A lady first

To many, she is the most beautiful first lady the Philippines never had. But even if her husband, former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, didn’t become President, Monica Louise “Nikki” Prieto Teodoro has made a name for herself as a child rights advocate, her passion for children not co-terminus with her husband’s stint in government.

She spearheaded the construction of the Amor Village, a home for children with special needs originally intended to serve the needy children of Tarlac but now houses children from all over the Philippines. She still keeps a watchful eye over the village, which is run by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Nikki assumed her post as Special Envoy of the President of the Philippines to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in  April 2018 and still is active with the Golden Rooster Foundation, which helps Filipino children who are abandoned, orphaned, abused or neglected.

Why she continues to serve the people in a private capacity (Gilbert turned down the defense portfolio offered to him by President Duterte at the start of his administration) even if she can happily just be a lady of leisure is a conundrum.

Nikki puts it this way, “I appreciate life. I do realize how fortunate I am and how grateful I am.”

Thus, she translates her daily prayer of thanks to action by actively promoting the welfare of children.

“I think what made me open my eyes was when I came back here and Gilbert exposed me to politics in Tarlac. He served Tarlac as congressman for three terms. And I saw how kind the people were, like they would share what little they had with us and they were very welcoming. I hadn’t seen that on that level before because my exposure was very limited. So I had a rude awakening in a very positive way. Ever since that time, I said if I could help, I’d like to help. When I became a congresswoman myself, I took it one step further by forming a committee on the welfare of children and then chairing the committee.

“That has always been my main focus, children. Because I have a son. All children are gifts from God.” Nikki raised her only child Jaime, now 20, by making him aware of the realities outside his privileged life.

“Jaime has a very big heart. He’s a very good young man in the sense that he is sensitive to people’s feelings. He’s very helpful. I’ve brought him many times to the Amor Village and he realizes what kind of life it is — coming from having the privileged life to being somebody who can help for the future. That’s why I’ve opened him to the realities of life ever since. Gilbert’s been in politics since Jaime was in my stomach, so we were always exposing Jaime to the less fortunate and trying to help. Jaime is not a spoiled child at all even if he’s an only child. Like his father, who is an only child, he is very down to earth.”

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Life has not always been roses for this extremely blessed woman. When Gilbert, a Bar topnotcher, lost his presidential bid to his cousin, Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III in 2010, Nikki  admired her husband even more for his grace. 

“Gilbert was so dignified. For me, I had to be strong because he was so dignified. He had to have been the most dignified candidate that did not win. And what was happening was the more that Gilbert was there to help, the more people realized how much they loved him and how much they missed him. There was not much I had to do.”

So, Gilbert was not devastated as many would have expected him to be?

“No! I think people wanted him to be devastated because they were devastated. For them, it was, ‘feel how we feel.’ But then, they were so kind. I tell you, the best people I’ve met were the people during the campaign because they are still close to us up to now. I could feel that they were upset and very angry but we didn’t feel that way.”

There is no bitterness in Nikki, only a desire to still make a difference. “I’ve gone through the ugly side of politics without actually being damaged. I still believe and I still have a big heart so I can safely say that being in politics has made me a better person. It hasn’t harmed me, it’s actually helped me get in touch with my down-to-earth side.”

 Nikki says that had there been no conflict of interests with some of Gilbert’s commitments in business, he would have gladly accepted the offer of President Duterte to be defense secretary.

“He’s very much loved by the military. Very much so,” says the proud wife.

Instead, Nikki accepted the offer of President Duterte to be his special envoy for children to the UN. “I would like to continue working as the special envoy of the President because he doesn’t micromanage me. He’s very open about what I do and how I do it. It’s been very easy doing what I have to do to help the children.”

Nikki says she supported the presidential bid of Duterte because, “I really believe that he is sincere about taking care of the less fortunate. I think he is a man who says what he is going to do and implements what he says he is going to do. I don’t think he has minced his words about doing what he has to do. I admire that.”

Is she the gentle face of this administration, a “deodorant” for its tough side?

“I can tell you right now, I have pretty much a mind of my own. So, if I didn’t believe in something, there is no way I’d put myself out there,” she stresses.

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The Teodoro home is jaw-dropping, to say the least.  But it is also homey, full of snapshots of both the Teodoro and Prieto families. Despite the tasteful decor and antiques, no room is off-limits to the Teodoros’ gentle giant, Branko.

High ceilinged, the living room is crowned by a skylight that makes it glow like Nikki’s brown eyes.

“During the day, you see the sky, and at night, you see the stars,” she says.

The living room has an expansive view of the pool, while the dining room is seemingly framed by flowers cascading from a trellis. Sliding doors separate the dining room from a gourmet kitchen — the domain of the master of the house who is an accomplished chef.

A Balinese cabana, where the couple holds intimate parties, was constructed around an old tree, so that inside, you actually feel like you’re in an elegant tree-house.

The house reflects the strength and solid character of Gilbert, and the open, bright personality of Nikki.

“I like fixing things. I’m forever doing something. I like to buy old Grade II listed buildings in Europe and then transform them. That’s my passion as well. Old buildings that have history. The last one I did was a Georgian. I wanted to be an archeologist or an anthropologist so I love history.”

Nikki likes the challenge of restoring old, historical buildings, which she later sells. “They are very delicate, there are certain things that you cannot touch.”

This is reflective of Nikki Prieto-Teodoro. Whether  it is in restoring old homes, or caring for children, the lady knows how to handle what is fragile and delicate. With heart, soul and a lot of class.

(You may e-mail me at [email protected]. Follow me on Instagram @joanneraeramirez.)