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INTERVIEW: CECILLE F. JUSI-BALTAZAR
PHOTOGRAPHY: JAY TABLANTE
STYLING: HANNAH KIM
HAIR AND MAKEUP: TERESA CARBONEL

How adventurous can you be?
Very adventurous.

Are we talking about date-a-guy adventurous or tattoo-your-whole-body adventurous?
Like, gusto kong mag-dive sa Japanese shipwrecks off the coast of Palawan.

Ah, a thrill seeker.
Yes, and I want to do it alone.

But where’s the fun in that?
I don’t know. I just like outdoing myself.

When was the last time you outdid yourself?
Maybe last year. My friends and I spent five hours inside a haunted hospital in Pampanga. It was an abandoned hospital and everyone in town knew it was haunted. All we had were flashlights. Dumating kami ng gabi tapos may nakita kami kaagad na white lady na naglalakad sa tabi ng kotse namin.

White ladies are supposed to be really beautiful to lure people closer to them so they can kill them, right?
I don’t know about that but we didn’t stick around the white lady long enough to find out. We went inside the hospital and just walked around for five hours, looking for ghosts.

Did you find any?
Marami. Mga umiiyak, nagtatawa, naglalakad sa hallways kasabay namin.

What other exraordinary stuff are you into?
I like go-carting and wall climbing. Mountain climbing, too. I also like going to the shooting range. Basta ‘yung hindi karaniwang ginagawa ng babae, gusto kong gawin. Gusto ko ‘yung binubugbog ko ‘yung katawan ko, lalo na ‘pag outdoors. I’ve been to Cam Sur and Bohol on adventure trips. But I also like going to the spa and having my nails done.

What do you do for work?
I used to be a wellness coordinator, like a beauty consultant. But then I resigned to pursue modeling. I’ve been modeling on ramp and print for almost seven years now.

There are numerous models who’ve jumped from modeling to being in showbiz. Do you think you’ll be one of them?
I hope so. Ang gusto ko maging kontrabida either sa TV o pelikula.

We hear you have a charity you donate your money and time to. That puts you at par with a lot of generous showbiz folk.
It’s called the Antipolo Christ Blessed Foundation. It helps about 100 families in need in Antipolo. Every year, I celebrate my birthday with those families. And last Christmas, I decided to spend my Christmas shopping money on them. And every Sunday, I try to join them for Bible sharing and help out in the feeding program.

Back to your risk-freak streak. We’re guessing you’re not into wimpy guys—or girls.
Nope. Dapat, more adventurous than me. I don’t really pay attention to looks. I focus more on the inside.

That means you don’t agree with what media suggests, that women should be thin to be beautiful and sexy?
Hindi talaga. Ang ganda ng babae hindi naman dapat nakasabit sa weight nila.

FOR MORE OF MEAN FLORES, GRAB THE JUNE 2011 ISSUE OF FHM!