ntertainment writer Rico Miranda recently took a one-month vacation in Sweden , where his elder sister lives. He then made a side trip to Italy to visit his long-time friends, the Schiavones. In the Philippines , the Schiavones are collectively known as the de Rossis—the award-winning acting siblings Assunta and Alessandra. Before he left for Europe , Rico promised to give YES! exclusive photos of the new Schiavone home. Mrs. Nenita “Mommy Neth” Schiavone made the same promise before she left last year. True to their word, Rico and Mommy Neth delivered. Our big thanks to both of them.

For some two years now, the Schiavone have been building this impressive two-story, four-bedroom, all-white house in Martano, Lecce , southern Italy . Mommy Neth explains why construction work has been protracted: “Ang mga karpintero kasi dito, pahinto-hinto ang gawa, dahil karamihan sa kanila, dayuhan din. Hindi sila Italyano.” Her husband Luigi and their daughters Assunta and Alessandra put up the money. The house—with a basement, a roof deck, balconies, a separate laundry room, and a sunken garage—is only a short walk away from where they used to live. “'Yong dating tinitirhan kasi naming, bahay ‘yon ng biyenan ko,” Mommy Neth says. “Sa roof deck noon , doon kami nagpagawa ng bahay. Doon kami tumitira pag nasa Italy kami. Kasi lately na lang din naman kami napirmi. Itong mga bata, sa biyahe nagsilaki, gawa nga ng trabaho ni Daddy [in the Italian navy]. Pag tinuos, dalawang taon din kami tumira doon. E, maliit ‘yon, masikip. Two bedrooms lang. Dumarami na ang gamit naming, saka ‘yong dalawa—Magharita and Isabella—nagdadalaga na rin. Saka siyempre, komo parang pakisuno pa rin, parang naiilang ka pa rin. Ako, hindi ko magawa doon ang gusto ko. Hindi gaya ngayon.”

The view form the top reveals a neighborhood dotted with similar all-white houses under a clear blue Italian sky. Says Rico: “Niloloko ko nga si Mommy. Sabi ko, para lang sa Paranaque . Ang kaibahan lang, lahat ng bahay sa village na ‘yon, puti. Halos pare-pareho ng itsura.” Mommy Neth's reaction was prolonged laughter.

THE ENTRY

1. The younger and Italy-based Schiavone siblings. Isabella, 11 (left), is in fifth grade of elementary school. Margharita, nicknamed Maggie, 14, is in first year high school.
2. Mommy Neth's outdoor treasures.
3. This is the main door that opens into the living room.
4. Mommy Neth poses by her potted ornamental plants. “Okey ang buhay doon ni Mommy,” Rico assures us. “Kasi ‘yong dalawang bata, government naman daw ang nagpapaaral. ‘Tapos, si Daddy me pension. Kung ditto raw e aligaga siya sa pagsunod-sunod noon sa mga lakad noong dalawa [meaning , Assunta and Alessandra], doon e talagang plain housewife siya. Naiinip na nga. Gusto niyang magtrabaho, pero ayaw payagan ni Daddy.

MAIN LIVING ROOM

1. The main living room is clean, simple, and –in Rico's words—a typical Pinoy sala. “Niloloko nga si Mommy,” says Rico. “Sabi ko, ‘yong iba, pinagmumukha nila luma ang bahay. Siya naman, ‘kako, modern lahat. Pinoy na Pinoy ang taste.”
2. The family's magazine supply comes mostly from the Philippines . That glossy Mommy Neth's hands is the December 2003 issue of Cosmopolitan, with Alessandra on the cover.
3. The light-green sofa, Rico learned, costs roughly P120,000, while the cabinet is in the neighborhood of P250,000.
4. Framed photographs of the Philippine-based Schiavones—Assunta (now Mrs. Jules Ledesma) and Alessandra (a.k.a. Alex) –are all around the house. That's Assunta's picture hanging on the wall.
5. Green floor-to-ceiling drapes separate the dining room from the living room, and make the other side look like a theater stage.
6. When she's not in her backyard garden tending to her veggies, Mommy is usually in the kitchen or pantry area cooking up something. “Lalo na noong nandoon ako,” says rico. “Feeling niya, may bisita siya, luto nang luto.” That's a banana cake she's taking out of the oven. She made it for Rico one afternoon. “in fairness, masarap!” Rico laughs.
7. This spotless toilet-and-bathroom is the one that's nearest to the kitchen. There are three more of these in other parts of the house—in the basement, in the master bedroom, and between Maggie's and Isabella's rooms. The last two have bathtubs.

BASEMENT

The door behind the sofa leads to the room reserved for Alex and Assunta. “Sabi ni Mommy, kung sino daw sa dalawa ang pumunta sa Italy , ‘yon ang room niya,” explaisn Rico. “Like, noong dumalaw si Alex last December, nagamit niya ang kuwarto nila.” Assunta has not had a chance to visit yet. “Sa picture lang din daw nakita,” Rico adds.

1. The basement, says Rico, has the same floor area as the first and second floors: “Uso daw talaga ang basement doon, sabi ni Mommy. Kasi pag summer daw, sobrang init, sa basemetn talaga naglalagi ang mga tao. Maski nga daw hindi summer, doon talaga sila tumatambay.”
2. This part of the basement is Daddy Luigi's study. That's his mother seated behind the desk. Note the framed photo on the table, showing a man shaking hands with Pope John Paul II. “Picture ‘yon ng kapatid ni Daddy na pari sa Rome ,” says Rico

MASTER BEDROOM

1. “Ayaw ngang pakuhanan ni Mommy,” Rico tells us. “Bare na bare pa raw kasi. Kakabalik lang kasi niya halos doon, diba? Um-attend sila ng kasal ni Assunta, dib a? ‘Tapos, naunang bumalik sina Daddy, nagpaiwan pa siya sandali. Ngayon pa lang daw siya nagsisimulang mag-ayos.”
2. Mommy Neth's perfume collection is lined up neatly on the hanging shelf, just above the bathtub.

TO UPSTAIRS

1. This is the second-floor corridor, boxed in by the bedroom.
2. Maggie and Isabella on the landing of the staircase leading to the second floor. That's another Assunta photo behind the two girls.

ISABELLA'S ROOM

Isabella's bedroom is a dream room for any kids her age. Among her stuffed toys and dolls, by the way, her favorites are Olive Oyl and and Teletubbies. An amused Rico says, “Sikat na sikat pala doon hanggang ngayon ang Teletubbies!”

MARGHARITTA'S ROOM

1. Maggie made a unique wallpaper out of her personal and souvenir photos of family and friends.
2. Maggie takes a dip.
3. Maggie's room speaks of her age—confused about the excitement of growing up while still not doing away with little-girl stuff. - -