“Akala ko walang puwedeng kumawawa sa mga anak ko kapag si Annabelle Rama ang manager.”

This was one of the three deciding factors that prodded Nadia Montenegro to let the matriarch of the Gutierrezes manage the showbiz careers of daughters Ynna, Anykka, and Alyanna.

In the beginning, the former actress was reluctant.

Contrary to the claims of her nemesis’ camp, it wasn’t she who’s “mapilit.”

In 2008, at the wake of director Khryss Adalia, she had a talk with the late Douglas Quijano—who managed her career and Ynna’s.

Nadia related yesterday, April 23, “Pinatigil muna siya ni Tito Dougs no’n, e, kasi I wanted her to enjoy high school…

“Sabi ko, ‘Tito, stop muna si Ynna, ganyan, ganyan.’

“‘Sige, sabi niya [Douglas]… Mga ilang months ‘yon para ma-enjoy naman niya ‘yong high school life niya na.

“Sa wake, kami magkakatabi nito, ha, sa wake ni Khryss Adalia, Ruffa calls me, ‘Girl, ang ganda-ganda naman ni Ynna.’

“Sabi ko, ‘Thank you.’

“Sabi niya, ‘My god, she’s so grown up na, ganyan…Ano ka ba, you’re so stupid, my god! Pag-artistahin mo.’

“Sabi ko, ‘Girl, ang tagal nang artista niyan. She just wants to concentrate in her studies muna. I want her to have the life that I never had, magga-graduate ng high school ‘yan.’

“[Sabi niya], ‘Dali, kakausapin ka ni Mommy…’

“Kinausap ako ni Tita Annabelle, ‘Day, ang tanga-tanga mo naman, ‘Day, ang ganda-ganda ng anak mo bakit ‘di mo pag-artistahin? Sino manager nito?’

“Sabi ko, ‘Tito Dougs.”