MANILA, Philippines—“I’m not afraid to grow old alone,” said actress and environmentalist Chin Chin Gutierrez, who’s now 37 and still single.

“I’m happy and content,” said the actress, currently seen on “Dahil May Isang Ikaw” on ABS-CBN. “I know that there is one person—a grandmother, a spouse or a child—who knows us deep down.”

Born Maria Carminia Lourdes Arnaldo Gutierrez, Chin Chin said she has even considered becoming a nun. “Being a servant of the Lord is a great calling. If I’m meant for such a life, He would make it known to me. I’m ready for anything,” she explained.

Her mother, Cecilia, was a member of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. She passed away in 2007 due to complications from diabetes. The actress recalled: “She was a nun for 10 years. A month before she was to take her final vow, she had an accident that resulted in a back injury. Nuns are very mission-oriented. With her back problem, my mom decided, painfully, to leave. Eight months [later], she met my father.”

Aren’t you afraid of becoming a spinster?

May kanya-kanya tayong journey. If you’re meant to get married, the love you will feel will become so strong, that you can’t resist it.

I’m ready for married life; I’m also prepared to stay single, or to have a life with the Lord—especially after the fire (in 2006, which razed Chin Chin’s two-story home in Quezon City). I was nearly killed. I asked myself, what should I offer the Lord for this second life?

Did you rebuild the house?

No. I’m still deciding what kind of life I’d like to live now.

Your co-star, Lorna Tolentino, is still grieving the loss of her husband. Do you share your thoughts with each other?

It’s a delicate matter and we were not that close, so I didn’t discuss it with her until she opened up. We had acting workshops; that broke the ice for us.

How is LT as an actress?

She is very experienced and has full control of her tools.

What is it like working with younger actresses Kristine Hermosa and Karylle?
It’s a joy. You wonder where Kristine draws strength from. She’s also very focused. She will go a long way. Karylle is refreshing—beautiful, elegant. She studies her character very well.

Compare Sid Lucero with Jericho Rosales.

Sid (son of character actor Mark Gil) has magic; I guess it runs in his blood. Give him a line and he will deliver it in an unexpected manner. He’s very original in his approach to his roles. He may be raw, pero nag-iisip s’ya. While Sid is the quiet plane, Jericho is explosive. He’s all the reds, yellows and oranges; Sid is blue or purple. It’s amazing to watch them do confrontation scenes. Hindi lang puro sigawan.

Describe Gabby Concepcion on the set.
Such a charmer—he reminds me of Superman. It feels good to see him back and happy in his skin because he’s acting again.

Describe yourself as an actress.

I’m a listener. With everybody trying hard to be heard, some of us have to listen—not just to spoken words, but also to those that are unspoken, to feelings both expressed and unexpressed. This helps me a lot as an actress. Empathy is a gift.

“Dahil May Isang Ikaw” airs weeknights on the Kapamilya Primetime Bida timeslot.