Ate Vi on meeting her first apo: It was heaven!

Vilma Santos STARTED the New Year with a new title: Momsie Vi. This, as the veteran star and former congresswoman welcomed her first-ever apo or grandchild, the firstborn of her son Luis Manzano with wife Jessy Mendiola.

“It was heaven the first time I saw my apo! She was so pretty and ang pula pula niya… Peanut!!!” said Ate Vi, as Philippine showbiz’s “Star for All Seasons” is fondly called in the industry, in a message to The STAR on Tuesday.

She added that she’s very happy that her granddaughter Peanut’s full name is Isabella Rose Tawile Manzano.

“Take note, may Rose… I am Rosa Vilma Santos Recto… oh di ba? Hahahahaha!!!” she gushed.

She also described Luis and Jessy as very hands-on parents.

“Papa na papa si Lucky and mom na mom si Jessy. Galing! Breastfeeding ang Peanut!!! Soooo happy for Lucky and Jessy. Next chapter in their lives,” Vilma said.

It’s also a fresh chapter for Ate Vi. “New chapter in my life as Momsie Vi. First-time lola!!!,” the actress was happy to note.

The parents have yet to share more details about their baby girl, such as the exact birthdate last December and a full face reveal, although the TV host and actress have been teasing glimpses of their daughter on social media.

Ate Vi promised that she will soon share her first-time encounter with Peanut on her YouTube channel after the parents.

But long before Jessy gave birth, the veteran actress was already the most excited grandma-to-be. She first learned she was going to be one on Mother’s Day last year.

On social media, Luis and Jessy have been slowly sharing glimpses of their daughter who arrived in their lives sometime in December.

She recalled in a previous STAR interview: “Ayun talagang maiyak-iyak ako. Totoo ba, totoo ba? Oh my God! ‘Di kasi ako makapaniwala na sa tagal-tagal kong hinintay talaga ng apo, ngayon meron na.”

In a separate chat less than a month before the birth of Peanut, Vilma also told us that she was postponing out-of-town trips to prioritize the arrival of her apo.

“I’m really so excited with Peanut. In fact, ayaw ko mag-biyahe. I don’t want to travel. Sabi nila, magbiyahe tayo ng December. Sabi ko, ayoko baka manganak bigla. Ayoko lumabas ng bansa hanggang hindi lumalabas si Peanut. That’s how excited I am!” she said.

Since Lucky and Jessy are her neighbors, Vilma has been updated in every step of the pregnancy journey.

She observed, “They care for each other. Lucky is taking care of Jess kasi nga medyo nahihirap-hirapan na rin si Jess. I could see that… of course, imagine magkakaroon sila ng pamilya. You see the love in their eyes because they are a family now. They’re having a baby already.

“And you could feel their care for each other and see their preparation. May kwarto (nursery room) na yung bata, ang ganda ng design lalo na alam nila ang gender, a girl, so you could feel na ganun sila kasaya mag-asawa. Ganun nila inaalagaan ang isa’t isa. You can see their happiness.”

On what kind of first-time grandma she is, she quipped, “Kung minsan nga lumalabas na ako yung stage lola. Kaya kung minsan sinasabi ko, no I can’t decide, siempre mag-asawa yung magde-decision, ‘di ba?

“Eh sabi naman ng anak ko, pwede mo naman hiramin si Peanut every day. Basta tuwing dadating siya, meron siyang suot na diamond hahaha! Crazy talaga, hahaha!”

When asked about her advice to Jessy and Luis about parenthood, Vilma shared that she told them that their lives would really change and that the moment they became parents, they would realize that “you can trade your life for your children.”

Vilma continued that definitely, once Peanut arrives, it’s going to be the couple’s new status or next step in their lives. They are no longer just husband and wife but also parents, and with that, they should expect changes in their priorities.

“It’s more of understanding that their thinking should be hindi na ikaw, ako… or man and wife. It’s family na,” Vilma said.

Meanwhile, Luis and Jessy can also learn a thing or two about staying strong as a couple, as man and wife, from Momsie Vi.

Last Dec. 11, 2022, she and former Sen. and now House Deputy Speaker Ralph Recto marked 30 years of marriage — considered quite a feat in the world of showbiz.

Ate Vi reflected on her marriage: “Nag-aaway din kami, we’re not perfect, our relationship is not perfect. But what I noticed — this is not an advice – at the end of the day, kahit ano yung away namin dalawa, if you really respect your partner, babalik yung love eh. The love and understanding will return as long as the respect is there.”

She continued, “When the respect is gone, palagay ko wala na… Kahit sabihin mo mahal mo but you don’t respect the person anymore, I don’t think the relationship is going to be successful.

“One thing I know is that while my relationship with Ralph is not perfect, up to this day, I do respect the person, I do respect the guy, I do respect my husband.”