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Andrei Yllana not ashamed to call himself mama’s boy

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Leah C. Salterio

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Andrei Yllana" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/04/23/andrei.jpg"/><figcaption>Andrei Yllana</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA -- “I’m a mama’s boy!,” Andrei Yllana unabashedly told ABS-CBN News.The 24-year-old son of Jomari Yllana and Aiko Melendez added that he doesn&#x27;t hide anything from his mom.“I’m an obedient son. Lahat ng kalokohan ko, alam niya. Super close kasi namin ni Mommy. Mahal ako ng Mama ko.“I don’t mind if others call her a stage mom. She consistently checks on me and my activities, even my showbiz commitments, wherever she is.”In a way, Yllana also admitted he is a “papa’s boy.” “Masaya ako kay Mommy, but when I see Daddy, it’s a different kind of happiness I get. Recently, I get more advice from Daddy when it comes to my love life,” he said.Late last year, Yllana met a non-showbiz girl through his dad and the latter’s partner, Abby Viduya. The girl is now Yllana’s girlfriend for the past three months. They are still in the getting-to-know-you stage.“Pinana ako ni kupido,” Yllana declared. “Binugaw ako ni dad at Tita Abby. First to chat with her until we were able to meet each other. When we went out on a date, I brought her home early. “When I still didn’t have a girlfriend, my mom always reminded me to finish my studies first before having a girlfriend.“I really didn’t expect to have a girlfriend at this point. Now, my mom always reminded me not to have kids first. My dad reminds me to enjoy my youth.”Yllana is not the type who brags to everybody that he’s the son of popular showbiz stars. “It’s not that I’m not proud about it,” he clarified. “It’s just not my habit to brag.“I want to be treated equally. Hindi dapat na anak ka ni ganito, dapat iba ang tingin ng tao sa ‘yo. Anak ka ni ganyan, dapat ganito ka. In the industry, there are people like that.”Up to this day, his mom is strict with him. He is not allowed to sleep over in a friend’s house.“Baka daw kung saan ako matulog,” he said. “But I respect that. Compared to other parents, lenient na si Mommy sa akin. I’ve seen other moms did worse.”Meanwhile, he describes his relationship with his dad as “the best.” They are making up for lost time and are often on &quot;cloud 9.&quot;“The things we failed to do before, we are doing them now,” Yllana said. “Last April, I had the chance to sleep again in Daddy’s house in Parañaque.”Last year, Yllana’s maternal grandfather passed away. “The last thing he told me, ‘Hindi naman lahat nabibigyan ng opportunity. Sige, diyan ka talaga sa showbiz. ‘Yan ang nakikita kong path mo.’“Sinunod ko lang ang advice ng Daddy Danny ko. Nakinig ako sa sinabi niya. He was mama’s stepdad. I grew up with him. I was very close to him.”Yllana, who signed up with Viva two years ago, is now busy with his showbiz career. Last year, he appeared in the Carlo Aquino-Julia Barretto film, “Expensive Candy,” directed by Jason Paul Laxamana.Recently, Yllana wrapped up the romantic-comedy, “The Rain in España,” a 10-part series that is his biggest project for Viva since he transferred two years ago. The series is megged by Theodore Boborol. “This project became an eye-opener for me,” Yllana said. “Ang dami kong naging experiences doing this series.”They started in November last year and went into different locations, from Manila to Tagaytay, Boracay and even simulated New York in some scenes. They wrapped up the 10-episode series only last February. Airing on Viva One starts on May 1.Yllana wants to venture into comedy one day. He looks up to Bayani Agbayani when it comes to making people laugh.He is also open to doing May-December affairs. “But maybe, I will pass up an offer to do a sexy role,” he said. “Hindi ko pa kaya. But I can prepare for that. “Si Mommy, ayaw niya for me to go sexy. Si Daddy, papayag ‘yun. Okay sa akin ang sexy roles, but maybe not this soon. Maybe in five years.”Yllana’s ultimate goal is to build a name for himself and stop people from referring to him as the “son of Jomari or the son of Aiko.” “I want to be known as Andrei Yllana,” he said. “When that happens, I will be very happy.”