Luis Manzano shares the best advice he has ever received from his parents that he hopes to pass on to his own child.
In an interview with Aiko Melendez on July 25, Luis reflected on building a family with wife Jessy Mendiola and their daughter, Rosie, and the lessons he continues to learn as a father.
When asked about the best advice he received from his own parents, Edu Manzano and Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto, that he hopes to pass on to Rosie one day, the celebrity dad said the message was surprisingly simple.
"Actually, the best advice na binigay nila is 'Pamilya mo 'yan,'" he shared.
According to Luis, there is no single correct way to raise a child. While every parent may have a different approach or formulas, what matters most is the kind of person their child grows up to become.
"Maraming formula pero iisa ang kasagutan: kung paano mo palalakihin nang tama 'yung anak mo. Pwedeng ako 'yung mag-discipline, si Jessy hindi, so many things work. Ang sinasabi lang nila sa akin ay it's a learning process. Ang you think na-figure out mo na or you think you got this now? Hindi. Every day will be different," he explained.
"The best advice that they gave me is 'Pamilya mo 'yan'. You will figure things out [or] you may not, but that's an ongoing process."
For Luis, becoming a parent also taught him that no amount of preparation can fully equip someone for what lies ahead.
"It gives you enough," he said, referring to "experience" being the "best teacher/"
"Pero huwag ka ring magulat sa puwedeng ibigay sa'yo. Para sa akin, puwede kang mag-ready ng lahat... You want to believe na handa ka, but no. The thing about life is it's always about the curve balls," he added.
As Rosie grows older, Luis knows there will eventually come a time when he and Jessy will have to let her face the world on her own. Drawing inspiration from the film Father of the Bride, he said one lesson has stayed with him.
"At one point, we will have to let go of our children. They have to experience the world as it is, the good and the bad. Hindi natin sila upwedeng i-sugarcoat na the world is always about the good. The bad and the evil will always be there. Puwede silang mapaligiran ng sampung demonyo, but you always hope, pray, and have faith na babalik sila on how you raised them."
The Kapamilya Deal or No Deal host acknowledged that today's generation is exposed to countless influences, both good and bad. While children are bound to make mistakes, he believes the values instilled at home will ultimately guide them back to the right path.
"Magkakamali at magkakamali ang mga anak natin, tayo nga nagkakamali eh. [But] hopefully they come back to the goodness na binigay mo sa kanila."
He also revealed that he and Jessy still hope to expand their family someday by having more children, but are leaving it in God's perfect time while focusing on their respective careers. Even now, he already sees Rosie's nurturing side and believes she will be a responsible older sister when the time comes.
Luis also reflected on how fatherhood has completely changed his perspective on life, sharing his personal life quote for the first time.
"Being a parent makes you realize that life is short," he said. "Kapag wala ka pang anak, madaling maging idealist... but once magka-pamilya ka na, you become a realist."
Because of that realization, Luis said he makes a conscious effort to maximize every moment he spends with his family. No matter how demanding work becomes, he always tries to give Jessy and Rosie his full attention whenever he is home and even takes a day off from work if possible.
He also emphasized that while Rosie naturally occupies much of their time, he never wants Jessy to feel overlooked as his wife. In fact, he shared that this is one of the pieces of advice he recently gave fellow host Robi Domingo, who has also become a new father to his newborn son Emmanuel, to never forget to nurture his relationship with his wife while embracing fatherhood.
Before ending the interview, Luis likewise praised Jessy for teaching Rosie an important lesson about accountability at a young age. Instead of asking their daughter to apologize immediately when needed, Jessy encourages Rosie to say "sorry" only when she is "ready" and has understood what she did wrong. Luis said the approach has been effective, as Rosie has learned to sincerely apologize after she has reflected.
Luis and Jessy tied the knot in February 2021 and welcomed their daughter Rosie in December 2022.