Manzano says ‘everything slowed down’ holding Baby Rosie for first time

For actor and TV host Luis Manzano, nothing could have prepared him for the overwhelming wave of emotion that came the moment he held his daughter Rosie—affectionately nicknamed “Peanut”—for the very first time.

In a heartfelt interview with broadcast journalist Bernadette Sembrano, Luis opened up about that quiet, life-changing moment shortly after wife Jessy Mendiola delivered their daughter via cesarean section.

“Umiyak ako,” he recalled. “There was one time na hawak-hawak ko si Peanut. First time ko siyang buhatin, tapos tulog siya. Everything slowed down for a bit. Tapos nung nakita ko ’yung mukha niya, medyo naluha ako ng konti.”

For Luis, Rosie is more than just his daughter—she is a long-awaited miracle.

“Ang tagal naming pinagdasal, ang tagal naming inantay. Ang tagal niya sa loob ng tiyan ni Howhow [his nickname for Jessy], and now hawak na namin siya. She’s more precious than anything in this world.”

Now embracing the role of a first-time father, Luis described the experience as a “melting pot of emotions,” a complex blend of joy, wonder, and vulnerability.

“The final product will always be love,” he said. “Pero every day is a question mark. Tama ba ’yung ginagawa ko? May anxiety. May uncertainty, lalo na ngayon—with everything that’s happening, from the pandemic to our work in the industry.”

Despite the fears and questions, fatherhood has brought a deep, indescribable joy that outweighs every worry.

“Everything na maisip mong emotion, mararanasan mo ‘pag may anak ka,” he said.

Jessy Mendiola on Motherhood: “Parang Overflowing Talaga ’Yung Love”

In the same interview, Jessy Mendiola shared her own reflections on becoming a mother—something she says transformed her love into something far deeper and more selfless than she ever imagined.

“Talagang gagawin mo lahat para sa anak mo,” she shared. “Akala mo ’pag kinasal ka, kumpleto ka na. Pero mas magiging… parang overflowing talaga ’yung love ’pag naging nanay ka.”

Luis and Jessy tied the knot in an intimate garden wedding in February 2021 and welcomed Rosie in December 2022. Since then, their journey as new parents has been filled with milestones both tender and transformative.

From moments of quiet awe to the raw truths of parenthood, Luis and Jessy continue to open their hearts to the public—reminding us that love, in all its messy and magical forms, is at the core of family.