Juliana Gomez, Lucy and Richard’s beloved daughter, is all grown up and ready to take on the world on her own terms.
By Maan D’Asis Pamaran
Juliana Marie Beatriz Torres Gomez was a much-anticipated golden child, not only by her celebrity parents Lucy and Richard, but also by their fans, who were captivated by the fairytale story of the dashing matinee idol falling for the simple, sheltered lass from Leyte. When news broke out in the showbiz section of the newspapers that Lucy Torres was infanticipating, there was much rejoicing and curiosity about who the baby would look like — the mestiza mom, with her skin as white as snow; or the dad, who is tall, dark, and handsome.
Her parents were careful with how they raised their little princess, limiting her exposure, in order to help her live a more “normal” life. This was was why she did not go the route of many showbiz clan children. Juliana was given a modicum of privacy from the public eye.
One would get glimpses of her through the years, but never to the point of overexposure. This is perhaps one of the things that added to the excitement of fans when she would come out in major events such as her 18th birthday last September.
The online community tittered over her disco-themed party, where she did away with the usual debut formalities and chose to spend the night tripping the light fantastic with family and friends under a disco ball. This gives another glimpse into the young lady’s persona and how well her parents raised her — she likes to break with convention and is empowered enough to make her own decisions.
Her adulting goals
She shares her thoughts on reaching the age of adulthood. “I don’t feel any different, strangely enough. I still feel like a kid,” she says with a grin. “I’ve always subconsciously known, though, that this year I would need to start focusing more on what I want to do in life. There’s college, my driver’s license, varsity, and making the right choices. I can’t a afford to make too many mistakes anymore. I am still young, but I need to know where I want to go.”
She talks about her dreams. “I wanted to be a rock star when I was a kid,” she beams. “ That has changed. Honestly, now I want to pursue filmmaking — not to be an actress, although that is always a possibility. I want to be able to create beautiful films. That is why I want to take up Film in college and hopefully go abroad to study more about it later on. I want to make films that mean something, I want to have a sense of depth,” she confides.
Her perception of the world and its need for change was obviously instilled in her by her parents. They are both in public service in Ormoc, Leyte, and focused on social responsibility, and humanitarian causes. Richard is mayor of Ormoc City, while Lucy serves in Congress as Leyte’s Fourth District representative.
In her own way, Juliana says she wants to use her influence now to continue what her parents are trying to do. “I don’t necessarily want to be in politics. I want to be a public servant and do something bigger with the circumstances I have been blessed with. I already have this so why not make something out of it?”
She and her friends are currently planning to put up a foundation for abused women.
Growing up Gomez
Richard and Lucy have always encouraged their unica hija. “They never stopped me from doing anything, unless it’s stupid, of course,” she chuckles. “I feel like I am mature enough to know what is right from wrong. They never put me in a box, and respected what I wanted to do and just provide guidance.”
She says she is blessed to have grown up in a loving home. She describes it as “an environment where you are loved and respected, disciplined, and guided. It is a balance that not all kids have.”
Her mom and dad share a very similar parenting style. “They are very reasonable, instead of strict. If I ask my mom for example, if I can go to the beach with my friends at the last minute, she will say no, because I should have been responsible enough to have asked permission beforehand,” explains the young lady.
Her curfew is at midnight, earlier than most of her peers. “Sometimes it can stretch to 1:30 a.m., if it is a concert or something, or sometimes I just use my charm to have it extended. Although now that I am an older teen, I appreciate being around my family more.”
She consults with her parents, especially with her mom, even for things like having a dress made — and most especially about boys. One of her posts during her debut day was a letter her mother wrote to her a long time ago, encouraging Juliana to come to her and talk about her boy friends.
On dealing with online bashers:
“It doesn’t matter what they say. Plus, what they comment on me is usually about my appearance, about how I don’t look like my mom. Well, I am very happy to look like my dad. My parents are really good-looking people and I am lucky to look like either one of them.”
“My dad knows I can’t come to him and say things like I don’t know how to talk to this boy, kasi, you know naman how dads will just say, ‘go, talk!’ that is why I talk to my mom about things like that because she would understand my feelings better. So on a scale of 1 to 10, on my openness with my mom, it’s an 11.”
Another thing she got from Lucy and her grandmother is faith. Juliana prays the rosary regularly. “It is central to our family,” she says, beaming with pride.
She has always been aware of her parents’ popularity. She even recalls seeing people who come over for dinner appearing on TV. “It was just normal for me.” It does get flattering, though, when people approach them for photos and autographs. “I mean, there are people I look up to and would want to have a photo with, like Dua Lipa, for example. So when someone comes up to them or even to me, it’s feels so nice that they see me that way!”
One more thing she reveals is that she raids her parents’ closet. “I don’t own a single pair of heels and my mom does not have sneakers. Since we are the same size, we borrow from each other. Obviously, my dad can’t borrow anything from us, but I do use his shirts and jerseys. They are a little big, but they fit nicely.” She peels off her denim jacket to reveal a plain white shirt that she says is Goma’s.
Confidence is key
One of the best gifts her family gave her is nurturing her self-confidence. “I am blessed with a family who has always made me believe in myself. Even when I couldn’t sing, they would tell me, ‘you have the voice of an angel,’” she giggles.
Her father, a former Gold Medalist for Fencing at the Asian Games, likewise encouraged her to go into sports. “It has molded me to become a better person. I got into football at around grade 2 or 3, baseball and soccer, then fencing for several years. Now I play volleyball, which is what I want to try out for college.”
Through sports, she became more patient with herself, she declares. “It taught me the value of hard work in order to achieve something. I learned that if you work towards your goal everything will fall into place.”
Online citizen
While her parents have successfully raised her to be a normal teen, being their daughter has opened her up to more online bashing. “The thing is, it doesn’t matter. Plus, what they comment on me is usually about my appearance, about how I don’t look like my mom. Well, I am very happy to look like my dad. My parents are really good-looking people and I am lucky to look like either one of them,” she grins mischievously.
She also points out that anybody can be bashed these days, even those with no showbiz ties. “Just don’t let it get to you. What good will it do to you if you care a lot? I am so unbothered by it.”
Juliana also says that social media has a good side and a bad side. When her parents were starting out, there was no social media at the time (“which is a good thing,” she says with a chuckle). “I also think, though, that with things like Instagram or Twitter, there are more ways to spread positivity and awareness.”
If only for that, then it seems that Goma’s little girl, is definitely grown up.
