'Extreme difficult level': Andi Eigenmann talks co-parenting with Jake Ejercito

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MANILA, Philippines — Former celebrity couple Andi Eigenmann and Jake Ejercito are preparing for the harder challenges of parenthood as their daughter Ellie turns 15 later this year.

Andi sat down for an interview with broadcast journalist Karen Davila, who flew to Siargao where the ex-actress is now based with partner Philmar Alipayo and their two kids.

The conversation began with Andi's decision to leave the entertainment business. Andi started by appreciating her family for understanding her choice to leave showbiz and to be a good mother to Ellie, whom she and Jake welcomed in late 2011.

Andi credited Ellie's birth for motivating her to "push for self-discovery" and what really makes her happy, a path that led her to Siargao.

"I wanted to be a good mom to my daughter, to be a specific kind of parent, and I just felt that staying in the industry will not let me do that so much," Andi added.

Their conversation turned to her current relationship with Jake, whom Andi was with for four years until 2014. Andi said that she and Jake have a good co-parenting set-up.

"We're not really like other parents or co-parents that you usually see on social media but... I'm so grateful to have him as my partner in raising Ellie," Andi shared.

The ex-actress quipped that she and Jake were at the "extreme difficult level" of parenting because Ellie is now a teenager getting ready for Grade 9. Raising a teenager is arguably laced with more difficult challenges, she said. 

Getting along with Jake and seeing eye to eye with him is "more inevitable at this stage" of their parenthood, the actress added. 

The veteran broadcast journalist asked how she and Jake arrived at forgiveness to be on good terms now. Andi said it was easy for them because they did it for the common love for their daughter.

She noted how Jake also knew the kind of parent he wanted to be, revealing how the actor would listen to her as a co-parent.  

"Sadly, we didn't end up together, but [sic] the willingness to want to be that [kind of] parent to Ellie is still there," Andi ended. "So we support each other in that way, I guess, even if we don't talk about. it" — Video from Karen Davila's YouTube channel

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