With an illustrious entertainment career spanning three decades, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid has done almost everything. But for the Asia’s Songbird, there’s only one role she loves best: being a mom to her six-year-old son Nate.
Since Nate came to her and husband Ogie Alcasid’s lives in 2011, Regine has slowed down on her career to spend more time with her son. The first seven years are the most crucial to a child’s development, as studies show, and the Songbird is determined to make the most of it.
Regine shares one of their favorite bonding activities is to talk to each other before bed.
“He always has a lot of kwento for me at night,” she says. “He would always say, ‘Mommy, last kwento,’ but this last story would go on for 20 minutes! But honestly, that’s the highlight of my day. He really loves talking.”
According to Regine, her son loves to play with unusual toys.
“He loves hotel supplies like toothbrushes,” relates the celebrity mom. “So one time when I was traveling, I brought everything back home to him. He was so happy, akala mo binigyan ko ng special gift. To him, it was really special because he knows I remembered him. I then realized, you can buy your child all the toys you can think of, but what they really want is more time with you.”
Regine’s realization is not lost on Nate, who, despite his parents’ celebrity status, prefers simple bonding activities like going on picnics and playing with mom and dad. One of their favorite food to eat during those bonding moments is Jolly Spaghetti.
“When it’s time for merienda, he would say “I want one Jolly Spaghetti, two Chickenjoy legs, and two fries.” When I’m not at home, he would ask to order Jollibee and pay for it with his own money! Hindi niya ako hihintayin!” Regine candidly shares.
“The Jolly Spaghetti is so yummy!” exclaims the six-year-old. “It’s sweet and cheesy and I can eat a lot of it!”
Regine and Nate share their love for each other and of Jollibee’s sweet-sarap spaghetti in the latest Jolly Spaghetti TV ad.
In the commercial, Regine revisits a familiar scene—a full concert auditorium with thousands of adoring fans—with a sweet-sarap surprise backstage for Nate. The ad shows special everyday moments between mother and son, with Regine narrating how being a mom has shed new light on day-to-day situations.
“The storyboard is so touching and very personal,” says Regine. “It shows my different roles as Regine, but it also shows that my greatest one is being a mom, which is the most difficult yet most fulfilling role I have to play.”