Meryll Soriano On Dad Willie Revillame: ‘Mas Naiintindihan Ko Na Kung Bakit Siya Gano’n'

Meryll Soriano admits to being at loss for words when asked about the lessons she learned from her parents Willie Revillame and Bec-Bec Soriano, who separated when she was very young.

"Mahirap kasi' yang tanong na 'yan," the actress and mom of two tells SmartParenting.com.ph in an exclusive online interview. "It's a valid question...Complicated siya kasi marami tayong mga angst as a child. And minsan mas mataas 'yun kesa dun sa mga natututunan mo."

She adds, "But, when you become a parent, you see both sides. You see what you don't want to do. And you see what you want to adapt sa buhay mo. So, wala kang makukwestiyon sa pagmamahal ng nanay ko. I mean, talagang 'yun talaga ang nakita ko how she is sa aming magkakapatid." The same goes for her stepfather, she points out.

The Dear Mama Meme vlogger then goes on talking about the Wowowin game show host and producer: "And sa tatay ko naman, I think, 'yung na-establish ko is that 'yung papaano niya ako inalagaant's a very different way because very tough love kasi ano siya, laging-- kumbaga very disciplinarian siya. So iba 'yung learning ko from him."

Improved father-and-daughter relationship

Meryll recalls not spending much time with her dad as she grew up with her mom, and there was a time when they weren't seeing eye to eye on many things. But their relationship improved a lot these past few years.

"I think, age and maturity, really," she says on how things turned for the better for them. "Ngayon, mas kalma na. Parehas kami, mas kalma na. And of course, ako, naiintindihan ko na kung papano si Papa sa daily life niya, naiintindihan ko na.

"Kasi mas meron kaming chance magkasama, so mas naiintindihan ko na kung bakit siya gano'n. Dati kasi hindi naman kami laging nagkikita. So pag nagkikita kami, may different energies na hindi talaga kami tugma kasi sa iba ako lumaki, ibang environment, ibang tao ako, ibang tao siya. Parehas kaming ugali. So medyo nagka-clash talaga noon.

"But right now, I'm just so happy na to be able to spend time with him. I'm so happy sa mga achievements niya. I'm so proud of him sa mga lahat ng mga, kumbaga investments niya, sa wealth niya, na he really deserves 'cause he's really something else, he's a hard worker so he's really something else."

Meryll can't help being in awe of Willie, who rose from a band drummer to a minor showbiz celebrity to a successful entertainment figure and businessman. She points out, "Up to now, he wakes up very early in the morning and he's already out the door...We're seeing his life."

"So talagang kung noon, I acted differently from this kasi hindi ko nakikita 'yung kung papaano siya, 'yung ambition niya and yung drive niya. Dati kasi very vague 'yun, kumbaga blurred 'yun sa akin.

"But now that I see how he really is, his work ethic. Talagang okay na ako. I admire him. I am motivated everytime I'm with him kasi parang kung kaya nitong taong 'to na walang pambili ng toothbrush noon at mahirap talaga. I mean, of course, half luck din 'yan. Magic din yan, e."

She also talks about her dad's influence on her and her partner Joem Bascon: "Namo-motivate ako to you know, dream big and to work hard for those dreams. It's really something else kapag nakikita ko siya na nando'n siya in this world. Nakaka-inspire. Everybody around him, even Joem gets inspired."

What's more, Meryll says Lolo Willie is "baliw na baliw" over her and Joem's almost one-year-old son Gido. She exclaims, "I'm so happy to see him as a lolo. As in okay na, okay na ako, masayang-masaya na ko."