Born on August 22, 1970 in Manila, Philippines, Chin Chin Gutierrez is a Maria Carminia Lourdes Cynthia Arnaldo Gutierrez in real life. Chin Chin is the screen name she uses in the world of show business. She is not only an actress but an active environmentalist and a vegetarian. She was featured as the Asian Heroes by the Time Asia. Her father is a botanist in the person of Dr. Hermes Gutierrez and her mother is a painter, Cacilia Arnaldo. Chin Chin took her Bachelor’ Degree in Communication Arts at the Miriam College. Her elementary school years were spent at Stella Maris College and Philippine Christian University. She went to the Manila Science High School to study for her secondary years. She further studied at the Southeast Asian Interdisciplinary Development Institute to pursue her Masters of Arts and PhD degree.
She is an active environmentalist and became the founding chair for the ecological foundation Alaga LAHAT in 2006 and became its president. She also founded another environmental group, the Mother Earth Foundation to whom she is also an officer. Chin Chin is known to promote the statement that “fish are friends, not food” and advocates vegetarianism too. Before she finally took a respite from her show business career and concentrated to promote her environmental and vegetarianism advocacies, she was a well acclaimed actress. She was the recipient of the 1995 Gawad Urian Best Supporting Actress for the movie Maalaala Mo Kaya The Movie and was the Best Supporting Actress for the movie Desperado in the 1998 Asian Television Award. Her best actress award she received from the 1996 First Asian Television Award for the movie Melinda. Her efforts to advocate for the environment earned her to be recipient for The Outstanding Women in Nation’s Service.
Chin Chin Gutierrez released an album which was two years in the making in different languages including Kalinga, Cebuano, Tagalong and Federay. The album was released in 2003 entitled Uyayi: A Collection of Philippine Lullabies. It was inspired from the results of the field research involving the recordings of elders throughout the country who sing the traditional lullaby songs. The project was supported by other musicians like Malou Matute, Joey Ayala, Rachel Conanan, Bo Razon, and Tots Tolentino. The album successfully won an award from the National Commission for Cultures and the Arts.
Chin Chin Gutierrez made several television guesting in Maalaala Mo Kaya: Wedding Ring, Dahil May Isang Ikaw, May Bukas Pa, Maging Sino Ka Man, Maging Sino Ka Man: Ang Pagbabalik, Komiks Presents: “Valentina”, Krystala, Melinda, Noli Me Tangere, Desaparacido, and Komiks Presents: Da Adventures of Pedro Penduko. She started making movies in the 1990’s and among her popular movies are Onyong Majikero, Maalaala Mo Kaya: The Movie, Di na Natuto (Sorry na, Pwede ba?), Lagalag: The Eddie Fernandez Story, Ipaglaban mo: The Movie, Sa Aking mga Kamay, Mula Noon, Hanggang Ngayon, Johnny Guess: Ang Taong Laging Nagtatanong, Bloo, Ikaw pala ang Mahal ko, Manila, Pedrong Palad, Rigodon, Tomagan, I’ve Fallen for You, Cul De Sac, Tall as Trees, The Mourning GirlsTatarin, Jose Rizal, Legacy, My Guardian Debil, Ama Namin and April, May, June.
Chin Chin Gutierrez however finally found what her vocation really is, that is becoming a nun. Reports have been confirmed that she joined the Carmelite Convent. Her mother used to be a nun before finally leaving her vocation and get married. Chin Chin has marked another legendary history in the show business world for being the first and only actress from the show business who entered the convent.
