Lord, ‘di pa ako ready,’ the actress says on the prospect of her son, 14, dating

Judy Ann Santos with husband Ryan Agoncillo (seated), and children Yohan, Lucho and Luna —@OFFICIALJUDAY INSTAGRAM

Actress Judy Ann Santos said her greatest fear as a mom is for something bad to happen to her three children, and she’s not physically present to protect them.

As much as possible, Santos wants to be around during times when her kids—Yohan, Lucho, and Luna—experience their milestones. This is why she and husband, TV host Ryan Agoncillo, always make sure that at least one of them is present in all of the kids’ school activities and programs.

“All we want is for them to finish school and become happy and settled with the life they choose for themselves,” Santos told reporters over lunch recently. “Anything can happen so, as a parent, you just want to be prepared for these situations. That’s why we always tell them to never start a fight. But if someone tries to hurt any of them unprovoked, then that’s a different story.” The actress is promoting her latest big-screen project, Chito Roño’s horror flick, “Espantaho,” which is an entry to the ongoing 2024 Metro Manila Film Festival.

This is also the reason she is trying to train her eldest, who is now in college, to become street smart.

“I told her that she should know how to commute from school to the house, in case the driver will not be able to fetch her. So, she is now learning how to ride the bus, train, and even the tricycle. I also told her that it’s now her responsibility to clean her room and bring out her laundry because her yaya will not be doing these for her anymore,” Santos said of Yohan, who is now 20 and taking up a music production course at De La Salle University in Manila.

Santos said that when Yohan takes a break from school, she will take up self-defense lessons, too. “Actually, all of us will. We should know how to protect ourselves and each other. Hindi ‘yong titili ka na lang, hoping that someone will come and help you …

“Also, I tell Yohan that when she’s at a bar to never accept any bottle of drink that’s already been opened, or to never leave her drink on the table when she goes to the bathroom—or if she can’t bring it, she should just order a fresh one when she comes back. Sadly, the use of party drugs is prevalent today. We don’t know who to trust anymore,” the mom said.

Social media

The use of social media is also a great concern. Santos said, once Yohan decides to go share her life with the public through the different platforms available, she should also be prepared to handle bashers. “They are just out there, waiting for you to react. If you do, then they win. If you think you’re not ready for them, then don’t post anything personal,” Santos said, recalling her conversation with her daughter.

Another fear is the idea of not being able to provide the best possible future for her children, she said. “I just want to see them blossom, become professionals in their chosen line of work. I want to see them enjoying life with their own family. I know I tend to look too far ahead, but it’s true that time flies so quickly. I don’t want to be unprepared emotionally when a guy proposes marriage to Yohan or when it’s finally time for Lucho to ask for a girl’s hand in marriage. No, no, no! Those are the scenes I imagine when I need to cry during dramatic scenes,” the actress said, laughing.

When she sat down with Lifestyle for a one-on-one interview, Santos revealed that she had more life lessons to share with Yohan. “She wants to eventually study abroad. I tell her that she will have no helper there so she will need to do things on her own. She will also have to get a part-time job because we will only pay for her tuition and not her house rent. She also has to learn how to differentiate her wants from her needs. What’s good about her is that she listens,” said Santos.

Judy Ann Santos —MARINEL CRUZ

No dating yet

As for Lucho, who is 14 and taller than his dad at 5’6”, he is now starting to make a lot of netizens curious. Santos, however, said Lucho is more interested in becoming a professional football player than an actor. The teenager doesn’t care much about dating yet, either, said the mom.

“He had his growth spurt during the pandemic. That’s why when we relaunched ‘Judy Ann’s Kitchen’ three years ago, people were surprised at how much Lucho had grown. He resumed playing football when the quarantine became less strict and this helped tone his body. Even I was amazed at how fast he grew, right in front of our eyes,” Santos recalled.

“Lord, ‘di pa ako ready,” Santos said when we asked her about the possibility of Lucho already having a girlfriend. “I know girls try to catch his attention—he doesn’t like being pursued. He doesn’t like girls who are into social media so much. He is very traditional. He also doesn’t like those who wear too much makeup, or those who show too much interest in him,” she told Lifestyle, adding these were pointers for girls who have a crush on Lucho.

“He is just 14. He still likes watching cartoons! If we look back at our 14-year-old selves, our memories would most likely be of us watching cartoons, too, or of us playing games on the streets. I’m glad he’s not in a hurry to grow up,” the mom said.

Santos said the kids are “still sweet” to her and Ryan. “They don’t react negatively when we kiss or hug them in public, or when we hold hands while strolling at the mall. We’re lucky that they’re still sweet to us. These are the moments that I wish I could preserve. Not all kids are like them. I always ask them, ‘Will you still be like this to us even when you’re 30? They would say, ‘Why not?’”