“Bulilit, bulilit, sanay sa masikip / Kung kumilos, kumilos ang liit-liit.”

Does this appear or sound familiar to you? Just in case you were already watching television in the mid-2000s, then you could probably recall that these words are the lyrics of the song used by a prominent real estate company for one of its commercials featuring former child star Cha-Cha Cañete.

It was that remarkable stint that apparently opened a lot of doors for her in the entertainment industry, including Goin’ Bulilit, in which she was part of the cast for seven years, from 2009 to 2014. But ever since her “graduation” from the long-running kiddie gag show, we began to see her less, as she seemed to have stepped out of the limelight in order to pursue other endeavors and focus on her studies.

In an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN broadcaster Bernadette Sembrano for her vlog in September 2023, Cha-Cha revealed that she actually joined the international singing contest EUROPOP in Berlin, Germany, in 2014, in which she won 2nd place.

She had several guestings during her time off showbiz, such as in a radio program through which more people were able to discover that she can seriously sing as she performed a couple of songs, including her original single entitled “Agwat.” Besides, she was also one of the contenders in the Tawag ng Tanghalan Celebrity Champions in 2019, wherein she astounded us with her rendition of Alicia Keys’ “Girl On Fire.”

Even though she’s already 19 and a college student at Ateneo de Manila University taking up AB Diplomacy and International Relations, Cha-Cha revealed that there are people who still call her “bulilit.” When asked by Bernadette how she feels about it, she said that it’s definitely okay for her.

“I have no problem with it kasi, in the first place, that’s why people know me now. ‘Yon ang nagpasikat sa akin, ang nagpakilala sa akin sa mga tao. Pero, at the same time, I wanna prove na ‘di lang ako si ‘bulilit’ from that commercial. I know how to sing, I have talents, and marami pa akong mapapakita besides that bulilit personality na kilala nila dati,” Cha-Cha expounded.

With regard to her choice of college program, she explained that aside from being able to travel, it’s also her way of satisfying her curiosity about the culture and way of life in other countries, as well as adding new learnings to what she’s already familiar with or exposed to.

Unlike some people her age, she revealed that she never had a boyfriend because the only guy that could make her heart beat and catch her attention for now is Korean idol DK, who’s among the members of the Hallyu group Seventeen.

As we look forward to her next TV appearances, here are some of Cha-Cha’s gorgeous present-day photos that might make you utter, “Grabe, dalaga na siya!”