Mothering Unlimited

She’s an incurable risk-taker and death-defier as everyone knows, showing her own brand of derring-do week after week on her ABS-CBN late-Saturday-night show Sports Unlimited (with the equally daring Marc Nelson as co-host).

No wonder Dyan Castillejo is a... man in her own right? Well, in a way. After all, she has beaten the men in their own field(s) and she doesn’t have to flaunt any wooden trophy for it. Dyan is her own sterling trophy, a survivor of many a daring feat, to wit:

• She tried skydiving 14,000 feet from a plane in Australia;

• She tried bungee-jumping from a platform 150 storeys high, with only a rope securing her from very imminent danger, in a rainforest also in Australia; and

• She paraglided in Tagaytay, jumping from land into nothing, making onlookers hold their collective breath until her parachute automatically opened.

And Dyan was flirting with danger even until the eighth month of her pregnancy for her and husband Anton Garcia’s first child, Matthew Anton, whom she delivered by Lamaze Method on July 25 last year, same birthday as Comedy King Dolphy.

"No anesthesia," smiled Dyan. "I was even exercising 24 hours before I gave birth to Matthew."

In fact, Dyan has redefined motherhood/mothering which she considers a form of sports – understandably.

"I bring Matthew to my shooting/taping," said Dyan, "and you should see how he enjoys every moment of it!"

Until now, Anton is puzzled why Dyan can’t leave Matthew home with the yaya, so he can play with the usual toys (rattles, stuffed toys, etc.) every other child his age loves to tinker and throw and tear up.

"Why do you have to bring him along?" Anton constantly asks.

Because Matthew loves tagging along.

It’s in the genes, you know.

"I’m sure Matthew will grow up to be a prize-winning sportsman," said Dyan.

Matthew is such a healthy baby.

"Do you know that I still breastfeed him until now? That’s why he’s healthy. Nothing can substitute for mother’s milk. I feed Matthew pure breast milk, not mixed with any formula milk."

He’s also a lagalag baby, going everywhere with you as if he’s also a co-host of Sports Unlimited.

"Starting young. At eight months, Matthew is well-travelled. He has been to, among other places, Mt. Pulag, the highest peak in Luzon near Benguet. He never goes hungry along the way because I continue to breastfeed him. In fact, Matthew had been travelling with me even before he was born. Did you know that I was shooting and taping for my show up to the eighth month of my pregnancy?"

Oh, wow!!!

"I was super-active when I was pregnant so I had an easy time during delivery. I exercised almost everyday; I was exercising even the night before Anton rushed me to the hospital when I started having labor pains! I swam, I lifted (light) weights. I was doing 50 laps even when I was heavy with Matthew!"

I’m sure Matthew is a water-lover, too.

"He is, just like Anton and me. At three weeks old, he was already learning how to float. Now, we dunk him into the pool already, gently lang naman."

You were a tennis champion and, I understand, Anton was a football player in school.

"Sports brought us together. I was 14 and he was 16 when we met in Colegio de San Agustin (Makati). I was a new (high school) student at San Agustin and Anton was already in fourth year (high school). He was a football player and I was a tennis player."

You met on the court? Which court, football court or tennis court?

"Well, according to Anton, his classroom daw was overlooking the tennis court and he would watch me practising. That’s how he first saw me daw. When we finally came face to face, click kaagad kami. I guess it was the ‘spirit of sports’ in us that led to our instant bonding. Before long, mag-steady na kami. Anton was my very first boyfriend, my first love talaga."

And vice-versa?

"I doubt. Anton was already in fourth year and he had a lot of girlfriends... I guess. After graduating from high school, he left San Agustin but I stayed. He went to Boston to take up a course in Business Administration. He now helps run the family-owned shipping-related business."

In short, you got separated. How did you meet again?

"It happened 16 years later. Anton worked in the States for a while and he came back for good in 1994. He told me later that he saw me again doing the Sports News on The World Tonight. Sabi niya, nagulat daw siya. He went, ‘Oh, wow, there’s Dyan!’ Napa-ganoon daw siya."

To make a long story short...

"...he decided to call me right then and there. Nasa make-up room ako noon; I was about to go on air in a few minutes. But I got his call anyway. We talked. Nagkumustahan kami. Soon, we were dating again. He said he didn’t have any girlfriend and I told him I didn’t have any boyfriend, so okey lang."

Besides love for sports, what was it that attracted you to each other?

"We’re both Christian, we’re both God-fearing."

Meaning, you’re both Catholic.

"No, we’re both Christian."

So what’s the difference between being Catholic and being Christian?

"Actually, not much as long as they put Jesus Christ in the center of their lives. I prefer to be called simply Christian, though, not a Born-again Christian."

So the spiritual thing is very vital in your marriage (they’re celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary on Nov. 20)?

"Very vital, you’re right. Very important. It’s important that Anton and I walk on the same spiritual path. I’ve seen so many families where the husband goes here and the wife goes there, following two different paths, and the children ended up confused. Like me, Anton likes sharing with other people; we are both God-oriented. We are also similar in upbringing because we both come from Spanish-Filipino families. Our friends told us that Anton and I look alike. Ganoon daw talaga. Sweethearts who look alike end up as husband and wife. Nagkakatuluyan sila."

Of course, you and Anton are both health-conscious...

"...I weighed 130 pounds during my pregnancy. Now I’m down to 107 pounds. Ten days after delivering Matthew, I was already lifting weights, running but only slowly and doing the stationary bike for 30 minutes per session. Three months later, hayun, I was already participating in the AXN Adventure Race from Quiapo to Glorietta (Makati)."

What about your diet?

"I don’t call it a diet; I want to call it ‘eating right.’ I eat lots of vegetables and fruits, never meat. And I started drinking (fresh) milk again – for the bones, you know."

Apparently, motherhood/mothering hasn’t stopped you from doing all those death-defying acts ba ’yon for Sports Unlimited?

"Why should I let it? As you can see, I can do my show and be a hands-on mom at the same time. I love bringing Matthew along because I keep a diary about him; I want him to grow up appreciating and loving what his parents love to do."

But are you more careful now that you’re a mother?

"People have been reminding me to be careful, then and now. Maybe I’m extra-careful now not because I have a child but because I have to be, not so much for myself as for Anton and Matthew."

Do you get hurt sometimes (no matter how extra-careful you may be)?

"Well, I once got hit right smack in the face during a (women’s) boxing match; taping ’yon for Sports Unlimited. In Boracay, I got hit by a beach football, also in the face. I thought I’d pass out but, thank God, I did not."

No serious accidents, so far, knock on wood.

"I really have to thank God for that."

So what precautions do you take before you venture into your regular risk-taking shoots?

"Always check that the people you deal with are professional... Plan things well... Pray a lot... Be physically fit... Take vitamins regularly (500 mg. of C and 400 IUs of E)."

I wonder, what makes you take all these risks? Are you a thrill-seeker?

"Not really a thrill-seeker. Maybe by doing what we’re doing, Marc and I want to encourage people to be active, but not so much to do dangerous acts like we sometimes do. Part of healthy living, I guess."

What does Anton always remind you?

"Be careful... Be aware of your surroundings... Think about what you’re doing... And remember that I’m always praying for you."