Lily Monteverde, affectionately known in showbiz as Mother Lily, was like a nurturing mother to many stars. She discovered new talents, gave them their first movies, and helped them rise to fame.
On Sunday, August 4, the Monteverde family announced that the beloved film producer and star-maker had passed away at the age of 84. Her death deeply saddens the showbiz world, but her remarkable legacy will always be remembered and celebrated.
‘Mothering’ the industry and stars
From action and fantasy to drama and animation, Mother Lily made an incredible impact on the Philippine movie industry. Through her production company, Regal Films (now Regal Entertainment), she shaped artists and created memorable big-screen hits. Her deep passion for the entertainment world—pouring her heart and soul into it—endeared her to everyone. The Philippine showbiz scene wouldn't be the same without her name.
Regal Films was established in 1962, starting by buying the rights to and distributing the foreign flick “All Mine to Give” for just around 5,000 pesos. From that initial investment of 5,000 pesos, Mother Lily’s new film company earned 500,000 pesos.
In 1976, Regal Films reached a new level by producing local motion pictures. Their first movie was “Kayod Sa Araw, Kayod Sa Gabi,” starring Elizabeth Oropesa, Gina Pareño, Ronaldo Valdez, and Orestes Ojeda, and directed by Luciano Carlos.
Regal’s success continued to soar in the 1970s, especially with the addition of then-child star Nino Muhlach, who starred in “Peter Pandesal.”
The 1984 Regal-produced screenplay “Sister Stella L,” featuring Vilma Santos, explored bold themes such as labor and human rights issues, religious harassment, and media persecution. This was just a short time after Martial Law, a period when taking such risks was particularly brave. Mother Lily’s decision to produce this film was a fearless move that encouraged social action among audiences. In an interview with Kris Aquino in an episode of Kapamilya morning talk show “Kris TV,” Mother Lily recalled that at the time, there were even rumors that an arrest warrant might be issued because of the movie, but thankfully, nothing of the sort happened.
Mother Lily was known for her willingness to speak out on political issues, whether through her films or personal actions, driven by her deep concern for her fellow Filipinos. “I use my heart because I really love this country… I love Filipinos,” she said.
One of her golden Regal babies was Maricel Soriano, who started making movies with her production company at just 16. During this time, Maricel delivered a series of blockbuster hits, known as the “Inday” series, which began with “Inday Bote” and continued with “Inday Inday sa Balitaw” and “Super Inday and the Golden Bibe.”
Maricel also starred in one of Regal’s most spectacular action-comedy hits, “Batang Quiapo,” along with the legendary Fernando Poe, Jr. in 1986. Today, “Batang Quiapo” is being adapted into a teleserye, “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo,” led by the current generation’s ‘king,’ Coco Martin.
“Napaka-blessed ko na nagkaroon ako ng producer na kaibigan mo na, Nanay mo pa,” Maricel shared in the same “Kris TV” episode. “Naramdaman ko na ang turing n’ya anak talaga. Nand’yan na pagsasabihan ka, nand’yan na pagagalitan ka talaga. Oo, papagalitan ka, kasi sasabihin talaga sa’yo ‘yung pagkakamali mo,” Maricel said, adding that Mother Lily's best quality was her genuine, heartfelt honesty. “She speaks from the heart.”
‘Mothering’ in real life
While Mother Lily was a devoted matriarch to her team and artists, she was equally remarkable as a mother to her own children: Winston, Sherida, Roselle, Dondon, and Goldwin. Her daughter Roselle Monteverde shared that growing up, they would often hear their mom’s voice from her office, a room inside their home. Sometimes, Mother Lily even allowed production teams to use their house as a shooting location. Although she was very busy, her presence at home made her children feel like they were never missing out on anything.
Although Mother Lily admitted that she had a strict side with her kids, they realized as they grew up that her intentions were always rooted in love. The strong affection within the family was evident in their time together and bonding moments. There was a period when Mother Lily asked all her children to live together in a large house, and they also enjoyed traveling together. Every Sunday was dedicated to family time for the Monteverdes.
Born on August 22, 1939, Mother Lily was the youngest of 12 children of former copra king Domingo Yuchu, who ensured she received a good education.
She attended St. Scholastica and Maryknoll College, where she pursued a Bachelor of Science in Education. Her father owned a high school, so she initially aimed to become a teacher. However, she chose to follow her heart instead and married basketball player Leonardo Monteverde, affectionately known as Father Remy. Mother Lily even admitted that she was the one who pursued him. They were each other’s backbone and shared a deep, lasting love. It is particularly poignant that Mother Lily passed away just a week after her husband of over 60 years, Father Remy, was laid to rest.
In addition to her love for filmmaking, Mother Lily found joy in managing her hotels, including the Imperial Palace Suites in Quezon City and the Taal Imperial Hotel and Resort in Batangas. She also found comfort in music, playing the piano to relax. When she was upset, she would meditate and play the piano. She even took a basic piano course to deepen her skills.
In every role she took on—whether as a film producer, a businesswoman, or a mother figure—she poured her heart and soul into her work. She ‘mothered’ her children, as well artists, employees, and moviegoers with her passion and wisdom.
*Photos credit to Maricel Soriano and Charo Santos