Kilala ng marami si Mother Lily Monteverde bilang matriarch ng Regal Films at producer ng blockbuster movies.
Ilan sa mga miyembro ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) ay na-encounter ang larger-than-life entertainment icon
Hindi man naging close sa kanya, pero sapat ang mga kuwentong ito para maipakita ang kanyang warm side, ang kanyang talents, pati ang kanyang kakaibang personality.
Karen AP Caliwara
I was in my early 20s when I first met Mother Lily Monteverde.
I was supposed to invite a Regal Baby as an endorser, and was asked by Mother Lily to drop by her office because the talent fee was, in her own words, "barat."
So I went in my artistahin clothes, thinking at the back of my mind, "Baka maging Regal Baby ako."
Our meeting was scheduled for 10 a.m., but I arrived at the Regal office at 9:30 a.m.
By 10:30 a.m., there was still no sign of Mother Lily.
Since I had woken up too early, I started losing my poise and dozing off.
Then, a loud voice suddenly broke my rest.
My first thought was, "May sunog?"
But it was just Mother Lily calling me with her megaphone. Naloka talaga ako.
When I heard my name, I thought, "Aarestuhin ako?"
But then I realized it was just Mother Lily's unique way of summoning people to her office.
What happened next was too ma-drama to go into detail. Hahaha. Suffice it to say, she ended up crying, hoping the brand I was handling would sponsor her movie.
The next time I met her was in 2007, at the birthday party of Tita Malou Choa-Fagar, former Eat Bulaga! boss.
By then, I was already with PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal).
During the party, there was an open mic session, and I was prodded to sing a song.
After my performance, she told me, "Magaling ka pala sa music, pareho tayo."
I thought to myself, "Magaling ka ring kumanta, Mother?"
She replied, "Hindi lang magaling kumanta..."
Then she went on stage to sing and play the organ.
The following year, I was fortunate enough to join the cast and crew of Mano Po 6, headlined by Sharon Cuneta, Heart Evangelista, and Dennis Trillo, in Beijing, China.
I found myself seated beside her at one of the dinners.
She kept calling the waiters, but none of them noticed her because there were so many people. Then, I saw her wipe her hand with the tablecloth.
Finally, when a waiter approached her, she said in Chinese, "Thanks, I don't need table napkin na, ang laki na nito!"
Every encounter I’ve had with Mother Lily has left me with a memorable story to tell.
Siyang-siya ang orig na "Mother"—classic and truly iconic.
Read: Mother Lily reveals interesting trivia about husband Remy: "Ako ang nanligaw sa kanya."
ERWIN SANTIAGO
Sa loob ng tatlong dekada ko sa entertainment industry, madalas kong nakikita si Mother Lily, lalo na kapag may presscon ang pelikulang ipinoprodyus ang Regal Films, na kalaunan ay naging Regal Entertainment, Inc.
Noong kalakasan pa niya, regular nang tanawin sa entertainment press ang pag-eehersisyo ni Mother Lily kahit ongoing pa ang presscon, na kadalasang ginagawa noon sa mga pag-aari niyang Valencia residence sa San Juan at Imperial Palace Suites sa Timog Avenue, Quezon City.
Ilang beses ko na ring nasaksihan ang kanyang pagtugtog ng piano kapag may special occasions.
Ngunit hindi ko masasabing close ako sa kanya dahil ni hindi nga niya siguro alam ang pangalan ko, kahit ilang beses na akong naipakilala sa kanya sa ilang okasyon.
Pero sa kabila nito, tumatak sa akin nang husto si Mother Lily dahil isa siya sa pangunahing personalidad sa mundong ginagalawan namin.
Dahil sa kanyang mga pelikulang ipinoprodyus, nabigyan ako ng pagkakataong makita at makausap ang ilan sa pinakamalaking pangalan sa showbiz industry.
Pero bago pa man ito, lumaki kaming magkakapatid na pinapanood ang Regal movies sa mga sinehan sa Recto at Avenida noong dekada '80.
Hindi ko akalain na pagdating ng dekada '90 ay makikita at makikilala ko nang personal ang taong nag-produce ng mga pelikulang napanood ko at naging dahilan kung bakit ako nahilig sa pelikula.
Kagaya ng mga artista, direktor, screenwriters, at iba pang manggagawa ng pelikula, naging malaking bahagi ng aking buhay si Mother Lily — hindi lamang bilang isang entertainment editor kundi dahil sa mga pelikula ng Regal Films na kinalakihan ko.
At dahil dito, malaki ang aking pasasalamat kay Mother Lily.
RACHELLE SIAZON
I must have always been in awe of Mother Lily whenever I see her at media conferences for Regal Entertainment's movies.
She always exuded a larger-than-life character, looking every inch an imposing donya from her famous Mano Po movie franchise with the way she carries herself in a regal manner coupled with her shrewd look that seems to say "I can see through you."
Yet she was also very motherly and warm as she would make sure that she gets to interact and probably exchange chismis with her many friends from the press during these events.
I've also had the opportunity to cover her festive birthday celebrations at 38 Valencia Events Place once or twice, and then I also got to attend the one held at Crowne Plaza Hotel for her grand 80th birthday celebration in 2018.
It was only during Mother Lily's birthday when I get to see many celebrity A-Listers and politicians come together to personally give their good wishes for the well-loved movie producer.
Read: Vilma Santos, Sharon Cuneta, Maricel Soriano among VIP guests at Mother Lily's 80th birthday
Many of them have starred in her movies or have been friends of her family for years, but others simply wanted to pay tribute to her just because she is The Mother in showbiz.
Read: Vice Ganda attends Mother Lily's 80th birthday: "Feeling Regal baby ako!"
It was clear that she thoroughly enjoyed these parties, basking in her influence in the worlds of showbiz and politics.
Her birthdays wouldn't be complete without her stage performance, with all eyes on her her as she played on the piano some of her favorite musical pieces.
In these moments, the woman behind the movie-making business of Regal becomes the real star.
KC CORDERO
High school teacher ang aking anak sa isang exclusive school for girls. Halos lahat ng estudyante roon ay nagmula sa mga kilalang angkan, mga anak ng mayayamang negosyante, mga nasa alta sosyedad, pulitiko, at iba pang kayang magbayad ng may kamahalaang tuition fees.
Naging karaniwan na sa kanya na kapag may parent-teacher consultation ang makaharap nang personal ang mga magulang o guardian ng mga bata.
Aniya, talagang kina-career ng parents o ng guardians ng mga bata ang consultation na ito para malaman ang progress ng kanilang anak.
At the same time, gusto rin nilang matiyak kung worth it ba ang ibinabayad nilang tuition fee, at kung natutugunan ng faculty at ng school ang ginagawang paghahanda ng pamilya sa bata once na magkolehiyo na ito—na usually ay sa malalaking unibersidad sa bansa o kaya ay sa prestihiyosong paaralan sa abroad.
Noong partikular na araw na iyon ng parent-teacher consultation, pagdating niya sa faculty room ay ramdam niya ang excitement sa mga kapwa niya teacher.
Bihira ang ganoong sitwasyon dahil usually ay tensyunado sila ng kanyang mga kapwa teacher dahil stressful mag-explain sa mga parents o guardian ng progress ng anak ng mga ito, lalo na kung hindi kagandahan ang performance ng bata.
Nalaman niya na isa sa mga darating na guardian ay ang Regal matriarch na si Mother Lily Monteverde.
Ito ang aalam ng progreso ng isa nitong apo—na nagkataong siya ang adviser.
Dahil bata pa ang anak ko at wala na siyang alam tungkol kay Mother Lily, agad siyang nagsagawa ng quick research tungkol dito.
At nalaman niya ang napakalaking kontribusyon nito sa local movie industry.
Aniya, nang makaharap niya si Mother Lily ay hindi niya naiwasang ma-intimidate kahit pa simple lang ang suot nito at walang alahas sa katawan.
Seryoso ang expression, pero nang magsalita ay naroon ang pagiging isang lolang maalalahanin.
Nang malaman nitong maganda ang performance ng apo ay sumaya ang mukha, at tulad ng karaniwang lola ay mahahalata ang pagmamalaki para sa apo.
Wala na rin itong naging ibang katanungan, at magalang na nagpasalamat, nagpaalam at kumaway sa ibang teacher—na nag-hello naman dito nang masigla at malakas.
Ayon sa aking anak, sa buong panahon na ginagawa niya ang parent-teacher consultation, kay Mother Lily lang talaga siya na-starstruck—na para sa kanya, ang personalidad ay simple at napaka-regal.