Sherilyn on raising a millennial son

No secrets and no lies.

Those are the general rules in how Sherilyn Reyes is raising a millennial son, specifically Ryle Santiago (nicknamed Pao) who is in the roller-coaster world of showbiz as a member of It’s Showtime’s “kilig’ Ambassador known as Hashtags.

Pao is Sherilyn's son by ex-husband Junjun Santiago. Chris has his own offspring from his previous marriage, cared for by his ex-wife. Together, Sherilyn and Chris have their own children, Lorenz and Eia.

“Early on, I made them realize that keeping secrets or telling lies would get them into bigger trouble and that family would always be after their best interests,” said Sherilyn who, being in showbiz herself, understands the demands of the profession.

“Pao is very open to us,” added Sherilyn who is not a stage mother unlike some showbiz parents. “Chris and I are his sounding board. I am his shock absorber. When he needs to rant, he knows that his dad and I are always ready to listen.”

The STAR talked to Sherilyn at the recent launch of Beautederm’s eight young celebrity ambassadors --- that is, Ryle together with Carlo Aquino, Matt Evans, Ejay Falcon, Jane Oineza, Kitkat, Ria Atayde and Alex Castro (board member of the fourth district of Bulacan).

With mom Sherilyn Reyes...

Founded in 2009, Beautederm has grown by leaps and bounds with the help of star endorsers (Sylvia Sanchez, among them) who become the company’s distributors.

“Beautederm has more than 1,000 resellers both locally and internationally,” announced the company head Rhea Anicoche-Tan whose talent as a former deejay has proven to be a big asset in the business. “We ship products every day both here and abroad with our partnership with DHL. The brand also has stores throughout the country and one in Singapore. So far, we have 40 brand ambassadors that also include singers, beauty queens, comedians, politicians and social-media influencers.”

Beautederm is Pao’s first beauty-product endorsement.

“When he gets an offer,” noted Sherilyn, “I give my opinion and he has the last say. He’s 20 and he knows what’s good for him. He asks for our POV (Point Of View) before making any decision. He gives so much weight on our opinion on matters that are important to him. My only worry is that he works a lot, parang palaging mayroong hinahabol, pero kuripot naman. He only spends for the gas of his car and phone bills. He said that nalilito daw siya sa amin because we raised him that way.”

Sherilyn described Pao as a very obedient son.  

“When it comes to raising our children, Chris and I are very old school. We raise our children to be achievers. We always remind Pao, ‘Now that you have made a little name for yourself and you are doing well, a balanced life is more important.’ As I said, he’s open to us so we kind of breezed through his teenage life. It was easy to guide him though, of course, di maiiwasan ang mga mistakes, mga flaws.”

Sherilyn said that she’s a very cool mom.

“They always bully me,” she laughed. “They can tell me anything without having to worry if I will get mad. I try my best to understand them and acknowledge their thoughts and feelings before giving them my two-cents worth. I’m not strict. Dad talaga nila ang disciplinarian and spoiler at the same time.”

...with stepdad Chris Tan, stepbrother Lorenz and sister Eia.

Since the rule of the house is “no secrets, no lies,” Sherilyn and Chris are likewise open with their “pasts.”

When it comes to girls, Sherilyn doesn’t meddle and only tells Pao to take his time and get to know the girl better before committing himself.

“But I do check the girl’s background before I give my opinion. I’m happy when the girl’s parents are strict and she obeys her parents. If the girl is medyo liberated, hindi ko naman dina-judge. Pao is serious when he’s in a relationship. As much as possible, mas okey sa akin if Pao finds a partner outside of showbiz. I’ve been through all that when I was young and I always remind Pao about what happened, you know…” 

Asked if Pao is close to his Santiago side, Sherilyn said, “I think only Pao can answer that. Basta kami, we always tell him na magbigay ng respect kapag nagkikita sila ng kahit sino sa kabilang side.” (Pao was relatively young when his parents separated. The marriage was annulled.)

Chris and Pao are close.

“Chris never regarded Pao as a stepson,” assured Sherilyn, in the same way that she treats Chris’ son Lorenz as her own. “The topic was taboo among us and it came out only when Pao joined showbiz. I remember he told me that he couldn’t cry during one of his workshops di siya makaiyak. But when he was asked to think of someone he loves na dying, he pictured Chris and talagang naiyak daw siya ng sobra.”

Beauty pageant renamed simply Mutya Pilipinas

Newly-installed Mutya Pilipinas head Cory Quirino (left) with Andrea Fe Gomez of Baguio City and Maxinne Nicole Rangel of Padre Carcia (Batangas) who were chosen Darlings of the Press during the press presentation

Now on its 51st year, the Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant has been rebranded Mutya Pilipinas (minus the “ng”). 

“Phonetically, the new name flows more smoothly as pronounced,” said Cory Quirino, the newly-installed Mutya president.

This year’s 40 official candidates were presented to media and sponsors at the ballroom of Citidines Bay City Manila in Pasay City on Aug. 1. They are:

Jigg Kirsty Ang (Catanduanes), Alyana Bettina Penales (Bacacay, Albay), Jasmine Eaton (Tacloban City), Mariah Gelina Lequin (Bogo City, Cebu), Amber Delos Reyes (Canada), Ella Cayabyab (Quezon Province), Hanna Jessica Villa (Taguig), Louise Janica Arroyo An (California), Andrea Fe Gomez (Baguio City), Jenieva Basultin (Barotac Viejo, Iloilo), Keinth Jensen Petrasanta (Laguna), Camille Joy Ang (Cavite), Andrea Acibo Batangas City, Batangas), Karmina Luiza Grady (Arizona), Sandra Jele (Tagbilaran City),

Maria Isabel Alves (San Isidro, Parañaque), Tyra Goldman (Nevada), Joi Hunter (Illinois), Cyrille Payumo (Pampanga), April Short (Zamboanga City), Ysabel Napiza (New Jersey), Savannah Rosemary Caracas (Australia), Klyza Castro (Davao Del Sir), Christene Longakit (Quezon City), Eiffel Janell Rosalita (Sta. Maria, Bulacan), Karla Claudine Lasquiet (Cebu City), Layla Adriatico (Bahrain), Iana Faye Marie Olea (Davao Oriental), Dionne Sade Nicha (Tunasan, Muntinlupa), Jenny Kim Agasid (San Dionisio Parañaque),

Maricres Castro (Alabang, Muntinlupa), Maxinne Nicole Rangel (Padre Garcia, Batangas), Maria Angelica Pantaliano (Mandaue City, Cebu), Lesley Anne Ticaro (Davao del Norte), Camille Maha Marie Fabro (UAE), Irish Silades (Malinao, Albay), Nina Bernedo (Cagayan De Oro), Jaica Zacate (Pangasinan), Lady Justerinnie Santos (Bulakan, Bulacan), and Stephanie Monique Villavicencio (La Paz, Iloilo City).

Cory reiterated, “The open-door policy of Mutya Pilipinas is more evident now than ever where any and all aspiring candidates may apply regardless of their previous pageant affiliations.”

Andrea Fe Gomez of Baguio City and Maxinne Nicole Rangel of Padre Garcia, Batangas were voted Darlings of the Press. The presentation of hopefuls is a culmination of a three-month national search which covers Metro Manila, and its environs, Cebu, Bohol and Davao.

Three major winners will be crowned at the Mall Of Asia (MOA) Arena on Aug. 18 with delayed telecast over ABS-CBN. They will compete in the 2019 Miss Asia Pacific International in October (venue to be announced); 2019 World Top Model in Monte Carlo, Monaco in December; and 2019 Miss Tourism International in Malaysia in November.

The 2019 Mutya Pilipinas Overseas Filipino Communities, first and second runners-up will also be named during the finals. — Reported by Celso de Guzman Caparas

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)