Judy Ann wants to expand her family

MANILA, Philippines - Judy Ann Santos is ever ready to expand her family. Juday, as she’s also called in the biz, doesn’t mind welcoming a baby No. 3 soon, even if it means regaining all the pounds she managed to drop after giving birth to son Lucho more than a year ago (her eldest is seven-year-old Yohan).  

“Kung mabuntis at tumaba, eh di magpapayat ulit. Ideally, I want three kids,” says the 33-year-old actress and TV host, who’s looking every inch the “hot mama” these days, with her svelte form reminiscent of what she had, if not better, before giving birth and even before getting married to TV host Ryan Agoncillo. 

At a recent presscon that launched her as the new endorser of Kraft Eden Cheese, the “hot mama” tag was again all over the place as she emerged in a body-hugging cobalt blue dress.

But no one is more amused at being called one than Juday herself.

“It’s funny! It’s flattering. I never thought I’d reach the point that I’d get called ‘hot mama.’ Ang tawag sa akin nuon, hot siopao!” says Juday, poking fun now at her past showbiz days of baby fat and fluctuating weight.

To put it in numbers, Juday has whittled down from 165-lbs. (post-pregnancy) to her current 113-lbs. since she started to consciously lose weight May of last year just in time for her first hosting job for the first season of Junior Master Chef Philippines Edition on ABS-CBN.

Asked for tips, Juday simply says, “Happy life.”

But she’s also quick to add, “(You must have the) commitment to lose weight, self-discipline and determination not to be affected by people trying to put down your efforts, and go for it as long as you can still do your duties, like in my case, as a mom and wife. But of course, how can you fulfill your duties, if you’re not also taking care of yourself? The decision to (do it) should always come from your heart, from your self.”

Every morning, she also takes in fresh juice and veggies, with yoghurt or cereals. “But I don’t deprive myself. When I feel like eating fastfood, I will eat fastfood, but I have to exchange that with exercise afterwards like I run around, do pilates, carry around Lucho for two hours, if not climb up and down the stairs. There are many ways to exercise and not spend any cent. Even in the Internet, you can find a lot of workout videos already, which are so easy to download.”

Add to that are her play sessions with daughter Yohan, whom she is exposing to the street games she and Ryan enjoyed while growing up. “Nothing against stuff like iPad or computer, but we want her to be active and not sensitive like if she stumbles and gets a cut, we tell her it’s okay. Malayo sa bituka ’yan.”

Of course, Juday also credits her looking good and confident to hubby Ryan. “In fairness to my husband, and it didn’t feel like he was flattering me when he said he never noticed when I started to gain. Maybe because we saw each other every day. He only noticed it when we looked at the pictures. That only means he really loves me because he didn’t notice how big I became,” laughs Juday. “(And) when Ryan compliments, ang sarap pakinggan. He says, you’re so beautiful.”

Still, given the “hot mama” tag, it may not be a far-fetched idea that she gets offered to pose for men’s magazines, and just in case that happens, she’ll not be the first mom to do so. “Before when I was still single, there was an offer. But I couldn’t do it. It’s flattering pag dalaga ka kasi ibig sabihin may nakikita sila sayo. But for me, I just could not do it kasi yung kuya ko nagbabasa ng men’s magazines. Di ko yata kayang binabasa ako ng kuya ko at naka-pose ng kung ano-ano.”

And so much more now. “My kids might google it (in the future) and might go crazy once they see it.”

Kids are obviously a priority for Juday, and this is the reason why Kraft Eden Cheese chose her as its endorser, according to its senior brand manager Anna Sapitan.

She excitedly shares how Yohan, who is entering grade two, is at a stage where she absorbs everything. “If she has questions about school, we answer them, but more si Ryan. Mas tama kasi sagot niya, di ako confident sa mga sagot ko.”

Juday also says that Yohan, who is allowed to do commercials but only during school breaks, is showing interest in things showbiz-y. “Yohan said she wants to be a singer. If she wants to do voice lessons... well, we’re letting her choose what she wants to do this summer. It really depends on her because her grades are high. She’s third honor. We’ll see. She likes to sing, dance, and wear outfits… (But) what we want really is for her to focus on her studies for now.”

Asked about her dreams for her kids, she says, “Just like any other parent, I just want them to finish school. I want them to grow up with respect for others and for themselves, to be God-fearing and won’t step on other people. Pero syempre, di naman lahat mangyayari yun, kasi once nilagay mo na sa big school, you’re not totally in control of the growth of your kids. Ang magagawa mo is to guide them and to enjoy the times when you can still hug them. But ultimately, my dream for kids, yung whatever they wanna be, as long as they can provide for their family when they have their own family, and they can raise their own children well.”

Juday is set to do the second season of Junior Master Chef, plus plans are afoot for a film with Coco Martin, a Cinemalaya project under director Joey Reyes, and there are talks of collaborating with John Lloyd Cruz. But she says she would readily put aside her work if it gets it in the way in her duties as a mother and wife.

“Things have changed, unlike before when I was still single, when I don’t mind sleeping or taking a bath on the set. It’s a different story now, it’s a different chapter of my life. Of course, you have to take into consideration that when you’re not at home every day, then you’ll be missing out on important things happening to your kids, and you can’t ask people at home to rewind them. At masasakit yung ganung feeling, when you’re not around to see those things.”

Meanwhile, Juday has simple plans with the family this coming Holy Week break. “Normally, during Holy Week, we just stay at home and bond. Every Holy Week, si Mommy, nag-bibisita Iglesia. On our part, we pray the Rosary. And it’s more okay to be at home so we could do something like a (general) cleaning.”