Jennylyn Mercado now enjoys motherhood’s simple joys
After giving birth to her first child in 2008, actress Jennylyn Mercado had no choice but to go back to work as soon as possible.
She was only 21 and had yet to blossom into the box-office star that she would become a couple of years later. Her adoptive father died just four days after welcoming her son, Alex Jazz. She had no partner to turn to as she parted ways with her ex-boyfriend early in her pregnancy.
It was one of the most trying periods of her life. But as the family’s breadwinner, she knew she couldn’t afford to sit idly for too long.
“I endured a lot of losses. I was already working just two to three months after giving birth. And since I wasn’t fit enough for taping at first, I had to find other ways to earn income—rumaket ako abroad. It was also around that time that I was a victim of robbery. I was left with nothing at home,” she told Lifestyle at her recent contract renewal with GMA 7.
Mercado did what she needed to do to make ends meet and support her family. But that meant missing out on some precious moments with Jazz during his early formative years. “Jazz would still be sleeping when I woke up for work, and already in bed when I arrived home,” she recalled. “I worked nonstop and didn’t have much time to rest.”
Now 37, the actress leads a more comfortable life full of love. With several blockbuster films and top-rating TV shows under her belt, she’s one of GMA’s most prized artists. She’s also an entrepreneur and has recently ventured into entertainment production.
In actor Dennis Trillo, she found a husband and an everyday companion, someone she knows she can count on when the going gets tough. And to their 2-year-old daughter, Dylan, she finally got to be the hands-on mom that she had hoped to be to her firstborn. “Ngayon alam ko nang masaya matulog at kumain kasama sila,” she said.
When she gave birth to Dylan, she took a leisurely three years off (pregnancy and postpartum). She wasn’t about to let herself go through the same ordeal. “When I found out I was pregnant, I asked [my bosses] for an extended break, because I needed to focus on the baby. I wanted to be there,” she said.
The setup was clear from the get-go: Trillo would continue working while Mercado stayed at home. And she made sure to cherish every minute with her kids, celebrating their milestones, big or small.
“I feel like I made the most out of my break. It really allowed me to watch over my kids’ studies. I’m more involved in raising and disciplining them,” she said.
Blended family
And when she says “kids,” she doesn’t mean only Jazz (with Patrick Garcia) and Dylan. It also includes Calix, Trillo’s 17-year-old son with ex-girlfriend Carlene Aguilar.
“I treat him like my own. Hindi siya iba sa ‘kin. I love him the way I love my biological kids,” said Mercado, who even goes on trips abroad with Calix.
“I feel safe having this tall young man with me, because I know he will take care of me,” she added.
In turn, Calix treats Jazz and Dylan like his own siblings. “He’s especially sweet, protective, and caring of Jazz who has special needs. He understands Jazz. He knows how to take care of him. Jazz treats Calix as his own brother. And actually, both Jazz and Dylan call Calix kuya,” she related.
While some people think that having a blended family is complicated, Mercado believes that the setup can be advantageous to the kids. “Wouldn’t it be nice to have two (moms) taking care of you, loving you, and raising you?” she said.
Dylan is turning 3 in April, but she’s already so talkative she might as well be 30, Mercado said, laughing.
“She’s good at acting, but she gets shy around new people. I hope she eventually overcomes that,” she said. “But I’m really having a lot of fun with her. She’s my first girl, so it’s only now I’m experiencing what it’s like having someone to play dress up with, someone I can be maarte with!”
Dylan is also quite the ball of energy, so it’s a wonder she and Trillo made it through their trip to Hong Kong Disneyland last January with the little one. “Talon, takbo, akyat, kanta, sayaw—that’s her! But kinaya naman,” she said.
‘I’m home’
Since Dylan no longer needs to be breastfed, Mercado now feels comfortable easing her way back into work. “She plays on her own and she already knows the things she likes. So, I’m calm and confident that I can leave her—with people I trust, of course,” she said.
At her contract signing event—attended by her management and GMA executives led by president and CEO Gilberto Duavit Jr.—Mercado turned emotional as she put pen to paper. There had been speculations about her jumping ship and switching networks, prompting reactions, good and bad, from fans and bashers alike.
But finally, the rumors have been put to rest. “I don’t think it’s even right to say, ‘I’m back,’ because I wasn’t really gone. I just had to prioritize other things. But the destination was always clear—that’s GMA. I’m home,” said Mercado, who looked simple but ravishing in a brown Anthony Ramirez dress with gold accessories from Saint Laurent.
Immediately forthcoming for the actress is the romantic comedy film, “Everything About My Wife,” and the buddy-cop series, “Sanggang Dikit”—both with Trillo as leading man. “Not once did I feel complacent about being renewed. There are so many new artists out there who are also good,” she pointed out. “That I’m still here means so much to me. I have nothing but gratitude in my heart.”
