Is Aiko Melendez open to marrying for 3rd time?

Aiko Melendez looked stunning and radiant in her mustard yellow long gown when she appeared at the recent media conference for the GMA 7 series, The Flower Sisters, the third installment of Mano Po Legacy.

Mano Po Legacy: The Flower Sisters revolves around the story of a taipan’s four daughters namely, Lily, Violet, Dahlia and Iris, who have different mothers. Aiko is Lily, the eldest daughter who takes responsibility for the welfare of other members of the family.

Lily then later finds out about the identity of her half-sisters who come forward one by one. Portraying the characters of Violet, Dahlia and Iris are Beauty Gonzalez, Thea Tolentino and Angel Guardian, respectively.

According to Aiko, The Flower Sisters serves as her comeback project after she temporarily took a break in acting due to the recent national elections, where she ran and won as councilor in the fifth district of Quezon City. Her last TV outing was in the Kapuso network afternoon drama series Prima Donnas.

“I had to campaign in the last elections, so I stopped (acting). Then after winning, this is my first acting project and this is my first Mano Po kasi never ako nakasama sa movie,” began Aiko, who was happy seeing once again members of the press that attended the event.

“I’m not saying it’s easy juggling showbiz and politics, but it’s harder to choose if you’re enjoying what you do. So, I always find a way to attend to both.”

“The reason why I’m going back to showbiz kasi hindi ko naman pinagkakakitaan ang politika. Showbiz is my bread and butter and this is where I get my money to spend on things I purchase, kung ano ‘yung gusto kong bilhin at kung meron akong goal, dito ko kinukuha. That’s why, I also need to come back,” she added.

She’s thankful for her constituents, who do not find anything wrong about her return to acting.

“In fact, I had a post on my FB before about my asking permission to my constituents to allow me. I also allot half of my earnings to public service, para sa kanila rin.”

Aiko said tapings for the series have just begun and all of them are clueless as to how the story will develop. Although she hinted that there will be scenes, where her character portrayal is patterned after Regal Matriarch Lily Monteverde.

“No not at all. It’s not a big deal to me,” gushed Aiko when asked about sharing topbilling roles with Beauty, Thea and Angel. “Kasi sa akin, dumaan rin naman ako sa pagiging newcomer and really it doesn’t matter to me if equal billing kaming lahat.

“And then, I’ve already said this in my interviews, that I’m excited to work with Beauty kasi nga ang sarap na magkatapat ‘yung show namin dati, I’m in Prima Donnas and she’s in Kadenang Ginto. Tapos ngayon kami na ang magkasama in one show,” shared she.

Aiko added they initially worked together in an endorsement shoot for a skincare brand. “Dati pa, bait na bait na ko sa kanya. In the short time that we were together, probably the shoot only took five hours, I told myself, we’ll definitely click together.”

She’s not mistaken because, according to her, their personalities jibed right away during their first day on the set of Flower Sisters.

“We exchange stories about love life, di ba kasi s’yempre married s’ya,” she shared.

Asked if she sees herself being married again, Aiko said that if ever, she would like it to happen before she’d reach 50 years old “because we have to consider the time.”

Her first marriage with Jomari Yllana was annulled in 2004. They have a son named Andre. In 2006, she exchanged “I do’s” with Martin Jickain with whom she has a daughter named Marthena. Their marriage was annulled in 2010.

Aiko is currently in a romantic relationship with Zambales first district representative Jay Khonghun. In fact, according to her, they will be celebrating their fifth anniversary on Oct. 28.

“I have found in him everything I wanted in a guy and what’s more important is that he gets along so well with my children. So, I feel so blessed. But of course, when it comes to that (wedding proposal), it’s not right to come from me, ako ‘yung babae,” said Aiko.

Is she willing to have another baby?

“I still have my period, hahaha! I am at this point where I want to freeze my eggs because I can see in my children na maganda ang lahi ko. But Marthena doesn’t want me to have a baby unless I get married first. May pagka-conservative si Marthena.”

Speaking of love life, Aiko was asked to comment on Jomari’s anniversary message to his partner Abby Viduya on his Facebook. Part of the message read, “My first and my last, my love and my life…”

Aiko said, “Ang lagi kong iniisip ay ang kapakanan ng anak ko, so ‘yung masaya s’ya sa lovelife n’ya, ibigay natin ‘yun, pero sana isama n’ya sa pagiging buo n’ya as a person at pagiging buo ng buhay n’ya ang panganay n’yang anak na si Andre at ‘yung dalawa n’ya pang anak.”

Andre, now 24, does not harbor ill feelings towards his dad, assured Aiko.

She added, “He still tries to understand his dad because I would always tell him, ‘Don’t hate your dad. Hindi man kami naging okay bilang partners, tatay mo pa rin ‘yan.’”

Aiko also wishes that Jomari finds the time to bond with Andre because she’s certain that they will both enjoy each other’s company.

“I believe this time and age of Andre ang pinakamasayang maging kabarkada lalo na ‘pag father-and-son bonding. Sana mabigyan ng pagkakataon ni Jomari si Andre ng ganung bonding kasi mamahalin s’ya ni Andre lalo ngayon.”

Aiko would like to believe that Jomari is just busy these days. “Intindihin na lang natin,” she concluded.

(Set to premiere on Oct. 31 at 9:35 p.m., Mano Po Legacy: The Flower Sisters also stars Mikee Qunitos, Paul Salas, Isabel Rivas, Bodjie Pascua, Johnny Revilla, Tanya Garcia, Sue Prado, Rafael Rosell, Marcus Madrigal, Miggs Cuaderno, Will Ashley, Carlo San Juan, Dustin Yu, Kimson Tan, Reins Mika, Sandro Muhlach, Yvette Sanchez, Sophia Senoron, Larkin Castor and Cheska Fausto.)