NAKAKALOKA pala ang hirit ni Aiko Melendez nang una silang magkita ng yumaong iconic film producer na si Mother Lily Monteverde.
Inalala ng aktres at public servant ang first meeting nila ni Mother Lily nang magbigay siya ng eulogy sa wake ng Regal Entertainment matriarch.
Isa si Aiko sa mga certified Regal Baby na nakagawa rin ng napakaraming pelikuka sa film production ni Mother Lily.
Sa eulogy ng premyadong aktres binalikan nga niya ang unang pagkikita nila ng kanyang nanay-nanayan, “I was only six years old when I first met Mother, here in Valencia.
“And sabi sa akin ni Mother, ‘Gusto mo bang mag-artista?’ Sabi ko kay Mother, ‘Mayaman ka po ba?’ So, sabi niyang ganu’n sa akin, ‘Aba, itong batang to, sisikat to, sisikat to!'” ang sabi raw sa kanya ni Mother.
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“Tapos after nu’n, they gave me a break through Where Love Was Gone, where I played the young Snooky Serna. And then after that, I was relaunched again, via Underage Girls alongside Ruffa (Gutierrez) and Carmina (Villarroel).
“And then, doon sa aming tatlo, I was the first one na binigyan niya ng break, and gave me a solo via Too Young.
“And funny thing about my movie Too Young, noong first day ng showing ng pelikula namin, flop. But si Mother hugged me and said, ‘Babawi tayo, anak. Sisikat ka. Pag sinabi kong sisikat ka, sisikat ka.’
“After three months, she gave me another break via My Pretty Baby, where after that movie, sunud-sunod na. And Mother Lily believed in me. Kasi sabi nga niya, ‘Sisikat ka, Aiko!'” pag-alala pa ng konsehala.
Patuloy pa niya, “And then again, sa mga ka-batch ko, ako ang kauna-unahan niyang binigyan ng isang… pinaalala ni Direk Manny Valera kanina, ang Regal Drama Hour Presents Aiko.
“Again, sumugal na naman si Mother Lily sa akin. And that show lasted for 13 years. That was one of the longest drama TV aired ever in Channel 13.
“So, Mother, thank you so much for everything, for believing in me when no one did. I will miss you, Mother. Ma’am Roselle (Monteverde), naalala mo yung Mano Po?
“Ni-request niya ng pangalan ko, Lily, Lily Chua. Si Mother Lily requested that again kay Ma’am Roselle. Sabi niya, ‘Roselle, gusto ko pangalan Aiko, Lily. Kasi paborito ko yan si Aiko.’
“So, Mother, hanggang sa huli, naniniwala ka pa rin sa ‘kin. Kaya, I know you’re happy wherever you are now.”
“By the way, sa mga hindi po nakakaalam, dalawa po kaming Regal Baby sa pamilya ko. Dahil naniniwala din po siya sa Papa Jimi (Melendez) ko.
“Kaya, Mother Lily, I love you. I know you’re with my Papa Jimi now. Please send him my regards. And you will be missed forever. And your legacy will live on in our hearts forever,” pahayag pa ni Konsehala Aiko.