Karla Estrada on being a grandma, playing referee in disputes

“Mama Lola” is what Karla Estrada would like to be called by her would-be grandkids from eldest son Daniel Padilla, who said in a previous interview that he considers marriage as the “next chapter” in his 10-year real- and reel-life romantic relationship with Kathryn Bernardo.

“That’s what I call my own grandmother,” explained Karla, who at 48 also said she was “so ready” to have a grandchild.

“Sadly, neither Daniel nor my second, Carlito, has any immediate plan to settle down. I would know if something like this is happening soon. They won’t be able to hide this from me because I raised them and know them well. I’m also confident, especially with Daniel, that he will not keep this plan a secret from me or from Kathryn’s parents because both parties are very supportive of their relationship. At the end of the day, it’s really the couple who will decide what they want to do with their lives,” Karla pointed out.

At a recent media gathering to promote Karla’s program on TV5, titled “Face to Face,” she was asked by show biz scribes, some of whom claimed to have been friends with her for decades, to react to a comment that she has come a long way from being a struggling actress to a “donya” (rich and respected woman).

To this, Karla said: “My children are my wealth. All the material possessions we own are from Daniel. What I can say is that our lives are so much better now. We have enough to live comfortably and we still have extra, which we use to help other members of our family.”

2023 reboot

“Face to Face” is a tabloid talk show that first aired in 2010 and ran until 2013. It aims to resolve minor conflicts between two arguing parties with the help of a panel of counselors that represents the legal, emotional and spiritual disciplines. The previous format proved to be controversial due to the violence shown on the show.

The 2023 reboot, which will premiere on May 1, presents Karla Estrada and Alex Calleja as hosts and mediators.

In a video greeting that was played before the Q&A session, Daniel said his mom had ample practice playing referee to him and his siblings while they were growing up. Karla confirmed this. “Daniel and Carlito are only one year apart. When they were younger, they would engage in rough games and pretend they were doing karate. They would end up fighting for real,” she began.

“Since I’m a single mom and was always tired after working all day, I would get annoyed when I still had to discipline them when I get home. I would tell them, ‘Go ahead! Punch each other in front of me!’ Most moms experience this, trust me. Eventually, they reached a point when they no longer wanted to argue because when I’d catch them, I would make them fight even more,” she recalled.

Karla Estrada (center) with kids Daniel (left), Carlito, Carmella and Margaret

“I’m very protective of my kids. I do what I can to make sure they don’t slip or hurt their knees, but when this happens, I let them stand up on their own. This will teach them to become brave and strong-willed. I always remind them not to fight with each other, that they should be the ones to protect their own. Now, Daniel and Carlito are inseparable,” said Karla.

Meanwhile, Karla said she sat down with Amy Perez, the original host of “Face to Face,” before she started working on the show’s new season and format. “We’ve been friends for a long time. She is one of Daniel’s aunts. I went to her house and asked for advice. She started by pointing out to me the good things about the show. She then told me to ‘own it,’ then to relax and try not to absorb all the negative vibes emanating from it,” she said.

‘Humbling experience’

Karla said her conversation with Amy ended on a happy note. When she began taping episodes for the program, Karla said being its host became a “humbling experience.”

“There were issues presented here that most of us think are too small, but are actually a big deal to some people. We shouldn’t belittle them or laugh at their problems. This realization helps me make sure that my feet are planted firmly on the ground,” she said.

We asked her to share some of the issues discussed on the show. “There were these two gay kontesera (regular contestants in beauty contests) who were arguing about one gown. One gay claimed that when the other returned the gown, it smelled of body odor. Meanwhile, the other claimed it already smelled bad when he first got the gown. I’ll say it again, we don’t belittle other people and their personal issues. On this show, we treat all of them with respect, and eventually, help them resolve their issues.”

Help in this regard are the show’s resident Trio Tagapayo: Bro. Jun “Dr. Love” Banaag, representing the clergy, lawyer Lorna Kapunan and psychologist Camille Garcia. “Face to Face” premieres on May 1 on TV5 and One PH, available on Cignal Ch. 1, SatLite Ch. 1 and Cignal Play. INQ

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