Life was not easy for Lily Yu. She was born in Manila to a Chinese family. Her father was a copra magnate and her mother was a housewife. She had 12 siblings and they all had their needs provided for.
According to psychologist Abraham Maslow, people are driven to satisfy their fundamental physiological and psychological needs. This encompasses having a safe and secure place to live. The speaker recounts a personal memory from their childhood during World War II, when they endured prolonged periods without food. They describe the intense sensation of hunger as the most extreme they had ever felt, which instilled fear due to the uncertainty of their circumstances.
Even their parents cannot answer her question about the duration or possibility of the war’s conclusion. Some of her siblings became ill during this challenging time, but due to the hostile environment and apathy, there was no access to medicine for them. Everyone remained indoors for safety reasons, resulting in extraordinarily arduous days. Eventually, however, the war ultimately concluded. Although it was a trying period, they were able to attain safety and security once hostilities between countries and neighboring territories ceased. As the nation commenced its recovery from the destructive impact of warfare, she discovered the delight of watching films at the age of 10.
When Lily was twelve years old, her father sent her to St. Scholastica’s and Maryknoll convents as a disciplinary action. She remained there for eight years but did not finish her college education. Despite being naturally skilled in science, math, and history, Lily admitted that she didn’t dedicate much effort to studying. Although she was away from home, she still yearned for a sense of belonging and love. To fulfill these emotional needs, she sought alternative methods because she believed her family only offered limited affection and companionship.
She discreetly visits Sampaguita or LVN Studios during the day or night to see her favorite movie stars with her friends or meet her suitors at nearby Ateneo de Manila University. These outings, which fulfill her social desires rather than psychological or physiological needs, are a result of her experiences, development, and socialization, ultimately impacting her well-being.
Lily strongly identifies with the love and belongingness stage of Maslow’s hierarchy. She recognizes her need for connection, affection, and a sense of belonging through her close relationships, including friendships, romantic partnerships, and close family ties. These important connections ultimately influenced her decision to leave the convent and eventually intersect paths with Leonardo “Remy” Monteverde, a well-known basketball player from San Beda at that time. Despite Lily’s desire to marry Remy, her father disapproved due to his mixed Chinese heritage and held a negative opinion of Mother Lily. As a result, he did not provide a dowry for Lily’s marriage.
In 1961, she faced a significant drop in her self-confidence and started working for her father-in-law at a monthly salary of P200. With diligent savings, she bought two popcorn machines that were placed at Cherry Foodarama in Mandaluyong and Podmon Theater in Sta. Cruz, Manila.
After saving up to P7,000, she saw an opportunity to acquire the rights to reissue a Hollywood movie. This film turned out to be highly successful and earned her half a million pesos in revenue. With this considerable amount of money, she traveled with her husband to the US and Europe to find other films to showcase back in Manila.
Despite having a budget only for herself, her husband thought she was on a diet. To survive the day, she would fill up with water and secretly eat his leftovers when he wasn’t looking. With what was left of the money, she created the film “Kayod sa Araw, Kayod sa Gabi,” which became a huge success in 1976 and made P4 million. As a result, Regal Films was established and she became known as Mother Lily Monteverde, responsible for nurturing many famous stars in the Philippines and producing almost 1,000 films.
Despite not always being portrayed in a favorable manner, one thing is undeniable – in the realm of Philippine cinema, Mother Lily is a legendary figure! Her reputation goes before her and regardless of any circumstances, numerous individuals credit her for their very existence. Presently, she is among the select few who persistently produce movies, even if occasionally they do not fare well financially. To her, filmmaking is not solely a profession but an unequivocal passion and life’s mission.
The collaboration between Lily Monteverde and her spouse has elevated her sense of self-worth, empowering her to transcend every stage of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Her pursuit of self-fulfillment has been profoundly shaped by her embracing of both personal and societal acceptance. She wholeheartedly embraces her humanity, acknowledging any shortcomings, flaws, vulnerabilities, or limitations in her existence without experiencing shame or remorse.
Monteverde is currently a successful producer, mother to Roselle and Meme, and loving wife to Remy Monteverde. Her role as a mother has instilled in her the importance of love and devotion. She strongly believes that despite any differences, husbands and wives should always prioritize their family and children. Monteverde’s success in the film industry can be attributed to her unwavering focus in all aspects of her work. Additionally, she has embraced a simple way of living as an individual who has achieved self-actualization. Personally, I have adopted this philosophy since experiencing the Asian financial crisis.
Although she had flown first-class in the 80s, it now surprises people to see her opt for economy class on flights. Nevertheless, she believes there is no shame in saving money and cutting costs. She asserts that she can sleep peacefully at night because her wealth was earned through hard work and having a clear conscience provides the utmost comfort. Despite being diagnosed with lung cancer, she maintains a state of happiness and contentment in her life without any regrets. Numerous friends visit her and ask about her condition, but she accepts this as a test from God that she cannot overcome.
There has been a lot of information written about Mother Lily Monteverde, including her beginnings, successes and failures, outbursts, shrewdness, sometimes unconventional methods, and personal life. I have realized that she deserves praise, respect, warmth, and love from the many showbiz personalities she has helped over the years. Writing this paper has given me an experience that I will be thankful for at the end of this Theories of Personality class. It has gone beyond just writing and emphasizes understanding and applying what we have learned.
