Now that her daughter is busy taping for her first major television project, Marjorie said she has prepared her daughter for the sacrifices that go along with joining showbiz. “For the love team, hindi ko pa siya na-prep. Ngayon ko lang na-realize I had to talk to her about the love teams (laughs), but I always tell her to love her work. Sabi ko kahit anong galing mo, kahit anong ganda mo, kung hindi maganda ugali mo mawawala lahat yan. So yun ang pinaka-importante sa akin and then I told her not to complain about long hours. When you have so little time to sleep that means you’re in demand. So enjoy it. Save for her future and take care of herself. Yun lang yung sinabi ko. And I’m so happy kasi people would tell me, ‘Ang sarap kasama ni Julia, ang gaan gaan. Mabait na bata, hindi nagrereklamo.’ So rewarding na sa akin yun. Yun lang ang bilin to sa kanya, to be a good girl,” she explained.
When it comes to intrigues, Marjorie said she is not overprotective with her kids, even during the time when Julia’s name was dragged into the Barretto sisters controversy. “Kahit sa anong bagay, madaming challenges na i-fi-face ang mga anak ko. I try not to protect them too much. I think my job here is not to keep them protected. Yes I am prepared to protect them but I have to equip them. There’s an outside world. Showbiz is even definitely harsher than the real world. It’s a crazy world, they have to be equipped to learn how to accept bashers and know how to ignore them,” she said.
In Mirabella, Julia will be working with Enrique Gil and Sam Concepcion, both of whom Marjorie gives her full approval. “How can you complain naman? (laughs) I’m so happy that it’s Enrique and even Sam, I like Sam very much also. How can you complain when they’re both very well-bred boys? Hindi sila yung cute lang. May breeding, polite, may pinag-aralan, alam mo yun? Kaya sabi ko, ‘Julia sobrang pretty ng face ni Enrique talong talo ka! (laughs)’” she said.
Even though Julia is already 16, Marjorie said it has always been a tradition in their family to spend Valentine’s day together. “With Gretchen we plan to parang have a dinner all together for Valentines. Meron naman kami since they were little kids na every Valentines I have special gifts for them when they wake up, so I know they know what it is but they look forward to it pa rin every year. So ayun, we’re looking forward to that. I hope Julia doesn’t really have work,” she added.
As a proud mom, Marjorie said she hopes her daughter’s show will do well as it is scheduled for airing next month. “Mirabella is coming. I’m praying about it every day. I really, really wish the best for Julia. She’s working very hard for that teleserye and she’s got 100% full support from the ABS-CBN family. God has blessed her so much this year. In less than a year since she was launched, she has I think eight major endorsements. She has already been on the cover of all major magazines. And hindi pa naipapalabas ang kanyang teleserye so I hope she doesn’t fail the people following her. I just hope they don’t expect too much from her also kasi baguhan pa rin siya. Pero dinadalasan ko at mas grabe ang dinadasal ko,” she said.