Why Angel Aquino’s greatest role is not on-screen
Angel Aquino is the first to admit she’s not just raising a daughter—she’s learning from one, too. And nothing makes her prouder than watching Iana Bernardez carve her own path and shine on her own terms.
When asked about her proudest moments as a parent, the award-winning actress didn’t hesitate to say: “So many … When she graduated on time, which I failed to do for my own Nanay because I got pregnant early. When she won her best supporting actress award just months after starting in the industry (J.E. Tiglao’s ‘Metamorphosis’). When she decided to become a producer and started making really important films.”
Aquino gave birth to Bernardez at 19, an experience that deeply shaped her parenting style. Instead of laying down rules, she kept things real. “I would always tell her, ‘I can’t tell you not to engage in premarital sex. I won’t be with you 24/7. But if you want to enjoy your life, protect yourself,’” she shared with a laugh. “I feel like she actually listened. She’s still childless at 32.”
That honesty has kept their bond grounded, even when they don’t see eye to eye. “We let each other be, especially when we don’t agree. Most of the time, it’s me who makes the mistake—I’ve made a lot—and she won’t say anything until it’s time,” Aquino said, pausing before adding with pride, “It’s Iana who watched me grow up.”
Interestingly, Bernardez chose to use her father’s surname—not Aquino’s. “I encouraged it,” Aquino said. “I didn’t want her dad to feel slighted. A lot of my friends said recognition would’ve come easier if she used my name. But look at the Ataydes—Arjo and Ria didn’t use Sylvia Sanchez’s name, and they’re doing great. I think Iana is making a good name for herself, too.”
Learning from each other
And while Aquino may have been the first teacher, she’s also quick to admit that she’s the student, too, sometimes.
“Iana speaks with so much wisdom—backed by her background in Psychology. She really guided us when we were dealing with a relative who had depression,” she recalled. “She speaks with insight that makes you listen. You don’t go, ‘What do you know?’ Because she knows. You better listen.”
Bernardez is thriving as both actress and producer, charting her own course in the industry. Meanwhile, Aquino is booked and busy—she’s set to star in a Taiwanese film about a returning OFW caregiver, and recently wrapped up Joel Lamangan’s “Fatherland,” opposite Iñigo Pascual and Allen Dizon (It’s been showing nationwide since April 19).
But even with a full plate, the role that always hits hardest to her remains the same: being a mom.
