X
TAP top app download banner
theAsianparent Philippines Logo
theAsianparent Philippines Logo
EnglishFilipino
Product Guide
Sign in
  • Money Tips
    • Savings
    • Insurance
    • Loans
    • Investments
    • Government Benefits
  • Building a BakuNation
  • Becoming a Parent
    • Trying to Conceive
    • Pregnancy
    • Delivery
    • Losing a Baby
    • Project Sidekicks
  • Ages & Stages
    • Baby
    • Toddler Years
    • Preschool Age
    • Kids
    • Preteen & Teen
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • News
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Health & Wellness
    • Diseases & Injuries
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
    • COVID-19
  • Education
    • Preschool
    • K-12
    • Special Education Needs
  • Lifestyle Section
    • Celebrities
    • Contests & Promotions
    • Home
    • Travel and Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Fitness
    • Wellness
    • Money
  • Become a VIP
  • Press Room
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping

The unlikely friendship of Jennylyn Mercado and Nikka Garcia

4 min read
The unlikely friendship of Jennylyn Mercado and Nikka Garcia

These lovely moms, whose kids are half-siblings, prove that true family bonds know no bounds!

It’s rare to find genuine friendships in showbiz, let alone with someone who is your ex-boyfriend’s wife, but actress Jennylyn Mercado and homemaker/blogger Nikka Garcia prove that it is possible.

Back in December 2014, Jennylyn shared their first family photo at her house, which was taken during their little Christmas gathering.

“I just didn’t know my place. I didn’t know how to act.”

Nikka recalled their first meeting in a lengthy and heartfelt blog post entitled A Boy After My Heart, the mom of two opened up about her insecurities over her husband Patrick Garcia and Jennylyn’s past as well as becoming a stepmom and its accompanying struggles.

“Knowing that he has a son whom he adores with someone he used to love, not to mention, a very good-looking person… brought about the feeling of INSECURITY in me,” admitted Nikka.

“There would be debates in my head (probably the entire trip to her house) whether I should go down or stay in the car,” she recalled. “I just didn’t know my place. I didn’t know how to act. I remember clearly the times that Pat and I would meet up after he would visit Jazz. BOY… his smile and his kwentos… he made me forget all my insecurities.”

Next page: More on Jennylyn and Nikka’s co-parenting journey

“I knew that I was not only going to have to learn how to have a relationship with Jazz, my husband’s son, but I would eventually have to have some kind of relationship my fiance’s former girlfriend, the mother of his child.”

Despite the excitement of her engagement and upcoming wedding, something nagged at Nikka, a need she had to fulfill before walking down the aisle.

“I have nothing but respect for Jen because she is the mom of Jazz…”

“As happy as I was, the thought of being a stepmom lingered in my mind. I tried to ignore it as much as I could by wallowing in the excitement of marrying the love of my life,” she recalled in her post. “But I knew… this was something I will have to face sooner or later. And so I silently prayed. Every single night I prayed,” Nikka admitted. “No matter how sanay I was with our routine, this was going to be a little bit different now.”

“I knew that I was not only going to have to learn how to have a relationship with Jazz, my husband’s son, but I would eventually have to have some kind of relationship my fiance’s former girlfriend, the mother of his child,” continued Nikka.

“I have nothing but respect for Jen because she is the mom of Jazz,” wrote Nikka. “I know my place in Jazz’s life. I am and always will be his Tita Nikka who loves and cares for him genuinely.”

Patrick, in response to his wife’s blog post, took to Instagram to share a photo of them on their wedding day, writing in the caption that she should never have felt insecure.

Advertisement

“I just want to let you know that you are kind, smart, loving, wise, nice, gorgeous, beautiful and sexy inside and out,” gushed Patrick in the caption. “Oh my love I’m telling you there was no reason to be insecure in the first place.. You are the best for me! I love you.”

Nikka and Patrick exchanged I do’s on March 2015. They now have two daughters–Chelsea, 3 and Patrice, 11 months–who pay regular visits to their kuya Jazz.

LOOK: Meryll Soriano celebrates son’s 9th birthday with ex-husband’s son with Jerika Ejercito

Be sure to check out theAsianparent Community for more insightful stories, questions, and answers from parents and experts alike. If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the topic, please share them in our Comment box below. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Google+ to stay up-to-date on the latest from theAsianparent.com Philippines!

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Bianchi Mendoza

Become a Contributor

  • Home
  • /
  • Celebrities
  • /
  • The unlikely friendship of Jennylyn Mercado and Nikka Garcia
Share:
  • Dapat Si Daddy Na Ang Mag-Birth Control: Why It's Time for Dads to Consider Vasectomy

    Dapat Si Daddy Na Ang Mag-Birth Control: Why It's Time for Dads to Consider Vasectomy

  • Claudia Barretto Wedding Sparks Debate: Is It an Obligation to Include Your Father as “Father of the Bride”?

    Claudia Barretto Wedding Sparks Debate: Is It an Obligation to Include Your Father as “Father of the Bride”?

  • “All-Out Support”: How Lea Salonga Embraced Her Trans Son Nic—and Tips for Parents Too

    “All-Out Support”: How Lea Salonga Embraced Her Trans Son Nic—and Tips for Parents Too

  • Dapat Si Daddy Na Ang Mag-Birth Control: Why It's Time for Dads to Consider Vasectomy

    Dapat Si Daddy Na Ang Mag-Birth Control: Why It's Time for Dads to Consider Vasectomy

  • Claudia Barretto Wedding Sparks Debate: Is It an Obligation to Include Your Father as “Father of the Bride”?

    Claudia Barretto Wedding Sparks Debate: Is It an Obligation to Include Your Father as “Father of the Bride”?

  • “All-Out Support”: How Lea Salonga Embraced Her Trans Son Nic—and Tips for Parents Too

    “All-Out Support”: How Lea Salonga Embraced Her Trans Son Nic—and Tips for Parents Too

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Money Tips
  • Building a BakuNation
  • Pregnancy
  • Parenting
  • Lifestyle Section
  • FAMILY & HOME
  • TAP Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2025. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it