Teresita “Sita” Castro Yan is the mother of the late matinee TV actor Rico Yan, who born Ricardo Carlos Castro Yan on March 14, 1975.
He was a matinee star, idol, model, host, and a businessman. According to his mother, he was discovered while dining in a fast food chain. He became a model then an actor. He graduated from De La Salle University in 1997 with a degree in Marketing Management. A Christmas gathering led us to meeting with this statuesque mother of Yan. Another chance and providential encounter led us to this interview.
“It has been almost 20 years. It took me nine years to finally heal of the crippling vacuum created by losing a son. Ironically, my strength now is also supplied by Rico, by the love he still generates from other people. God is good,” states this articulate lady.
She is perceptive and a mother of four, who incidentally is a Baguio girl. “It might be interesting to note that I was born here in Baguio. My father, Isabelo Castro, is from the Philippine Military AcademyClass of 1942. He was a tactical officer at the PMA from 1946 to1952. My mother is Pilar Reyes.”
Rico, the third son, has three other siblings, Geraldine- the eldest, Bobby – the second son and Tina – the youngest daughter. Two of them Bobby and Geraldine, are in Manila, while Tina is in San Francisco. Sita and husband Roby moved to Baguio in 2004. She had been traveling from Baguio to Manila to the U.S. since 2006 until she finally settled down in 2016.Rico, her famous, charismatic and good-looking son died on March 29, 2002. It is time to spruce up Rico’s tomb at the Manila Memorial Park in Sucat, Paranaque this All Soul’s Day. The pandemic has however prevented her from doing this. At the moment, she only has her happy memories of Rico to hold on to.
“I am humbly and gratefully awed that Rico still lives on in the hearts of a lot of people. He continues to generate a lot of interest up to this very day.Yes, the pain of losing a son will never go away. But I am consoled by the fact that his spirit lives on manifested by the many people who still have love and admiration for him. I am truly grateful,”shares Sita.
When asked what made her settle in Baguio, Sita said: “Baguio is paradise to me, the weather, the scenery, the abundance of fruits and vegetables, the ease of living, the relative simplicity of life, and the unaffected demeanor of its people.”
At first, Sita did not know what she was going to do in Baguio coming from the U.S.She did not know anybody, until her son Robert, who is a talk show host and a businessman connected with Dyson Philippines, hooked her up with his friend Del Ramos. Her list of friends spiraled which included former SM BDO bank manager Asuncion “Cio” Villacorta-Gundran, who later introduced Pete and Emma Siapno to her. Her circle of friends made her very happy. She felt at home.
The eloquent and spontaneous mother of Rico had a probing mind. “Rico had a probing mind as well. We would sit and discuss the issues of life for hours,” reminisces Sita.“Even as a child and onto early teens, I always had questions about the whys and wherefores of life. I was never content to just accept things as they happened. I needed to understand and see the bigger picture.This mindset was with me as I went on to get married and have children.”
Having settled in Baguio with husband Roby, her time is now devoted to fixing her garden and her house.
Today, let us all remember our loved ones. May their spirits soar high up in the heavens. May they continue to watch over us and guide us.
