Home for a few days this Christmas
US-based ai-ai de las alas is back for a few days because of her work commitments for GMA Network. de las alas flew into town quietly last week to fulfill her judging chores for the TV singing star search The Clash, now on its fifth season. “I wish I could stay longer because the Christmas season in the Philippines is the best, but I have to be with my husband on Christmas day. It’s very cold there at this time, but my husband is hot anyway!” She lets out a big laugh, then continued, “Seriously, I am first and foremost a wife—and a mother, too! My two children are also in the US at this time and it will be very nice for all of us to spend Christmas together!”
de las alas is referring to Sofia and Niccolo, her children with former singer-actor Miguel Vera who has been living in the US for many decades now. Her eldest Sancho and her youngest Seth are still in Manila, but their papers are already being processed so they can join the rest of the family in the West Coast soon.
The Philippine Comedy Queen shared that she recently renewed marital vows with her husband Gerald Sibayan in Las Vegas.
“It might look like we did it for fun, but I have promised myself to renew marital vows every five years. This is my longest marriage yet, and I am lucky to have found a husband like Gerald. We both feel that we need to constantly seek divine intervention and blessings, especially since we are starting a new phase of our married life overseas.”
de las alas also told us that she will have a show with her estranged husband Miguel in January, which they are both producing too. “Not many know that Miguel and I used to have the same manager, the late angie Magbanua, but we never had a show together, so this will be the first time. This concert will be a family show since both our children will also be performing special numbers with us. We chose the title Ang Dating Kami and it’s so apt since we have chosen to remain friends after more than 20 years of being separated, and we have moved on with our respective lives.”
Life in the US is so different from what de las alas has been used to, especially after she hit it big as a first-rate comedienne and performing artist.
“We do not have helpers there, so I do everything. My husband and I share household chores. He is the one who has a regular job so I tend to the needs of our home. Super homemaker ang role ko. I cook, I clean, I do the laundry, I go to the grocery to buy everything that we need. I know when it is sale season and what the best offers are in Costco. I am glad I knew how to do these things before I was bitten by the showbiz bug!”
She expects to be flying back and forth this new year to fulfill all her contract obligations. “I think I still have a little more than two years in my network contract, and I am so thankful that I am given very good projects and the executives in GMA understand how difficult it can be shuttling between two continents. I think I’ll be back February to april next year. It’s funny that my life has to be planned like this. a go-with-the-flow lifestyle can’t work for me at this time,” she mused.
de las alas also wants to make one or two movies next year. “I love acting. I got acting awards when I tried doing dramatic movies in the past, so I will be open to checking out good scripts and interesting roles. and the new generation of screenwriters and filmmakers are amazing now, so if I stumble on a good material, I’ll definitely make time for it.”
For now, ai ai de las alas continues to remind herself how fortunate she is to have the life she has, the reason why she also chooses to share her blessings quietly and always pay it forward to others. n