Heart Evangelista paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, whom she considers her “mentor” and “second mom,” on the day she took her oath as the new president of the Senate Spouses Foundation Inc. (SSFI).

On Wednesday, June 5, after leading the oath-taking of the new set of officers of SSFI, Heart shared a photo on Instagram. She posted a photo of herself with Sen. Miriam, and wrote in the caption, “I missed you very much today, Mama.”

Photo from Heart Evangelista IG Story

The post resonated with many of Heart’s followers, who admired the deep bond between the actress and late senator.

Two days later, Heart posted a video on her TikTok page featuring a slideshow of their old photos together, honoring Sen. Miriam’s memory. “She was my defender, my second mom. She was my cupid and set me up with my now husband. I miss you. I wish I could still call you like before,” Heart wrote in the caption.

In a separate video, Heart shared the story of how she and Sen. Miriam became close. “I was very young when I met her. We actually met at the entrance of Rustans, and it was raining very hard. We were both waiting for our cars, and then she asked me, ‘You’re Heart Evangelista, right?’” she recalled.

Heart emphasized that Sen. Miriam taught her valuable life lessons and encouraged her to pursue a career in law. “I remember we were always together. I would sleep over at her house. She advised me on not just my career but my life. She was basically my mentor,” Heart expressed.

Heart also reminisced about their travels together, including a trip to New York when Sen. Miriam was campaigning for the UN. “She wanted me to become a lawyer. She wanted me to go to UP,” Heart continued.

The 39-year-old fashionista remarked that Sen. Miriam was a “huge part of her life” and expressed her deep sorrow over her passing. “She was really my angel. I remember when she passed, I was extremely heartbroken. I just couldn’t imagine her being sick because she was just such a queen,” Heart said.

Sen. Miriam passed away in her sleep on September 29, 2016, at the age of 71, while battling lung cancer. Her legacy continues to be remembered, particularly on her birthday on June 15.

— By Samantha Prats