How Marian prepares Zia to be an ate

MANILA, Philippines — Marian Rivera is due to give birth to her second child — a boy — sometime in the summer. “We are ready. I am ready,” said the 34-year-old

Kapuso star.

According to Marian, her three-year-old daughter Zia with husband Dingdong Dantes is also “super excited” to welcome the soon-to-be addition to their family.

Zia’s personality was on full display during a presscon for her new TV commercial with her mama for the preschool milk brand Nestlé Nido Advanced Protectus 3+.

When asked if she’s ready to be an ate to her baby brother, a confident Zia replied, “Yes!”

“Do you like my commercial?” she asked the media. She also requested to “please play again” the TVC before bidding everyone goodbye and saying “I will miss you.”

Her sweetest messages though were reserved for her proud mom.

“You’re the best mom ever,” she told Marian when the latter asked Zia to share what she said the night before, after waking Marian up to accompany her to the bathroom.

When asked what does she want to tell her mama, Zia said, “I want her to be happy.”

Scenes from Zia’s new TV commercial with her mama for the pre-school milk brand Nestlé Nido Advanced Protectus 3+

“I love you,” Marian answered.

 Zia immediately replied, “I love you more.”

Contrary to what people may think — also because Zia has not been that exposed to the public until recently when the Dantes family decided to have a YouTube channel — Zia is not at all a timid toddler. In the TVC, Marian calls it “fake news” that her child is quiet and shy.

During the presscon, Zia would leave her seat, approach the press (most of whom she has never met), curiously look at cellphone cameras taking videos of her and play peek-a-boo with Nido executives.

“I think she takes after me, personality-wise. She’s an active child and she really wants to explore. She’s like me, one of the boys,” Marian described Zia. “Parang walang kinakatakutan talaga. Alam mo yun? She’s always on the go. Hindi siya nag-rereklamo kahit sa putikan, sa ulanan. She’s not the type of kid na medyo, ‘Don’t like eww.’ Ayaw lang siguro niya ng madumi but the rest okay siya. Nakita n’yo naman kanina kung gaano ka-active at ang kulit! Sabi nga nila, sana, ang pagiging makulit ay manifestation ng pagiging matalinong bata, so dun ako (laughs).”

Even if she’s very much pregnant, Marian still tries to keep up with Zia who’s one bundle of energy. “If she’s energetic, then I’m also energetic! There are times when my daughter will not sit still. Natatawa ako kasi may mga fieldtrip kami sa (pre) school, tapos nakikita ko yung iba na ‘oh my god!’ Ayoko maging ganyan. So ‘pag malikot anak ko, (I’ll ask) where do you want to go? Mas maganda kung nasasabayan mo siya. As long as she’s not doing anything wrong, why not, right?”

Marian said she’s meticulous with endorsement deals and all the more with those involving her daughter. The milk product is the second endorsement of Zia, whom Marian fully breastfed. The actress was convinced to endorse Nido 3+ because it’s the only pre-school milk brand in the market developed with Lactobacillus Protectus featuring a probiotic for stronger respiratory defenses.

All of Zia’s earnings from TVCs will be given to her once she turns 18. Marian recalled a conversation with Zia: “When we made the Nido TVC, I said, ‘Anak, we will be working.’ ‘So Mama, if I have work, I have money.’ ‘Yes, anak.’ ‘If I have money, I will buy you shoes (laughs).’ It makes me happy that she’s very vocal (of her love and affection). That’s really the reward of having a child.”

Presently, Marian is preparing Zia to be an ate. Since Day 1 of expecting again, she said they have involved Zia, including trips to the OB-GYN.

“She’s super excited. She’s even the one saying, ‘Goodnight baby boy,’” Marian said. “Si Zia ngayon, lagi kong katabi. Sabi ko, ‘O anak ha, ‘pag lumabas si baby boy, kay daddy ka muna, tapos si baby boy sa akin muna. After, ikaw naman at si baby boy, tapos kami naman sa daddy mo ha.’ I’ve given her the task (of being the) ate already, so she won’t feel envious. So, there are toys na she will say, ‘Mama, I wish to share this with my baby brother, please.’”

Despite fan clamor to see more of Zia’s cute antics, both Marian and Dingdong have decided against creating an Instagram account for her. It’s not because they’re afraid of bashers. “My husband and I have decided that it’s definitely no. Maybe when she’s older, she can have one herself,” Marian said. “I don’t care about the bashers. That’s my choice. Ako naman sa Instagram ko, kung makikita ninyo, hindi naman ako every day (nag-po-post) kahit pag-kain ko, whatever. I only share important moments that happened in my life. And I’m also busy with Flora Vida (her online flower shop).”

They, however, recently set up a YouTube channel called The Dantes Squad where they upload vlogs on family milestones like the second baby’s gender reveal and Zia’s first haircut and third birthday in Disneyland.

Marian with (from left) Bettinna Carlos, event host and Zia’s godparent; Missy Ayson, VP and lead consumer marketing manager for Nido Gum; Paolo Mercado, director of marketing, communication & innovation for Nestlé Philippines; Arlene Tan-Bantoto, business executive officer for Nestlé Infant Nutrition Philippines; and Dr. Josephine Yuson-Sunga, medical director of Nestlé Infant Nutrition Philippines

Marian will take a break from showbiz work after giving birth. She doesn’t mind if it will take two years again like the maternity leave she did for Zia.

The Sunday PinaSaya and Tadhana host is grateful to her TV network GMA for understanding that her priorities have changed since becoming mother. She said her child or make that children are her No. 1 priority, being a wife next and then her acting career. “The point is malinaw sa kanila na ang priority ko ay pamilya ko at magkaroon ng anak talaga at maalagaan sila. Nakita mo naman ang resulta kung maging hands-on ka sa anak mo. Ang sarap at hindi matatawaran ang ganun kaming ka-close ng anak ko. Kita mo talaga ang lambing.”

It has always been Marian’s dream to have a large brood because she grew up an only child. So, after the second baby, she said, “Lord, one more after this. Boy or girl? Any na because I have a pair already.”