MANILA -- Judy Ann Santos has nothing but love and gratitude for her eldest daughter Yohan, saying she considers her an answered prayer.

In a virtual press conference for her new program “Paano Kita Mapasasalamatan” on Wednesday, Santos said Yohan’s arrival when she was just 26 was life-changing.

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“Siya mismo, 'yung pagdating niya sa buhay ko [ang ipinagpapasalamat ko]. Kasi sagot siya sa dasal ko. I prayed for her. I asked the Lord in every single prayer, parati ako nagpupunta sa adoration chapel noong dalaga ako na, ‘Lord, sana kapag 26 na ako, magkaroon ako ng anak na babae,’” she shared.

“I don’t know kung bakit ang specific nung edad. Hindi ko alam kung saan nanggaling, but at 26, I got Yohan. It changed my life. I wasn’t prepared. Naramdaman ko na lang na okay, go. Pag-uwi ko, nanay na ako. It changed my whole being, my lifestyle, everything,” Santos added.

According to the actress, she did not let the world know about Yohan immediately because her initial instinct was to protect her.

“Nung una akala ko hindi ako ready kasi baka feeling ko, baka gusto ko lang magkaanak na ipapakita. Pero hindi eh. Hindi ko nga siya agad pinakita kasi natatakot ako sa kung ano ang magiging judgment ng tao sa kanya. I was protecting her from that,” she said.

Santos adopted Yohan when she was still single. Her husband, TV host Ryan Agoncillo, went on to legally adopt Yohan.

Saying she and Yohan both matured in the process, Santos explained how her daughter actually taught her how to be open, real, and honest.

“It was hard as it is to tell her nung simula that she was adopted and the process of explaining to her every single time she would ask me about her parents. She would ask us, ‘What if one day, I want to see them?’

“Mahirap din bilang nanay na mag-grope for words para lang masagot mo ng maayos 'yung anak mo. Isa 'yun sa mga tinuro niya sa akin, 'yung I will be honest in whatever form I could, kung paanong salita ko ito ibibitaw sayo. It could be painful, but I promise you, I will never leave you,’” she said.

Aside from Yohan, Santos and Agoncillo now have two more children together: Lucho and Luna.