MANILA -- Before she joined showbiz, Charo Santos-Concio, who is currently chief content officer at ABS-CBN Corp. and president of ABS-CBN University, lived a simple life in Oriental Mindoro.

But even at the time, the network executive was already an achiever even at a young age, according to her cousin Caloy Gaba.

"Charo really grew up in Calapan. Doon siya nag-elementary at nag-high school at kung hindi ako nagkakamali ay valedictorian siya sa Holy Infant Academy. I think it was 1972," Gaba narrated on "Kris TV" on Thursday.

Santos-Concio went to Manila for college and took up Mass Communications at St. Paul's College.

"Ang bahay namin magkatabi din sa Manila. Tapos nadiskubre na nga siya," continued Gaba, adding that his mother was one of Santos-Concio's earliest supporters.

"Ang isang 'di ko makakalimutan kay Charo 'yung pelikula niya 'Itim.' I was in college sa UE nung parang pino-promote nila 'yung movie. Parang walang naniniwala sa kakayahan niya at baguhan, hindi kilala. Pero naging best actress pa siya sa Asia kaya tuwang-tuwa kami," Gaba said.

Gaba also confirmed that his cousin never changed despite her success as an actress.

"When she was starting parang lumalabas na bodyguard ako ni Charo kasi sinasamahan ko siya. Matalino si Charo at saka ang isang maganda kay Charo ay soft-spoken. Kahit galit 'yan hindi mo maririnig na malakas ang boses, nagtataas ng boses. Talagang ganyan lang siya," Gaba said.

Santos-Concio is concurrently also the chairperson of the Oriental Mindoro Development Council for ABS-CBN Foundation's Bantay Kalikasan. The council aims to promote ecotourism in the province.