Kim Chiu Off to College

Image courtesy of www.mb.com.ph

Source: www.mb.com.ph

It’s such a breath of fresh air when you hear somebody busy and successful as Kim Chiu decide to continue school.

I was with the actress-singer recently in Bantay, Ilocos Sur for an event and she told me she has enrolled herself in UP Diliman’s online school. She is so excited about it, relating how the set-up allows her to both work and study at the same time. That is, as long as she can sacrifice at least one day a week to attend regular classes personally.

Kim is taking up business management, a four-year course. “I am so happy I got accepted in UP Diliman, I took the entrance exams last August and passed and I have already enrolled. I chose business management because I own several business franchises including Julie’s Bakeshop and Potato Corner. My sister Lakam has been managing these for some time now but I want to try and manage one myself someday, like a restaurant or something.”

While preparing for our spot, I noticed that Kim eats a lot and I was quite amazed given how svelte she is. There were rumors that she doesn’t eat to maintain her figure but the rumormongers were dead wrong.

I asked the teen idol if her dad William Chiu, who is a known businessman in Mindoro, inspired her to take up business management, and she said, “Yes. Marami ng business tinayo tatay ko. I cannot recall anymore which ones were successful and which ones failed, basta marami. Meron rice mill, piggery, sibuyasan, clothes, kambingan, talyer, manukan…’yung bakery niya, ’yun talaga ang nag-boom. All my relatives are into different kind of businesses, it’s in our blood, I guess.”

Kim’s mom, Louella Chiu passed away two years ago. I asked her if she thinks her mom is now like an angel watching over her, and she said, “I think so. When my mom died while I was filming ‘Bakit Hindi Ka Crush Ng Crush Mo,’ I was really devastated. But the movie earned 100 million in the box-office and the next one, ‘Bride For Rent’ earned 300 million. I also started winning awards. Early this month, my newly-released album topped the music charts. I think my mom had a hand on it. Maybe she told God to help me.”