Jessy Mendiola (left) and Luis Manzano | Image: Instagram/@jessymendiola
Jessy Mendiola said that she will give her full support to her husband, Luis Manzano if ever he decides to run for any public office in the future.
Sitting down on “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” on Friday, April 5, the actress shared that Manzano was active in lending a hand to the political endeavors of his mother, “Star for All Seasons” Vilma Santos, and stepfather Ralph Recto.
“I cannot answer that yet,” said the actress of her husband’s plans to join politics. “Recently kasi si Luis, he has been doing events in Lipa, kasi si Tito Ralph (Recto) is very busy so si Luis ‘yung pumupunta for him.”
Mendiola admitted that she used to be against her partner pursuing a career in politics, given that it’s a totally different field from show business.
“Siguro kung before ito, noong mag-boyfriend-girlfriend pa lang kami, actually sinabi ko talaga sa kaniya ‘Kapag ikaw tumakbo, hihiwalayan talaga kita.’ I know naman it’s for our country, it’s for the Filipinos,” she said.
(Maybe if this was before, when we were just boyfriend-girlfriend, I actually told him, “If you run for office, I will really break up with you.” I know it’s for our country, it’s for the Filipinos.)
“But for me kasi, I kind of grew up in show biz, and show biz is a different world. And politics also is another different world. So for me, hindi ko alam kung kaya kong i-handle ‘yun (I don’t know if I can handle that),” the actress further said.
The “Maria Mercedes” star shared that she had a change of heart when they tied the knot, as she affirmed that she saw how important public service is for the country.
“But at this point, now that I’m married to him, and also I’ve been with sina Momskie (Vilma Santos), sina Tito Ralph, and mas lalo na noong pandemic (much more during the pandemic), I’ve seen kung paano ‘yung public service nila (how their public service was). And isa lang ang masasabi ko talaga, grabe talaga ‘yung public servants natin (all I can say is how amazing our public servants are),” she remarked.
Mendiola underscored that since “politics is kind of connected” to her husband, she would give her support should the actor-host run for office in the future.
“Of course, I could only speak for my in-laws. Para sa akin si Luis (for me, Luis), family niya ‘yun eh (it’s his family), and that’s part of him. I cannot deny him that, if ever he’s gonna run, sino ba naman ako para ipagkait sa kaniya ‘yung ganoong parte ng buhay niya (who am I to deny him that part of his life). So sinabi ko talaga sa kaniya (I really told him), just in case he decided to run, ‘I will be here for you.’ Inassure ko siya, (I assured him),” stated the actress.
In 2022, Manzano said in an interview with Ogie Diaz that he was still not ready to pursue politics and affirmed that even though he comes from a “political family,” no one was pressuring him to run for public office.
Mendiola and Manzano first had their civil wedding in 2021 and then recently held their second intimate wedding in Palawan last February.
The married couple has one daughter, Isabella Rose, aka Peanut. The actress said they are planning to have a second baby soon, as she intends “to have more children if God will allow.”