When Iya gives Drew the silent treatment

Iya (left) and Drew

Drew Arellano and Iya Villania make marriage look so easy. Being the wacky couple that they are, the seasoned TV hosts turn everything into fun in their game show, “People vs The Stars” on GMA 7 (every Sunday at 5 p.m.).

Drew and Iya’s teamwork make them winners on- and off-cam.

The couple’s baby, Primo, serves as their reward for their hard work and time-tested love.

Here’s my chat with Iya:

How do you balance being a mom, wife and career woman? I do what I have to do. Being a mom is my No. 1 priority. I have to be there on demand for Primo because he’s being breastfed directly.

Being a wife, if there’s anything Drew needs, whether it’s emotionally or whatever, I make sure to be there for him. I’m glad he looks at it in a way that, as I fulfill my motherhood duties, I am also being a good wife, because I’m taking care of our baby.

As a career woman, I’m lucky that my workload isn’t physically or emotionally draining, so I have time for my family and myself. Everything has fallen into place for me.

How do you and Drew resolve differences? Drew wants to resolve them right away. I resort to silent treatment. I prefer not to talk right away, especially when I’m still emotional. I prefer writing it down, and that’s how we settle things. I send him a long text or e-mail, then that’s when we talk. And I sometimes wait for good times so it won’t be too intense (laughs).

What’s the best and hardest part of being married? The best part is, it’s like we’re playing bahay-bahayan. I get to wake up beside my most favorite person in the world, who provides me this positive energy every day.

The hardest is, because you’re with that someone so often, it’s tough getting [very] attached. Major fears come—like, what if something happens to that person, how will I manage?

Iya Villania

What’s one marriage advice you follow? Communication is key.

How do you handle it when girls flirt with Drew? I don’t have to handle it, because he handles it well already. So far, I haven’t killed any girl yet (laughs). But seriously, I trust him in the fidelity department.

What excites and scares you as a mom? Watching my boy grow up and watching us grow as a family excite me. What scares me is anything that could go wrong—sickness, abnormality or accidents.

Gilas’ new lineup

The basketball fanatic in me could not resist asking coach Chot Reyes about the new lineup of Gilas Pilipinas (which will be announced soon). I am not at liberty to divulge details yet. Suffice it to say that the age of the players is a major factor.

So even if some cagers continue to play well, they will be dropped from the team in favor of younger guys. Coach Chot is thinking long-term. Gilas’ reinforced team must be ready, willing and able to take it all the way to the Olympics.