Kris on the road to recovery, coming home for good in September — Bimby
Bimby Aquino is the younger version of his mother Kris — engaging, spunky, intelligent. He, too, is honest and will say what’s in his head with or without prodding.
At the 50th birthday celebration of Biñan Rep. Len Alonte-Naguiat last Monday in Shangri-La at The Fort, Bimby was his usual jolly self, telling friends that finally, after two years of his mother being treated for her complex auto-immune diseases in the US, Kris is finally coming home — for good.
“My mom is coming home for good in September. Latest is October. I’m very happy. She misses her family the most. She misses Tita Ballsy (Cruz) and her sisters,” Bimby said.
Is Kris already out of the woods? Magaling na ba si Kris Aquino?
“Papunta na po (sa paggaling),” he said. That his mother is on the way to recovery is more than enough reason for the 17-year-old Bimby to be joyful. “But it will take hard work, hard work talaga. Hard work, dedication, in order (for her) to be healthy po.”
Bimby said that just like in the States, he will be the one to take care of his mom when they are all back in the Philippines. “Syempre, good son, ‘di ba?” he said with a long snicker. (When he was in Manila recently, he left his mom to the care of the nurses in the States and Kris’ long-time assistant Alvin.)
Kris Aquino, 53, dubbed as the country’s “queen of all media,” was initially diagnosed with chronic spontaneous urticaria that was later on complicated with erosive gastritis and a gastric ulcer in March 2022. She sought treatment for her complicated auto-immune diseases in the US in June 2022 and has been there since.
“She’s coming home for good,” he repeated. “The medicine is hard on her. Pero alam n’yo naman po, fighter si Mama. She’s strong.”
Bimby, who was recently in the country and left again last Tuesday night with his elder brother Joshua to be with their mother, said they have been living in a rented apartment in Orange County for one year now.
“We’re not in LA. LA is like Makati. Orange County is like Alabang. We like it in Orange County,” Bimby said, adding that he also finds time to venture into his hobby of firing, which was also the hobby of his late uncle, the late former President Noynoy Aquino.
“I fire 9mm or .45 (caliber handgun) in the States. In Manila, I go to the firing range in Marikina or MOA,” he said.
While he and his brother were in Manila, they stayed in Antipolo in the house of fashion designer Michael Leyva, a close friend of Kris. It was Michael who arranged the visit of Bimby and Joshua to First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos. The Aquinos and the Marcoses are at opposite ends in politics.
The meeting, according to Bimby, is to show gratitude to Mrs. Araneta-Marcos, for “helping us with our travel needs.”
“She (Araneta-Marcos) is really nice. She offered to help us regarding our travel needs. When someone offers you kindness, you accept it. If you don’t accept it, that’s rude,” Bimby said, adding that it was not the first time he met the First Lady. “I would always see her in a lot of weddings my mom and I attended.”
So honest is Bimby that even if he playfully pretended that he did not hear my question about the new love life of his mom, he would still dignify the question with a happy smile and a happier tone in his laughter.
“Yes, she has a boyfriend and they are very happy. And he’s really a good guy,” he said, refusing to divulge more than that.
He said Kris and her new boyfriend have been dating for “a few months now.”
“He was even my roommate for two weeks in a hotel when he visited Mama recently. It was at that time that I really got to know him and he’s really a good guy talaga.”
How is it living in the US?
“Okay na okay. Syempre naman po I’m with my mom and (there’s) amazon.com,” Bimby said, laughing loudly. “Maganda talaga, you know. ‘Yun ang happiness ni Mama, online shopping.”
What does Kris Aquino usually buy from online shopping?
“Marami po, iba-iba. Sometimes kumot, sometimes footwear.”
Kris, for those who have sampled her cooking, is also a whiz in the kitchen. Does she get to cook in Orange County?
“I’m the one who cooks for us,” Bimby said. “I cook everything. Kasi what Mom does is sinusulat n’ya yung recipe po sa notepad and then I follow it. Pwede na akong maging househusband,” Bimby said, winking.
“I cook mostly Pinoy food para easy to store sa fridge po. I cook adobo, menudo, mechado. Everything.”
Like his mom, Bimby speaks good Tagalog. “Syempre, Tarlaqueño eh,” said Bimby, who does homeschooling in the US. “I’m now in Grade 10 going on Grade 11.”
How much does Bimby love his mom?
“Words cannot describe how much I love my mom. She’s my world. She’s my universe. Tsaka iba talaga kapag kasama ko si Mama. I’ve seen her in her lowest of lows, in her highest of highs. And now papunta na po siya sa paggaling,” Bimby said.
What are Bimby’s prayers like?
“For my mom to get better, and for my brother to be healthy, for my family to be healthy, at saka to be happy.”
One can say Bimby is mature for his age. He cares for his brother Joshua, who, Kris said in my previous interviews, “needs a village to raise him,” with his heart and soul.
“I also love taking care of my kuya. That’s already a given,” he said. So close are they that at one point during the reception for the golden birthday celebration of Len Alonte, Josh just sat on the lap of Bimby for a long time. Instead of complaining about the weight of his brother, Bimby embraced Joshua as they watched the party program — clapping together, even cheering the celebrant together. He even made sure Joshua had food on the table.
At 6’1”, Bimby only hopes he does not grow any taller. “Sana mas gumuwapo pa ako,” he laughed. *
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