Aiko vows to be the voice of people who lost loved ones to COVID-19

Aiko Melendez (center) with children Andrei and Marthena

Aiko Melendez stressed she has been “fully vaccinated” not because she got special treatment as a celebrity.

“I’m already fully vaccinated. I know people are reacting negatively to celebrities getting vaccinated ahead of others,” Aiko Melendez said during a virtual media gathering to launch her retail website www.pingmeup.store.

“I promise you, I have documents to support claims that I have a comorbidity. I didn’t get special treatment. I lined up to get my vaccine with the rest of the people in our village,” Aiko insisted.

She urged people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 because “it’s one of the ways to lessen the impact of the virus on us personally and on the community.”

“I know there are still a lot of people who are hesitant to get vaccinated. If you have the chance to get one, grab it,” appealed Aiko, who also confessed to seriously considering running for Congress for Quezon City’s fifth district in 2022.

Aiko said she wished to be the voice of people who lost their loved ones to COVID-19. Her stepdad, Dan Castañeda, passed away due to COVID-19 last February.

“His death had been so painful for us because we weren’t prepared for it. He died because there were people who chose not to be honest with their [health] situation. Other people, including my Daddy Danny, got infected,” the actress shared with Inquirer Entertainment.

As for her biggest regret, Aiko said it was not being able to hug her stepdad tight enough. “But now, I’ve realized that he has given me a mission. I will be one of the voices that will tell people to take COVID-19 seriously,” she declared. “If you’re lucky enough not to get infected, this doesn’t mean the virus is not true. Other people think that wearing masks and washing hands are purely commercialism; they’re not. This virus kills. This is why we should all take care; we should cherish the times we are able to spend with our loved ones, every minute, every second. This way, we won’t feel any regret.”

Losing a father

Aiko admitted that up to now, she would still feel very emotional about losing a father. “I really can’t say that I’m already OK. I grew up with my Daddy Danny. Half of my life I spent with him,” said Aiko, whose biological dad, actor Jimi Melendez, already passed away in 1997.

“Gano’n pala ‘yon when you lose a loved one. When my Papa Jimi died, I thought I’d be OK after a month, but no, the pain gets deeper as time passes because you would always recall the good memories you shared with him,” she explained. “When my Daddy Danny died, I felt really sad. I’m still in the process of healing and forgiving [those who caused him harm].”

Aiko said she made sure to celebrate Father’s Day last Sunday, “not only to show my appreciation to all fathers, but also to pay tribute to all the mothers, who like me, also became dads to their children.”

Aiko is mom of Jomari Yllana’s son Andrei, 22, who graduated from college recently. Her daughter, Marthena, 13, is by former fashion model Martin Jickain.

“It’s not easy being both a mom and a dad to them, but I’m just so blessed that I was able to raise them well, with the help of my own mom [Elsa Castañeda]. She took care of my kids during those times when I didn’t have a choice but to leave the house in order to raise money for their future. Yes, it’s really tough to be a single mom. That’s why, I think Father’s Day shouldn’t just be for all the ‘tatays’ out there, but for all the ‘naytays,’ too,” Aiko told Inquirer Entertainment

Sadly, Aiko admitted that she is not on speaking terms with Jomari. She feels that Andrei’s father is not making enough effort to play his role in the boy’s life. “His son just graduated. He should’ve found a way to personally congratulate the boy. I don’t want to insult Jom in any way, but this is Andrei’s final march as a student. He should do something to catch up,” the actress said.

Boys’ talk

“I also had no intention of hurting anyone with what I posted [on social media],” said Aiko, referring to her “thank-you message,” which she said, merely reflected how proud she is of Andrei. Netizens took notice of the fact that Aiko made no mention of Jomari.Aiko also let on that Andrei is quite close to Zambales Vice Governor Jay Khonghun, her boyfriend of four years. “They would have what they call ‘boys’ talk,’ which VG [Jay’s nickname] doesn’t want to share with me because, if I knew, he said Andrei wouldn’t open up to him anymore. It feels reassuring that if Andrei has problems, I know he has his Tito VG to run to,” the mom said.

On the other hand, Aiko claims she feels “no tension” in her relationship with Marthena’s dad. “Martin recently texted Marthena to ask if they could meet and bond. He even invited VG. To be fair, I never had a problem with Martin because he’s always been a good and responsible dad to Marthena. Our communication lines are open. We’re OK.”

Asked what instances did she feel like being both mom and dad to her kids, Aiko replied: “Whenever I would pay for their tuition,” she said, laughing. “Seriously, whenever I have to make important decisions that concern them. It’s important to note that Andrei, who is already 22, and Marthena have different needs. As their mom, I have to be able to adjust quickly. It’s tougher when the problem concerns Andrei. I am not able to answer all his questions all the time, especially if they’re about him being a man. Sometimes, I would simply Google them, hoping that I’d be able to come up with an intelligent answer, para ‘di naman ako mapahiya.

“I’m sure single mothers can relate to this. You will do anything for your kids. You will try to give them the best future they deserve, to the point na magpupuyat ka na. I personally have lost count of how much tears I’ve shed in tapings, just so I’d be able to earn and provide for my kids,” said Aiko, who recently signed up to do the horror trilogy “Huwag Kang Lalabas” by Adolfo Alix Jr. INQ