

Matagal nang bet ni Geneva Cruz na gumanap bilang madre sa pelikula—parang si Julie Andrews sa iconic na ‘Sound of Music’. Ngayon, finally, ma-fi-feel na ni Geneva ang kanyang long-time dream sa pelikulang musical na ‘Nasaan si Hesus?’ na isinulat at dinirek ni Dennis Marasigan mula sa stage musical ni Bing Pimentel.
Ayon kay Geneva, “I wore a veil every time I would go to church when I was small. My (paternal) Lola Chedeng always reminded me to wear my belo.” Dagdag pa niya, ang strict na mga madre sa St. Joseph’s sa Tondo, Manila, kung saan siya nag-aral, ang nagbigay inspirasyon sa kanya noon na magmadre.
“Pero syempre, phase lang ‘yun,” sey ni Geneva, sabay recall ng kabataan niya. “I realized the nun cannot get married. I realized that at 18.”
Ngayon, bilang isang singing nun sa ‘Nasaan si Hesus?’, aminado si Geneva na excited siya, lalo na’t first time niyang gagawa ng musical sa pelikula. “What I need to do to prepare is to go back when I was young,” aniya.
Ipinagtapat ni Geneva na nasa happy place siya ngayon, lalo na’t nasa isang relasyon siya kay Dean Roxas, isang national jiu-jitsu athlete at SEA Games gold medalist. “It took me five years to get involved again,” sey niya.
Nagbalik-tanaw siya sa kanyang journey of self-love bago siya muling nagmahal. “We really have to start loving ourselves first before we start loving others. That was what I realized in falling in love again.”
Ang kanyang relationship advice? “The grass is not always greener on the other side. You just have to focus on the one that you love while you’re loving yourself. That’s the mentality that I have now.”
Ang pagiging hands-on mom ni Geneva sa kanyang dalawang anak ang dahilan kung bakit maingat siya sa pagtanggap ng mga proyekto. “I really choose my roles,” aniya. “I’m very careful because my 28-year-old son, Heaven, and my ten-year-old daughter, London, might not like the project.”
Si Heaven, na isang aspiring rapper, ay mas focused sa sales pero tumatanggap ng occasional performances kasama si Gloc 9. Sey ni Geneva, “He has a long-time girlfriend whom I love.”
Samantala, ang kanyang bunsong si London ay isang “firecracker” na gustong sumali sa girl group. “My daughter idolizes me. I have to be a good source of inspiration to her,” ani Geneva.
Sa mga ganap ng kanyang anak sa TikTok, sey ni Geneva, “TikTok helped me perform even during the pandemic. I didn’t get lonely and depressed. That’s why I’m grateful for TikTok.”
Balik-pelikula si Geneva sa ‘Nasaan si Hesus?’ matapos ang huling proyekto niya noong 2020, ang ‘Coming Home’ na entry sa Metro Manila Film Festival. Excited siya sa bagong challenge ng pagiging singing nun.
“Sound of Music also inspired me to become a nun when I was younger,” kuwento niya.
Kasama ni Geneva sa pelikula sina Rachel Alejandro, Jeffrey Hidalgo, Janno Gibbs, Rachel Gabreza, at ang napakagaling na si Marissa Sanchez. May 12 major singing parts ang pelikula, dagdag pa ang dalawang bagong kanta mula kay musical director TJ Ramos.
Slated ang pelikula sa Lenten season at before the mid-term elections, at tiyak na magiging heartwarming treat ito sa audience.
Abangan din natin ang birthday concert ni Gen. Bilang Aries-Dragon, puspusan din ang paghahanda ni Geneva para sa kanyang nalalapit na birthday show sa Music Museum ngayong April 4 at 5. “I really want to do many more things,” sey niya.
Siguradong aabangan si Geneva Cruz sa ‘Nasaan si Hesus?’ at sa kanyang mga upcoming concerts. For sure, mas maraming pasabog pa ang kanyang career at buhay-pagibig! Achieve na achieve, mother!
We’re happy for you, Gen!

(From left: Rachel Gabreza, Jeffrey Hidalgo, Geneva Cruz, Rachel Alejandro and Bing Pimentel)

(From left: Rachel Gabreza, Jeffrey Hidalgo, Geneva Cruz, Rachel Alejandro, producer Bing Pimentel, director Dennis Marasigan, Marissa Sanchez and musical director TJ Ramos)
