Here's how Sharon Cuneta earned her first million at 15, her first billion in her early 30s
Most people would take three or four decades of hard work before they can become a millionaire, but Sharon Cuneta revealed that she reached that milestone when she was just 15 years old.
In a media interview shared by entertainment site PEP, the Megastar took the time to discuss how she managed her earnings from her career in the entertainment industry.
When asked whether she remembers when she made her first million, Sharon answered, "I was about 15 or 16, because I started singing at 12. I did my first movie at 15."
The movie she was referring to was the 1981 romantic drama film Dear Heart, where she starred with her former husband Gabby Concepcion. The pair recently had a reunion concert of the same name in October last year.
"At that time, I was the highest-paid newbie. I was being paid the sweldo of a superstar that time," Sharon recalled.
"My dad gave that price for Dear Heart thinking they would say, 'Sobra naman.' Eh, kinall, so biglang napilitan, happily," she continued, adding that her parents didn't touch the money she earned.
When asked when she earned her first billion, the actress initially answered that she was around 30 then, when she married former Senator Kiko Pangilinan. She, however, later clarified in a text message sent to reporters that it was in her early to mid-30s.
"At 30, which was when I married, I promised myself and wrote down that I would become a billionaire asap and had two witnesses to sign it!" Sharon shared.
In another video posted by Philstar News, Sharon said that while she receives hefty earnings from being a celebrity, her money only managed to grow, thanks to her real estate investments.
"My income from show business, I’ve been able to grow between five to 10 times more because of my investments," she said.
"Let’s say you buy something for P100 million. Then in seven years, you’re not doing anything, you’re just singing, hindi mo pinapansin. After a few years, you sell it for P400 million. And I was like, okay, I was just doing what I love and I wasn’t minding it," she explained.
In buying a property, one of the important factors that the local star considers is the location.
"My question to myself before I buy a property is 'Will I live in it?' If it’s medyo middle class, would they want to live here? May tubig ba dito? Nagbabaha ba dito? All these things that we’re afraid of, you list it down," Sharon detailed.
"And then you always make sure ‘pag bumibili ka, okay ba ang developer nito? Anong track record nito?" she added.
Sharon began her career as a recording artist with the release of the 1978 single Tawag ng Pag-ibig. She entered the movie scene three years later and appeared on various television shows such as The Sharon Cuneta Show in 1986 and Sharon in 1998.