Grandma wants simple life for Hillblom’s daughter

At the age of four, Mercedita Feliciano has been swamped with offers to become a commercial model but her grandmother Milagros has simply turned down all of them.

Milagros, 50, who acts as guardian for Mercedita, has every reason to keep her granddaughter away from the prying eyes of the public. Too much publicity may just endanger the life of her grandchild who has inherited more than $40 million from the Hillblom Estate.

Except for the two driver/bodyguards accompanying her wherever she goes, Mercedita is an ordinary girl who loves to swim, draw, collect stuff toys and read fairy tales.

She goes to Creative Play Corner at International School in Makati for her daily nursery class, whose students include children of the richest families in the Philippines.
What’s more, she goes home to the safe and comfortable Rockwell Condominium unit, a new enclave for moneyed people, which grandma bought for $700,000.

“I want her to become a lawyer or a successful businesswoman someday. We don’t tell her that she has inherited a lot of money so that she would continue her studies,” said Milagros.

During last week’s hearing for the release of the remaining $72 million assets to the qualified heir claimants and the Larry L. Hillblom Foundation, Superior Court Judge Alexandro C. Castro was so surprised to see how the little girl who could barely walk the first time she was brought to court has grown so fast.

Mercedita is one of the four children of the late Larry Lee Hillblom, the business tycoon whose passion for young virgins was well known among his friends. Another Filipino child of Mr. Hillblom, Jellian Cuartero, 5, is reportedly now living in Cayman Island.

Mr. Hillblom met Mercedita’s mother Mercedes at Mayfair Club in Pasay City as a dancer. She was forced to work at the age of 14 to help her family survive. Her mother washed clothes for a living, earning $4 a day.

When Mr. Hillblom pursued Mercedes, he gave her a weekly $50 allowance which led the girl to stop working in the club. More money flowed in when the businessman found out after spending the first night with Mercedes in Cebu that the girl was a virgin.

“He even promised to marry Mercedes when he was still alive,” said Milagros who cannot believe that Mr. Hillblom was a rich man as he dressed simply, always preferring to wear faded T-shirts and jeans.

Hopes of eventually marrying Mr. Hillblom faded when Mercedes, who was then four months pregnant, found out from her friends in the club that her boyfriend had died in a seaplane crash.

Change

Not too long after, investigators looking for women who have had relations with Mr. Hillblom started asking around the night club. An American lawyer, who was a bounty hunter, came and tried to convince her to go to Saipan.

In his strong desire to find out immediately if the baby belongs to Mr. Hillblom, he offered to spend for the hospitalization of Mercedes who was then seven months pregnant, if she would only undergo a cesarean operation.

Afraid for her life, Mercedes and her mother went into hiding in Angeles City where she eventually gave birth. In November 1995, they decided to negotiate with the Hillblom Estate, this time with a trusted Filipino lawyer.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

“I still cannot believe that our life would change dramatically because of my grandchild,” Milagros said who has been receiving a $2,000 salary as guardian for Mercedita. They also live on a $5,000 monthly allowance.

Amid the comfortable life that they are experiencing right now, she wants her granddaughter to know how difficult life was when her mother Mercedes was growing up.

“I want her to know her roots so that she would know the value of money,” she added.