Luis Manzano embraces joys of being a first-time father
Luis “Lucky” Manzano is embracing fatherhood with love and joy. He’s a first-time dad to Isabella Rose (nicknamed Baby Peanut), his eight-month-old daughter with wife Jessy Mendiola.
He is always excited to come home after a day’s work to be with Baby Peanut. “It’s really true na-excited ka umuwi. Grabe yung feeling na yun na kating-kati ka (to go home). And there’s a bit of sadness when you get home and Peanut is already sleeping, but you want to play with her,” Luis recently shared in a media interview for PIE’s (Pinoy Interactive Entertainment) Channel.
“Like yesterday, after taping I got home. I had like 10 minutes kasi pinapatulog na siya. I was so happy even just for 10 minutes because got to hug her while she was awake tapos pinatulog na. But then again, be a realist. I was an idealist before but now I’m a realist. You know a man has to do what a man has to do,” added the Kapamilya host.
Furthermore, Luis would like to think that he is a hands-on father.
“But, of course, may mga forte kasi na mas kumportable talaga ang isang nanay. But I make sure that as much as possible every milestone of Peanut I’ll be there,” he said.
He wasn’t able to witness in person Peanut’s first roll and crawl and just saw it on the phone. But he is hoping that he gets to see more of her milestones.
Luis described Peanut as “pilya,” a trait she got from Luis while her being affectionate is an attitude she inherited from her mother.
“My favorite (routine) every morning is every time I wake up, I go to her room, then, I would shout ‘Peanut,’ haharap na yun tapos bungisngis na. She’d laugh which means she wants me to carry her. Those are the small things that I appreciate as a parent.”
“I’ll cross the bridge when I get there,” he said when asked if he is a stage dad. “But I have this feeling that I will be a strict stage dad. For example, there’s an endorsement, (involving) Jessy and Peanut, I will still go there talagang magbabantay ako, ‘Teka, teka lang baka napapagod na yung anak ko.’”
When Peanut grows older, Luis will let his daughter “try anything and everything” in terms of the career path she will take. “If she wants to try showbiz, it’s OK. But the moment she says that, ‘Papa, ayoko na or I want to take a rest,’ (then) go.
“I will not pressure her to do anything but at least she gets to try it. Let’s say for example, Goin’ Bulilit or when she’s older, she wants to try hosting, (then) by all means. So that, at least, when she gets to sleep at night, she will say, ‘I tried it. It wasn’t for me,’” he added.
Luis is 42, while Jessy’s 30. So, the ideal number of kids for him is three. “But maybe two is OK. But if ever, God’s plan is that it’s only Peanut ang ibigay sa amin, we’re more than happy (with that).”
After giving birth to Peanut, Jessy has plans of returning to showbiz, shared Luis.
“Even right after Peanut, of course, there were a lot of offers but they understood that first and foremost (priority) is Peanut. Siguro swerte lang kasi yung posting (vlog) mas hawak mo yung oras mo ng kunti,” he said.
“But she wants to get back to work. And, you know, we are thankful because there are several brands inquiring about us, family. So, I said si Peanut medyo may mga nag-aantay na endorsements ah. It’s like that’s the part na kahit papano back to work namin.”
“Let me just share this. We (Jessy and I) were on a motorcade one time for work. I think that was last month. People were shouting, ‘Where is Peanut? Where is Peanut?’ Wala silang pakialam sa amin. It’s part siguro kahit papano when Jessy gets back to work, even Peanut will have a bit of exposure na ‘trabaho’ if you will,” he said.
Luis also revealed his mom, Vilma Santos, was shaking when she first held her granddaughter. “Unang hawak niya kay Peanut mga two months pa lang si Peanut, nanginginig,” recalled Luis. “Nung inabot sa kanya ni Jessy, mom said, ‘Teka, teka, how do I hold her?’ Parang ‘di pa siya humahawak ng bata in her entire life.”
Luis quipped, “‘So, where did I come from?’ I told her, ‘Vi, let’s talk’ because she was shaking. It was (shown) on Jessy’s vlog. Nanginginig siya, ‘How do I hold her? Is this correct, Jessy?’ Either hindi pa niya ako nahahawakan or nabagsak niya ako nung bata ako kaya ako nagka-ganito. Mas kapani-paniwala yung nabagsak niya ako kaya ako ganito.”
Meanwhile, Luis, Robi Domingo, Eric Nicolas are the game masters in PIE Channel’s Pindot PIEnalo Block, which starts at 6 p.m. and continues on weekend with the 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. editions of Mukhang Perya.
Luis hosts the show Tamang Hinala, Robi for Watchawin and Eric for Mukhang Perya.
Jolina Magdangal and Bayani Agbayani are the tandem hosts of Sinong Manok Mo, Negi for Mukhang Perya, and Melai Cantiveros for Ur Da Boss.
For details, check pie.com.ph or watch view PIE on free TV by rescanning your digital box, cable TV through Sky Cable, CableLink, and more, the PIE official YouTube channel, and in the GLife section of the GCash app.
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