‘Family is Forever’: The story behind Kim Chiu, Nanay Baby’s emotional reunion after 6 years

Kim Chiu and Baby Cerdeña hug in the 2013 (left) and 2019 (right) Christmas station IDs of ABS-CBN. ABS-CBN

MANILA — Featuring a medley of past Kapamilya holiday tunes, ABS-CBN’s 2019 Christmas station ID fittingly brought back families whose inspiring stories formed past iterations of the annual presentation.

Among them was the family of Baby Cerdeña, who first opened her home in the 2013 Christmas station ID, “Magkasama Tayo sa Kuwento ng Pasko.”

In the 2019 edition launched on Monday, “Family is Forever,” Cerdeña was shown looking through photos of her family with actress Kim Chiu taken six years back.

Unknown to her, Chiu was approaching her from behind, resulting in an emotional reunion which has been identified as a favorite by many viewers of the new station ID.

Cerdeña and Chiu’s ties go as far back as 2011, when the actress was “adopted” by the former’s family for an episode of the reality show “I Dare You.”

“Parang nanay ko siya noong mga araw na ‘yun. Hindi ko na siya nakalimutan after that,” Chiu recalled in a 2013 “Kwentoserye” about her relationship with Cerdeña.

Cerdeña hails from Isla Pulo, Navotas, where she makes a living by collecting plastic from garbage and selling them to junk shops.

“Hindi ako susuko hangga’t kaya ko. Talagang nagtitiis ako para sa mga anak ko. Ako, Grade 5 lang inabot ko. Pipilitin ko silang pagtatapusin hangga’t kaya naming mag-asawa,” she said in 2013.

“Pag-aaralin at papakainin mo ang pamilya mo, manggagaling sa masama? Iyon ang hindi ko pinangarap sa mga anak ko. Gumawa kayo ng mabuti, kahit mangalkal kayo ng basura, gumapang kayo sa putik, basta huwag lang kayo gumagawa ng masama,” Cerdeña said.

Two years after her “I Dare You” stint, Chiu visited her home in Isla Pulo in 2013 for that year’s ABS-CBN Christmas station ID. She was accompanied by her then teleserye co-star and now-boyfriend Xian Lim.

At the time, Chiu said she admired the strong bond among Cerdeña’s family members, in spite of the challenges they face.

“Kahit gaano kahirap ‘yung buhay, kumpleto pa rin ‘yung pamilya nila, masaya pa rin sila. Kahit wala tayong pera, basta’t magkakasama, masaya. Doon ako na-inspire, na dapat magpasalamat ka pa rin kung ano ang meron ka ngayon,” she said.

On Tuesday, after the launch of “Family is Forever,” Chiu took to Instagram to wax sentimental about seeing Cerdeña for Christmas once again, saying, “Nanay Baby will always be special to me.”