ALL ABOUT CINDERELLA MERZ

I was hanging out with the management team of Monaco Models International at a coffee shop in Greenbelt when I saw a very beautiful girl joining our group. As she was making "besos" to everyone and got introduced to me, I thought to myself, "Wow! This girl is sure to get big commercials."

HMUA: Khrys Soriano using Mac

Cinderella Merz... a Filipina-German from Bad Hersfeld Germany came to the Philippines recently and joined the roster of Monaco Models'. Cinderella Merz or Cindy as she is fondly called by everyone is really beautiful. She reminds me of Teri Lynn Hatcher or Teri Hatcher, the now-46 years old Hollywood actress who became one of the world's biggest crushes when she came out on the 90's ABC-drama series "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman".

HMUA: Khrys Soriano using Mac

Khrys Soriano using Mac

She does look like Teri! The big resemblance is there and at first I thought she could be the daughter LOL! Anyways, I got to know more of Cindy who, at that time, is about to do her first commercial for a beauty product. Her mom is Ilongga... and she totally understands the dialect Ilonggo saying that her mom would speak the tongue whenever she is angry. Cindy speaks fluent English, German and Tagalog. 

Make-Up by Jheng

In straight Tagalog, Cindy told me she was going to do support role for a big Filipina celebrity's commercial. I said, "Yeah, you start with the support roles but it won't be long that people from the advertising world and perhaps the showbiz industry would notice you." With that, she just smiled shyly and said "Thank you".... giving me the impression that she is a very nice girl with a good breeding.

HMUA: Khrys Soriano using Mac

Khrys Soriano using Mac

I then invited Cindy for an out-of-town fun shoot by my photography team, EyeQMedia so that we can build up her own portfolio. She gladly said, "game" as I got the approval of her managers. 


The schedule for the fun shoot was set months later but I never forgot Cindy. How can one possibly forget a beautiful face like hers in the first place?! And so we went to Anilao Beach Club, Batangas, Philippines for the build up of her portfolio along with Khrys Soriano, Monaco Models' own Hair and Make-Up Artist. 


It was there that I found out that Cindy did the Maxi-Peel Exfoliant Soap commercial with actress Marian Rivera and I got to see the TV ad below: 

Out of curiosity (because I use Maxi-Peel too), I asked Cindy if she uses the Maxi-Peel soap itself and she said, "Yes of course! I have been using it every night as part of my cleansing regimen. It doesn't have a greasy feel... really! I think it's best for Pinay skin... not because I'm part of the commercial. I really do use and patronize the product."


Her short stint for a support role in the Maxi-Peel Exfoliant Soap 2011 commercial is simple and nice but for me, the role is just too short that it didn't get to show her real beauty. Oh well... it's not her time yet! I know that she will land as a lead in big commercials someday soon as she is a girl with a great attitude about life. 

HMUA: Khrys Soriano using Mac

Just like in the fairy tale Cinderella, it's a struggle at first but she will soon get own chance to shine and be appreciated for her beauty and personality.      


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Big thanks to Cromwell Torio, Vincent Garrucho, Garth Dennis Melchor and Mark Longos. 
For more of Cindy's images, visit Garth's Photostream and Mark's Photostream. Thank you to Bernard Anacta, Edda Galoy, Khrys Soriano of Monaco Models International and most of all... to Cindy. All the best for you, dear!

THE SUN CAN'T HURT PEOPLE... PEOPLE DO

 

 
While getting some tan at the pool earlier, an adorable, very pretty 5 y.o. Fil-Am girl approached her and said, "Hi. The sun loves you. It doesn't hurt you. It hates me...burns me. I want mommy's skin and yours... Filipinas are beautiful. I'm half American."

I asked her, "How old are you? and what's your name?"

She said, "I'm 5. My name is Gabby. I think I have daddy's skin."

I asked, "Where are your parents?"

And she pointed at them.

I looked at Gabby's parents... the dad is indeed white but a good-looking one and the mom is a very pretty, tanned Filipina.

I looked back at Gab, smiled at her and said, "You're beautiful as you are, Gabby. You're way too young to find out that one day the world will adore you for the half-American, half-Filipino in you. The sun loves you... you just have young sensitive skin for now but when you grow up, you'll learn it can't hurt you if you're being careful enough. The sun doesn't hate. The sun loves everyone just as we all love it. The sun can't hurt people.... People hurt themselves and people hurt people. One day, you'll know these stuff but you are too young to worry about it. Right now, go jump in the pool with your floater. I'll watch you enjoy swimming under the sun... just don't go under it for too long."

With that, I was rewarded with a great smile, a thank you and she went for a swim. :))

THE SAD PLIGHT: MAID IN THE PHILIPPINES

The Filipina women are known to be one of the most caring and loving creatures in the world. I am for one, a proud Filipina and yes... we are a very caring kind but not to the extent of carrying cocaine and heroin either in their luggage or swallowed or encased please! 

For decades, Philippines' top export commodity is "Maid in the Philippines" with millions of women from my country hired abroad as domestic workers. Now, my heart bleeds as these Filipinas are now known as "Mules in the Philippines". It saddens me that with the global recession and opportunities failing to be materialized here at home, a lot of my kind have resorted to something far more dangerous than being domestic workers to smuggling drugs.


Over the years, Philippines witnessed a dramatic increase in the numbers of our men and women... especially our poor women being used as drug mules. According to top officials in the country, there appears to be a specific targeting of our Filipina women by international drug syndicates often taking advantage of those who are in desperate situations to go back home to their families. Poverty... the need to pay back their debts, to buy clothes, medicine, food, provide schooling for their children drives these women to deep danger. 

 
I believe that the only answer is awareness. If our women were informed and helped in the first place, if there was more equality then the problem would be much smaller. The Philippine Government should launch a massive awareness to fight this social illness that hounds our people and our country. With the help of our Philippines embassies offshore, the drug law enforcement agencies, the bloggers, the media and civil society groups, we can make this stop. Poor awareness pushes Filipinas to do these dangerous risks. 

Awareness is the only way I can think of. I can't imagine how we will be able to directly stop having our women used as drug mules because then, we need to stop the demand and supply of the drugs. This brings me to ask... would the Aquino government help? These international drug dealers are ruthless, fearless and very rich..they corrupt the governments, police and other law enforcement agencies. And so it is a sad plight for drug mules when caught. A drug mule is a drug mule...whichever gender for it results to same sentences for drug smuggling...  same offense... same punishment offshore.

 
Drug trafficking will always be there but if we help educate or making our women aware about taking these risks, it can be stopped. These Filipina women are respected and loved in our country... I cannot imagine how they and their families endure this sad and horrifying experience of languishing jail time and severe punishments like death in foreign prisons. I can't imagine how their own children feels about these...

I don't believe that these women, who are already being exploited, should be jailed or punished in any way but... there are laws. However, I feel we should treat these women with a lot more compassion. Let's help bring back our women to their own rightly pedestals... these care-giving queens are no drug mules... let's help bring them home to our land and to their children... safe and happy.

Photos by: Jonel M. Candelaria (Big thanks for providing them specifically for my blog!)