Andi Eigenmann Gets Honest About Co-Parenting With Jake Ejercito: ‘Okay Kami’

• Our #SmartParentingExclusive stories on Andi Eigenmann would not be complete if we did not ask about Jake Ejercito, the father of her panganay, Ellie, 9.

  We thought Andi would not rather say anything because of their past history. But Andi was game to answer, quipping she has not been asked about their co-parenting setup before.

  Andi confirmed she and Jake are in a good place at the moment. She admitted it was not always the case.

  The two talking without fighting didn’t seem possible to their followers, especially in 2017 at the height of their custody battle. It ended amicably, and since then, Andi and Jake have not just called a truce — they are raising Ellie together.

  

  Andi on Jake: “Kahit na ’yung specific parenting styles namin ay magkaiba, basta Ellie feels loved and grows up to be kind, good, and responsible, okay kami.”

  PHOTO BY AARON FORCADILLA

  Andi explained she was initially apprehensive about how different she and Jake would be as parents, so she was nervous about raising Ellie with him. But she realized how crucial it was to have a relationship with the father of your daughter.

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  Andi says, “It really was not always that easy and it took a lot of growing up for me…I needed to set my priorities straight and realized what I had to focus on.”

  

  Ellie was with her dad during our shoot with Andi, but she was very much on her mom’s mind. Ellie returned to Siargao on Mother’s Day 2021.

  PHOTO BY Aaron Forcadilla (right) and Instagram/andieigengirl

  The focus, of course, is Ellie. Andi knew she and Jake had to set aside their differences because they both understood their daughter deserved better. They may have their differences but, “What we have in common is the love for our child.”

  When Jake flew to Siargao to pick up Ellie for the first time as a co-parent to Andi (he also met Andi’s fiance, Philmar Alipayo, and their daughter Lilo during the trip), Andi truly appreciated the gesture. (Ellie was with her dad during our shoot with Andi, but she returned to Siargao on Mother’s Day 2021 when we released our first story on Andi.)

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  Andi says it was Jake who offered to come to Siargao so Andi, who has a 4-month-old baby, didn’t have to fly back to Manila to drop off Ellie. “Ang saya,” Andi remarked, “because we are really on the same page.”

  Watch the rest of the interview with Andi below.

  Read and watch the rest of our Andi exclusives here!

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