Ayon kay Martin, noon pa talaga gustong ma-meet ni Pops si Santino na ngayon ay nine years old na at naka-base sa US.
“She’s always wanted to meet Santino because ever since he was a baby, I would share pictures with her,” say ni Martin sa presscon kahapon ng Valentine concert nila nina Regine Velasquez, Angeline Quinto and Erik Santos na Royals.
Marami nga raw ang nagsasabi na ang galing ni Pops at nakaya ito, pero nilinaw ni Martin na nang ipinanganak si Santino, hiwalay na sila ng dating asawa.
“And Pops is beyond that, she’s more matured and a lot of women would not want to even bear that but I just wanted to make it on the record that although my crime, there’s no element of amount or limit to the pain it has caused, it was not during (marriage), parang sa friends, we were on a break.
“But she always wanted to meet Santino, and so when she met Santino, it was magical. But they’ve met before on Facetime, so, I think he knows already who she is.“So, immediately, pagbaba niya ng kotse, sabi niya, ‘Tita Pops,’ and then, we were in Disneyland for like five days, and it’s usually very hard to pull Santino away from Disneyland. It’s like a ritual.”
Pero nang sinabi raw niya kay Santino na after Disneyland ay imi-meet nila si Pops, pumayag daw agad ang bagets.
Siyempre, na-explain naman daw niya kay Santino who Pops is. Ang sabi lang daw niya, “This is the mom of Kuya Robin and Ram.”
Pag medyo nagkaedad na raw ang bagets, saka na lang niya ipaiintindi rito nang buong-buo ang mga nangyari.
Aminado si Martin na sobrang saya niya sa fact na nakumpleto ang mga anak niya last Christmas at nagsama-sama silang lahat kahit na nga ba Dec. 20 pa lang that time.
“It was a nice moment and I don’t know how everyone will accept it but it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that my kids were together, which is all I wanted for Christmas. I got my wish and Pops’ wish for many, many years. It has been her wish to meet Santino,” say pa ni Martin.
Hopefully, yearly ay ganito ang gusto niyang mangyari tuwing Pasko at sinabi rin niya sa mga anak na whatever happens, mawala man siya, dapat ay ipagpatuloy ng mga ito ang tradisyon/family bonding.
Samantala, say ni Martin, in his 33 years in the business, lagi na’y mayroon siyang Valentine show kaya ever since ay hindi siya nakakapag-celebrate ng Valentine’s Day with his special someone.
Pero okay lang daw ito sa kanya dahil ito naman talaga ang trabaho nilang mga singer dahil kung wala naman daw Valentine show, ano ang panonoorin ng mga magka-date?
Gaganapin sa Feb. 13 ang Royals, 8 p.m., sa Mall of Asia Arena, at sa Feb. 14 sa Waterfront Hotel and Casino, Cebu City.
