Kids

Andi Eigenmann: Living on Cloud 9

by Jana Blanco
March 18, 2022

Andi Eigenmann and her family are living the ideal boho beach life, and the young mom discloses why moving closer to shore has been 365 days of eternal sunshine.

It’s been three years since Andi Eigenmann bade the city life—and showbiz—goodbye, and hasn’t looked back since. The mom of three, to Ellie, Lilo and eight-month-old Koa, have since been enjoy life by the ocean in Siargao. Whether it’s the sound of waves crashing, the sand between their toes or the clear blue waters, there’s no doubt that the family has truly found happiness on the island.

Andi Eigemann as a Beach Mom

A typical day in the Eigenmann-Alipayo household consists of heading to the beach for a swim, or paddle out for a quick surf. Andi’s fiance, and father to her two children, surfing champion Philmar Alipayo, is naturally the family’s designated surfing instructor. The beach loving brood spends a lot of time together, having picnics when the weather permits. “We’re outside all morning when the sun isn’t too harsh,” says Andi. After the children take their afternoon nap, the family goes on a jaunt around the island to catch the sunset. It’s an idyllic life, enough to give anyone who comes across Andi’s Instagram major postal envy.

The difference of Island Life

Island living has been so ideal that they’ve has only really experienced being in quarantine during their stay in Manila, when Andi gave birth to Koa. Like other moms who gave birth during the pandemic, Andi was wrought with worry. “Because of everything that’s been happening in the world, you don’t know if it’s a good idea to have another child,” she intimates and adds, “But Koa was our rock. He was our source of hope and strength, and our love for him helped us get through tough times.”

Knowing one’s battles

Andi and Philmar were also genuinely concerned about their other children, Lilo and Ellie, who Andi co-parents with Jake Ejercito. It became clear to them that COVID-19 wasn’t something they could completely protect their kids from. Instead of feeling overwhelmed and dwelling on fear, they decided to focus on the present instead. It made Andi reflect on the importance of time and making sure every moment counts, especially those spent with Philmar and her children. “We just focus on today and things we have control over, take care of ourselves so we can take care of them better,” the former actress explains.

A test for relationships

Like for many of us, the pandemic proved to be a true test of their relationship. Andi shares that she and Philmar had their ups and downs, but managed to come out of it stronger and connect on a deeper level. It also introduced her to a whole other side of Philmar, which she believes strengthened bonds within the family unit. She ends, “We are all about conscious parenting and now we are more intentional in the way we raise them as well. I think we wouldn’t have given it much thought if it didn’t happen to us.”