Young Esperanza Felipa Padilla (left) and with daughter Zsa Zsa today
When Zsa Zsa Padilla takes the stage for her 35th anniversary concert “The Best Day of My Life” at Resorts World Manila tonight, she says she wants to dedicate a special song to her mom, Esperanza Felipa Padilla.
“The tune I have in mind might seem an odd choice,” she enthuses. “But every time I hear that song, I remember my mother. Because when she talks about her regrets in life—of having married early, or having too many kids—hindi mo maiwasang mag-drama.”
Zsa Zsa’s mom married her father, renowned boxing referee Carlos “Sonny” Padilla Jr., when she was only 18. “Can you imagine being a housewife at that age and, later, taking care of six children?” she quips. “These days, when a woman says that she’s a dedicated mother, bow—she automatically commands respect. But, when I was growing up, being a homemaker wasn’t considered a career. Ngayon, nag-iba na ang pananaw ng mga tao.
“My siblings and I would tell each other, ‘Let’s not have too many kids when we grow up’—because we were poor. But, nobody would believe that we were hard up because I’m mestiza. Pero mahirap lang kami, naglalaro ako sa kalye … sa may kanal. I don’t hide my past because I had a very good and happy childhood.”
Now that she has kids of her own, Zsa Zsa, who’s turning 54 on May 28, says it’s easier to relate to her mom’s thoughts on marriage and motherhood. “I was also pretty young when I got married—I was only 16!” she shares.
While Zsa Zsa’s mom has always been her kids’ fierce protector, it wasn’t always easy for the budding teenage beauty to confide in her mom. “We could talk more about personal stuff now—but, not when I was younger,” she says, laughing.
“I got married at 16, but I didn’t know anything about the birds and the bees. In those days, mothers and daughters didn’t have that kind of talk. And anything considered taboo would be treated as, ‘Hoy, bastos ’yan, hindi pwedeng pag-usapan (you can’t talk about that)! Why are you asking these questions?’
“But, times have changed
—even my relationship with my mother has matured. I love her so much, and all her grandkids adore her!”
Esperanza with bedimpled little Zsa Zsa
Does Zsa Zsa look like her mom?
“Yes, I’m a junior!” the songstress beams with pride, as she picks up her phone and shows us a photo of her gorgeous mother in her youth. “There she is … and (she points) that’s me with the dimples. My mom is dark-haired, but she looks like Gloria Romero.
“My dad, on the other hand is sobrang tisoy—he even had blond hair. He’s obsessed with the LizQuen tandem, because he sees himself and my mom in Liza (Soberano) and Enrique (Gil) (laughs), kasi parehong mestizo. They had that kind of look. So, my dad’s crushes include the likes of Bea Alonzo (laughs).”
What else has Zsa Zsa learned from her mother?
“My love for plants also came from her,” she says. “Mom is the type who would know the scientific name of a plant. She’d say it ever so casually, and I’d go, ‘Weh. Oh, you mean a gumamela?’ (Laughs)”