After recently facing tax evasion charges filed by the BIR for supposedly failing to properly file his income tax for 2010 and 2012, Zoren Legaspi revealed he is doing the necessary steps to clarify that he did in fact pay the correct amount of taxes during those years. The actor turned director said he does not hide anything from his family especially his twins Mavy and Cassy. “Well they know everything. Alam naman nila eh. But I make sure na kaming mga magulang ay hindi masamang ehemplo sa mata nila. So yun ang isang rule sa bahay. Kahit saang anggulo hindi kami dapat maging masamang ehemplo sa kanila,” he shared during their launch as the newest family endorser of Jolly Spaghetti held at the Fairmont Hotel in Makati last May 15.

The 42-year-old father also said that he has always tries to handle money matters well for the sake of his family’s future. “Well you have to kasi alam mo naman ang buhay minsan nasa ibabaw ka minsan nasa ilalim. Yun ang panahon na parang I want to be ready na pag dumating ang panahon na nasa ilalim kami, walang regrets dahil there was a time na marami kaming endorsements. Alam ko naman dadating yung panahon na baka wala na, at least we’re somehow stable kasi hindi ako nagsugal, hindi ko winaldas yung pera, kumbaga ininvest ko ng tama. Ang bisyo ko lang naman ay mahalin si Carmina (laughs),” he admitted.

After doing their first commercial with Jollibee as a family, Zoren said he and Carmina try not to let the lure of showbiz to get into their children’s heads. “Ang kagandahan sa kambal, alam nilang trabaho pero hindi nila alam yung trabaho na yun ay may suweldo, yun ang kagandahan sa kanila, hindi nila hinahanap yung suweldo. Although they know but they’re not really aware kung nasaan na yung pera nila but they know exactly naman kung nasaan, nasa mga investments lang naman. Mga lote lang. For some reason suwerte kami, laging may nag-aalok sa amin na mga mura lang na lote. Dun lang napupunta and of course sa education nila. Yesterday lang pinag-usapan namin kung saan sila papasok ng college or yung high school nila kung lilipat pero sinasabi nila mahal din. So sabi ko huwag niyong isipin kung mahal yung enrollment basta gusto niyong mag-aral, kahit maubos yung pera okay lang. Basta makapag-aral kayo ng tama,” said the Jolly Spaghetti endorser.

When his wife Carmina Villaroel got discovered through a Jollibee commercial twenty years ago, Zoren said it paved the way for them to eventually cross paths as well. “Laging sinasabi ni Carmina yun ang trigger sa kanyang acting career pagkatapos nung kanyang Jolibee commercial na yun, hinunting na siya ni Mother Lily. Pinahanap talaga siya para i-launch kasama nila Aiko (Melendez) and I just missed that commercial by a month kasi nakilala ko si Carmina nasa Regal na siya but sabi nga nila when I was asking about her, sabi nila yan yung na-discover sa Jollibee. Dito naman sa kambal, it just so happened na they’re just the same age as Carmina [when she did her first commercial with Jollibee],” he recalled.

But when it comes to his kids, Zoren said he will think twice before letting them follow in his wife’s path despite the many offers for them to start getting into acting before they finish schooling. “Yun ang problema, hindi talaga puwede (laughs). Yun ang magiging problema ni Cassy kasi ayoko ng mga love team love team. Kumbaga ako ang male version ng mommy ni Sarah (Geronimo). Kasi Makita niyo naman kung gaano ka-disciplined si Sarah, masunurin,” he admitted.