or a team, Katrina and Kristine Gonzales , a.k.a. the Jaboom Twins , make quite a trouble pair of twins sisters. As far as comparisons go, they may often wear the same hairdo, shared the same friends, used the same shampoo, appear in the same shows on ABS-CBN, or even look identical but they are exactly basically, radically opposite in the way they describe each other. They claim they are miles apart when it comes to attitude, fashion sense, shopping, falling in love and decorating their bedrooms. And yet again, like the yin and the yang, it's magic how Jaja and Boom-Boom complement each other in a lot of ways.

SISTER ACT

LOVE is all that matters. This is the twins' message to siblings, friends, couples and other twins like themselves. “Bata pa kami, itinuro na sa ‘min, wala ka nang tatakbuhang iba kundi ang isa't isa,” says Jaja. “Ang kaibigan puwede kang traidurin. Ang laging bilin sa ‘min ng parents namin, ‘wag kaming mako-corrupt sa showbiz ugali. I'm not saying lahat ng showbiz may ugali, pero kasi the fame, the friends and everything can get into your head.”

Visiting the twins' hour at BF Parañaque, I couldn't help but count the ways the two girls support one another and make themselves distinct from each other, how they simultaneously make each other's life both inspiring and miserable. Right from the start, it wasn't a mystery how they kill and make up. They've been doing it since they were kids.

And yes, the kids in this palace have grown to be princesses. It was a breeze being around them. I though I would be lost guessing who's who but it was. It was a no-brainer by the looks, Jaja is curvaceous, Boom-boom is petite. A splendid tour of their bedrooms will answer all questions as to where the different really lies.

Jaja has more than 50 colorful butterflies in her room. Some are splattered on the walls some are pasted in the mirror, clipped on a lampshade, hanging in the closet, by the ceiling and over the bed. Looks like she's fascinated with anything pink, soft, cute, and furry. With her pictures, toys and snootchie boochies all around the place, Jaja dreams of a place where gypsies and fairies exist. That's why anyone who gets to take a peek would say she was Bohemian princess in a former life.

Ironically, her sister's room is spacious, clean and orderly, consistent in white, defined by straight lines and stable fixtures but still feminine, with curtains that let the sunshine in, a bed in the center that is parallel to her window and a television set. Her stuffed toys are well arranged on top of her cabinets and her magazines are piled up horizontally. During her free time, she indulges in her favorite movies like the Drew Barrymore starrer, Never Been Kissed.

A race for the best girl? There was actually no competition at all. They respect each other's differences and no one is above the other. “Merong magkaiba, merong pareho,” says Jaja or Katrina. “Kunwari sa school, siyempre wala kang aasahang ibang kasama kundi siya, ‘di ba? Palagi kami magkasama. So, ‘yung nami-meet namin, pareho lang. Nu'ng high school ‘yung best friend ko since Grade 5, naging barkada niya.” “Kahit anong gawin namin, lagi kaming pantay,” says Boom or Kristine. “Hindi naman isyu ‘yung ako nauuna o siya ‘yung nauuna. Nagtutulungan kami, nagsusuportahan. Hindi namin inisip na competition.”

The way they slug each other in the fitting room is rather outstanding. “Especially nu'ng time pa ng MTB, kailangan pareho kami. No choice kasi sabi ng stag kailangan pareho suit n'yo. So, nagdya-Jack'n'Poy pa kami. Kung sino manalo, siya mamimili for the day kung anogn damit ang susuotin. ‘Pag nananalo ako, no choice kundi magsusuot siya ng simpleng damit lang. ‘Pag nananalo siya, no choice kundi bongga, talagang mini-skirt. Ako laging pantaloon. Kung minsan, ayaw niya ng Jack'n' Poy kasi dinadaya ko raw siya dahil hindi pa siya nananalo sa ‘kin sa Jack'nPoy. So, ginagawa niya, nagbubunutan kami. May check ‘tsaka x. Kung check, mabunot mo, ikaw mamimili ngayon ng damit. Kung x, sorry ka,” explains Boom.

TWO BECOME ONE

THEIR lifestyle and personality strikes another big difference. While Boom would rather stay home and watch television, Jaja is the type who would sneak out to parties with friends.

“She's a queen. Hindi princess, queen talaga, eh. Para siyang fortune-teller. Mahilig siya sa butterfly, sa color purple and fuschia pink,” says Boom. “'Yung room niya, kahit anong linis, madumi pa rin tingnan . she has a lot of stuff, ‘di na niya alam kung saan niya ilalagay, design pa rin siya ng design.

“Shopaholic siya. Ako, I think first before buying, if I have enough money or if I have a budget for this. I think. siya, she doesn't think. Buy, buy, buy! Kaya ayoko sumasama sa kanya when it comes to shopping, eh. Fashionable siya pero kawawa naman bulsa niya. Uubusin niya. I don't go with her to the mall wearing heels. Lahat ng stores, iikutin niya. Sometimes, by the end of the day, wala na siyang pera, bibili pa rin. She knows I have money, ‘Ay, na-punch na! Pa'no ‘yan?' So, I have no choice.”

“Laking lola ako, conservative. I can't imagine myself attracted to untidy guys. ‘Pag beyond the limits na ‘yung ginagawa niya, ‘tsaka ko siya pagsasabihan. Siya kasi kahit simple things lang, talagang papakialaman ka niyan.

“One time, pagdating ko sa bahay, sabi ko sa family ko, I'm so happy! Sabi nila, ‘Bakit? What happened?' Sabi ko, ‘Natanggap akong maging commentator sa simbahan.' Lahat sila, ‘Oh my God! Magkakaroon tayo ng madre dito.' They were laughing. For me, it was really something special. I hear mass every Sunday. Hindi puwedeng hindi.

Feeling ko, hindi kumpleto ang week ko or something bad will happen ‘pag hindi ako nakasimba. Three days after, umiyak ako. Iyak ako nang iyak. Ang suplada ko pa sa guys. I go to Adoration Chapel everyday. Laging may rosary sa bag ko. If I come to think of it now, it's really funny. Noong time na ‘yon, seryosong-seryoso ako.”

It's easy to imagine why it's hard to be twins. When they get compared to each other, their skills and qualities are measured and often unfairly judged. “There are things that I can do that she cannot do,” says Jaja. “There are things that she do that I cannot do. It's hard na ‘O bakit ikaw hindi mo kaya ‘yan, bakit siya kaya niya?' Even if we want to explain it, sometimes we can't. Kahit ayaw mo, kahit hindi dapat, people compare you. masakit ‘yon eh. Kahit sabihin mong napakabait mong bata, tinuruan ka na ‘wag maiingigit, you can't take away from a person. Kahit na sa mind mo lang ‘yon, hindi mo ma-explain ‘yung nararamdaman mo.”

“May kaya naman ako na hindi niya kaya,” adds Boom. “It will make you feel blessed or thankful na meron ako na wala siya. It will make you feel better. Kung hindi ka mature enough na tanggapin, papatayin mo na kapatid mo, ‘Ano ka ba, ikaw na lang lagi! Hindi na ako napapansin!”

But the sisters love each other dearly. For them, two is still better than one. If they're not fight about clothes, they usually are sharing each other's blessings and expressing their appreciation for one another. “Last year, during my birthday, she gave me a set of MAC cosmetics. Kasi ‘yung mga make-up ko, mga mura lang. “

The twins caused a major splash in showbiz when they were spotted for a Rejoice Shampoo TV commercial, that the gang of Magandang Tanghali Bayan got them as mainstays. Making ripples with the dance craze, a music video and a hit-jungle-turned-hit single revived by Sandara Park , the Jaboom Twins slowly turned their novelty act into a television career, letting their hand down in the defunct afternoon sitcom Maid in Heaven alongside other ABS-CBN stars.

TWIN-TERRORS: This shelf, the dining area, the living room as well as the rest of the house, in shades of peach and cream, are parallel to Kristine's personality. This rack shows the girls' awards in for school cheering, fashion, music and theater.

ONE LAZY AFTERNOON: Our photographer takes a shot in the second floor sala, while Katrina looks on from the balcony. The stairs that lead to the girls' lairs.

JABOOM'S FINAL SHOT: The kitchen is squeaky clean. It look like it has never been touched.

KIKAY SISTERS: Katrina shows her spaghetti strap top that she uses for gimmicks, while Kristine brings out her kikay kit. But, of the two room shows more “kakikayan” than her sister's. (Articles lifted from S Magazine)
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