains. “I remember when we were younger, our parents would give us chores, like putting water in small containers or tying flowers with chicken wires. We didn’t always want to help, but we knew we had to, because the family would benefit from it.”

The actress added: “When we got bored putting abaca ribbons on bouquets, we’d play a game. The abaca can be easily shaped into different figures. Pagalingan kami. It was a secret between me and Kuya Seigfred.”

Mommy Petty is convinced that performing small chores for the family business has taught her daughter patience and perseverance. “Valentine’s Day has always been a nightmare to us. There were times when we wouldn’t sleep for two days straight, working on the orders. Thankfully, we’ve always met our deadlines,” Mommy Petty said. “Mercedes is very professional. You will never hear her complain of long hours of work. Once, there was this shoot for a TV commercial that lasted until 4 a.m. and she never got irritated.”

MERCEDES’ family has been running a flower shop business for 10 years now.

There was even a time when Mercedes endured a severe allergic attack after getting bitten by pebble wasps in an out-of-town shoot for the defunct TV series “Hiyas.” The actress recalled: “My whole body felt numb. I remember passing out in the hospital. I didn’t tell my mom about this until the doctor ordered my discharge. I didn’t want her to worry.”

The Cabrals moved to their Quezon City apartment in 2001 from a condominium unit in Pasig City. “We needed a bigger place for the business. We liked the White Plains area because, for a commercial district, it’s pretty quiet. In fact, we hardly get walk-in customers here. We prefer accepting orders via phone or e-mail. We don’t want to be burdened with manning a store every day,” Mommy Petty explained.

Mercedes said it was hard to adjust during their first year in the new house. “We grew up in a community that had lots of neighbors. We were used to celebrating Christmas with them. On our first Christmas here, it was depressingly quiet. In the succeeding years, we either asked our friends and relatives to come over, or we visited them in their homes.”

WELCOMING Living Stars at the gate, the actress and two of her three pet dogs.

Mercedes’ dad, Dindo, loves wooden fixtures and antique sculptures. His collection can be seen all over the home, like the sculptures of the Santo Niño and the Holy Family from Cebu in the dining area, or of St. Francis of Assisi from Pampanga in the living area. There’s also a carving of Jesus Christ from Marinduque and a hand-woven mat called laminosa from Leyte.

ANTIQUE wooden figure of St. Anthony de Padua

Interesting wood pieces are hung on a wall painted red in the dining area: An old wooden wheel from Tarlac used for tilling the soil; a musical instrument called kudyapi from Cagayan de Oro; and an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe made by the Aetas of Zambales.

“I had a best friend who was also an art collector when he was still alive. He introduced me to antique traders, and since he loved to travel, he bought a lot of pieces for me. He was really into culture and heritage. He was a great influence,” Daddy Dindo recounted.

Mercedes, a graduate of Fine Arts, major in Sculpture, at the University of the Philippines, said she hopes to have an exhibit of her own works someday. “I want to combine wood and glass in my artworks. I’m actually considering enrolling in workshops for this,” she said.

Mercedes just finished shooting “Thy Womb,” a new film by Brillante Mendoza which stars Nora Aunor and Lovi Poe. Mercedes will also be seen in the Cinemalaya filmfest entry “Ang Nawawala,” directed by Marie Jamora.

ON ANOTHER wall are religious objects, most of them pictures in frames from Mindanao.

INTERESTING finds from Tarlac, Zambales and Cagayan de Oro

Since the Cabrals are just renting the White Plains apartment, Mercedes said she would like to buy a house of her own. “It would look just like my dad’s ancestral home in Marinduque. I love old houses. I prefer them to be made of bricks and wood. I also want to make my own tables and chairs, much like the molave fixtures my parents own,” she said. “I also dream of owning a house by the beach. I’m in love with the ocean.”

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