(From left) Vilma Santos and Mother Lily Monteverde. Images: Facebook/Vilma Santos-Recto, Regal Entertainment Inc. A tearful Vilma Santos looked back on some of her fondest memories with the late Mother Lily Monteverde , saying the film producer was one of the people she consulted when she decided to run for mayor.
In a video uploaded by ABS-CBN News on YouTube, Santos recalled how her close relationship with the Regal Entertainment matriarch started, with the actress-politician sharing that her first film under the production company was “Pinay American Style” in 1979. “Sa Regal, nagsimula ako noong 1979 sa movie ‘Pinay American Style.’ Si Mother ay madalas kong nakakasama sa mga byahe and if I may go back, gumawa ako ng 14 na movies kay Mother.
My last movie with Mother was in 2004, ‘Mano Po,’” she said. (I started with Regal in 1979 through the movie “Pinay American Style.” I was always with Mother during trips and if I may go back, I made 14 movies with her.
My last movie with Mother was in 2004, “Mano Po III: My Love.”) Santos said that she considers Monteverde her “second mom,” who was as close to her as the late film producer Marichu Maceda, fondly known as “Manay Ichu,” saying they enjoyed sharing showbiz-related stories during breakfast while filming abroad. “Si Mother ay hindi ko lang producer.
She’s like a second mom to me. Papaano ko siya hindi magiging second mom, ninang ko siya sa kasal. [Si] Dondon, ang anak niya, ninang ako .