It’s a common perception that Bisaya moms are often strict and have strong personalities. Siargao gal Anji Salvacion spills some endearing stories about her mom, Melissa, in an episode of “Kuan On One.” Let’s find out if she confirms those assumptions about Bisaya mommies

Anji and our Kuantie Melai Cantiveros had a blast swapping stories about their strict mothers. They joked about how their moms used to make them shake in fear—especially Melai, whose mom, Virgie, once marched up with a bolo in hand. Melai even shared a funny moment from her childhood when she was wandering around the altar during a church service. And guess what? She got a pinch from her Mommy Virgie that made her sit still real quick! She practically squirmed in pain from that legendary ‘kurot ni Mama.’

Anji couldn’t help but laugh when she also recalled just how painful her mom’s pinch was. One of her favorite memories from Siargao is when she snuck out to the beach with her friends without telling anyone. Of course, Mommy Melissa caught her and pinched her side right in front of her friends. “Wala ko naulawan sa ila, nasakitan ko,” she joked in Bisaya, which meant she wasn’t embarrassed in front of her friends, all she could think about was how much that pinch hurt.

Anji describes the parenting style of Bisaya moms as “tough love.” So tough, in fact, that sometimes when they get annoyed, it’s like they turn into monsters. She remembers her mom saying, “Di jud ka muhunong? Tunlon ta ka!” (You’re not going to stop? I’ll swallow you whole) when she was dancing “Gangnam Style” non-stop around the house.

Anji’s Mommy Melissa might be tough, but she's also super easy to make laugh and joke around with. Anji even admits that she sometimes misses her mom’s sassy side—it’s like all that attitude just added a little extra love to her childhood. Anji was closer to her dad growing up, until he passed away when she was only 8. By the time she was 11, she and her mom became much closer. Her mom’s influence was so strong that Anji once dreamed of becoming a nurse herself, just like Mommy Melissa.

Now as an adult, Anji feels like her mom is her partner in life. She honestly can’t survive without her. “Hindi ko ma-imagine ang buhay na wala siya. Hindi ko siya iiwan,” she shared about Mommy Melissa, who’s now miles away since Anji left Siargao to pursue showbiz. But distance doesn’t stop her from staying close; she always keeps in touch with her family. There was a time when Anji felt exhausted chasing her showbiz dreams, and the first person she called was her mother, who told her to come home to Siargao. So, Anji went home, and that’s when she realized that the rest she needed was simply the comfort of her mom’s presence.

During their heartfelt conversation, Anji’s spirits were lifted as Mommy Melissa’s words resonated with her, encouraging her to see the bigger picture. Her mom reminded her that she’s where she is today for a reason—to be a light and help for others. Anji thought about it and realized, if she doesn’t work hard, who will support her sibling’s education? And what about the families of those she helps, like her uncle whom she hired as her driver? Her mom’s wisdom keeps her going, even when the going gets tough.

It seems like those raised by strict Bisaya mommies had a childhood full of color, fun, and countless memories. Even Kuantie Melai had a ton of stories about her momshie like that one time when Mommy VIrgie was super angry because Melai came home with friends after a drinking session. But while Mommy Virgie was scolding them, she was also setting up beds so they could rest comfortably. That’s tough love, Bisaya style!

Now that their mothers are getting older, what they’ve built with them is genuine friendship. Anji loves to tease her mom now, just to keep things light. And of course, Kuantie Melai, being the natural joker that she is, makes her mom the target of her jokes too. One of the things Melai learned from Mommy Virgie, who’s also got her own humor, is that life shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Just be happy, laugh once in a while—because life’s already heavy enough.

Dakong Problema

Speaking of life’s heaviness, let’s dive into “Dakong Problema”—that’s “big problem” in English. It’s the segment where Kuantie Melai’s guests tackle dilemmas sent in by the show’s followers or take on fun dares. For this episode, Melai set up an acting challenge where she and Anji had to use various props to reenact how their moms would react in different situations.

First up: how their moms handle it when they’re hard to wake up in the morning for school. It was hilarious to see Anji demonstrate her mom’s style—opening a bottle of water to sprinkle on her to wake her up. If that didn’t do the trick, Mommy Melissa would grab a stick for a gentle whack to get her out of bed. As for Melai’s mom, no props were needed; a good old-fashioned scolding was all it took to wake her up with a jolt!

What about when they ask for money to join a field trip? It seems many can relate to Mommy Melissa’s style—she’ll make Anji cry and feel sad first, but in the end, she’ll still let her go on the trip.

Anji and Melai have noticed that their moms can be a bit "OA" (extra) when they're angry. Melai jokes that if she had insisted on buying a new outfit at the mall when she was younger, Mommy Virgie might have hit her with a belt! And sometimes, rather than treating an injury, their moms would just scold them. Looking back, they find these moments amusing and appreciate that this tough love is Bisaya moms’ way of making their kids stronger. Anji even quips that this might be why she has such a high pain tolerance!

Thanks to their mothers' tough love, Anji and Melai grew up resilient and fearless, so much so that they’ve become Big Winners not just in “Pinoy Big Brother” but in real life too.

What’s your fondest story with your Bisaya mom, Kapamilya?