Jinkee Pacquiao and mother-in-law Dionisia "Mommy Dion" Pacquiao used to keep each other at arm's length until they learned to accept one another for the sake of the man they both love, Manny Pacquiao. The two women shared on Startalk yesterday how, from hardly speaking to each other, they were able to turn their relationship from mere acceptance to love.

A laughing Jinkee reminisced, "Alam ko naman na medyo masalita siya."

"Pero natanggap na niya. Sabi ko kasi magsanay na siya," smiled Mommy Dion.

Jinkee knew that she had finally been accepted by Mommy Dion when she felt a warmth from her mother-in-law that she hadn't felt before. "Pag nag-uusap kami, masaya na kami," smiled Jinkee.

"Bigla lang," Dion smilingly admitted. "Nabigla ako kasi wala sa isip ko na mag-asawa si Manny. Bata pa."

MOTHER'S ADVICE. When Manny and Jinkee married, they stayed at his mother's house for five years. Those five years proved to be beneficial for the two women who, being stuck together, learned to mellow and begin to understand one another.

Before that, Jinkee used to keep things to herself whenever she and Manny had marital problems. "Hindi ako masyado open pag may problema ako," she said.  But she learned to ask for advice from Mommy Dion.

"Sabi ko, huwag ka magselos kasi ikaw ang pinakasalan. Ikaw ang mahal niya," said Dion referring to Jinkee's past woes. "Ikaw ang reyna ng tahanan."

LATE-BLOOMING LOVELIFE. Rumor has it that Mommy Dion's lovelife is now in full bloom with suitors clamoring for dates. Could she give more details?

"Wala, uy," she said. "Hindi naman natin maiwasan. May magtingin at manligaw pero wala akong pinansin."

How many suitors, exactly?

"Marami," she revealed. "Mga hindi biyudo. Mga single lalake. Ang dami. May thirty-plus, thirty-eight [years old]. Mayroong twenty-five!"

And do they say "I love you"?

"Nagsabi," said Mommy Dion. And when she got such proposals, she squealed.

But if it was up to Jinkee, she wouldn't want her mother-in-law to get married again since Mommy Dion is not getting any younger. "Mahalin mo na lang mga apo mo, mag-enjoy ka sa sarili mo, sa mga kinikita mo, at sa buhay mo," Jinkee said. "Yun na lang."