Pia Guanio and her husband Steve Mago were in denial when they first learned that she’s pregnant

MANILA, Philippines – Like many women before her, TV host Pia took a pregnancy test to know that she’s on the family way.

“Bumili kami ng pregnancy test on the first [day] of January,” Pia revealed on “Showbiz Central,” Jan. 8.

“After the New Year’s party and all that, pumunta kami ni Steve…when we got home, me and Steve decided to find out if I was pregnant. We used one of the pregnancy tests and sure enough it was positive, no doubt about it,” she narrated.

Pia disclosed she became “medyo suspicious  dahil noong nagbakasyon kami ni Steve for Hong Kong when I was supposed to get my period, wala the entire month.”

She felt that “I needed to find out right away so that I could make some measures, stop certain habits and prepare my body for the incoming life.”

Upon learning that she’s positive, Pia and her husband Steve Mago reacted the same way.

“Pareho kami, ‘yung reaction namin. ‘No way’. In denial kaming dalawa,” she said.

To verify her pregnancy, she took another test.

“Sabi ko pa baka naman…kasi we’re supposed do it [pregnancy test] in the morning. Gusto kong maging reliable so sabi ko I’ll do a second test when I wake up. Second test when I wake up walang pagbabago.”

Last Thursday, Jan. 5, Pia announced that she’s five weeks pregnant on “Eat Bulaga.” In the evening, she showed on “24 Oras” the ultrasound photo of her would-be-baby.

The TV host is not yet experiencing the early manifestations of her pregnancy, though. She’s not carving for anything and has not experienced morning sickness yet.

“Wala pa,” she quipped. “I don’t wanna set into it and get 400 pounds or something.”

What she’s happy about in celebrating the coming of 2012 is that “on the first day of the year we were able tell our family [about my pregnancy] and they’re all too happy.  In fact, Steve’s parents were crying pa rin nu’ng nagpunta kami sa bahay nila that same morning on the first. Four of us we're all crying.”

Aside from her manager, June Torrejon, “who’s so bait and thoughtful,” Pia told comedian-host Joey de Leon about her pregnancy when she reported on “Eat Bulaga.”

“He was very, very happy,” Pia said. She then told “EB” co-host Ryan Agoncillo about it.

From her manager’s stable of talents, Edu Manzano and Cherie Gil were among the first who sent her congratulatory messages.

Pia cleared that “ito ‘yung araw na hindi pa ako nagpupunta sa doctor because I didn’t want too many people to know kasi nga baka false alarm lang pala. Meron pa akong konting pagdududa until the doctor actually says na it’s really positive. I didn’t want to let too many people know [about it]”.

Asked about her and Steve’s reaction when saw the first ultrasound photo, Pia said, “Doon na kami nag-begin to get attached to the…it’s really going to be a living thing. There’s heartbeat, we actually hard it, binideo pa ni Steve.”

The TV host explained why she and her husband prefer a baby boy as first born.

“Gusto naming healthy, first and foremost, normal. But baby boy sana, if God wills it, kasi my brother has all girls. So parang, for a change. Steve’s brother is also having a baby girl. Si Andrea, his wife, is giving birth this year din so two Mago babies this year."

Last Jan. 1, in the New Year’s episode of “Showbiz Central,” a geomancer Aldric Dalumpines, predicted she will have her first baby in 2013.

“Nagbabadya ng maganda sa ‘yo na magkaroon ng baby sa Year of the Snake the next year. So puwedeng gawin ng last quarter,” Aldric told Pia.

“Eh, paano kung mauna pa diyan, Mr. Aldric. Meron akong habit of surprising people,” Pia retorted.

That day, Pia knew all along that she’s already on the family way.

Pia was amused about the prediction.

“Natatawa nga ako. Alam ko nang buntis ako that day. Gusto ko lang patunayan kung totoo ‘yung sinasabi niya or hindi. So nu’ng sinabi niyang last quarter of the year [ako mabubuntis] parang natatawa-tawa na lang ako sa sarili ko. Careful na lang kung sino ang pinaniniwalaan."

Now that she’s having a baby, Pia plans to lie low in her showbiz activities. “Siguro when I start showing too much medyo pahinga na muna.”

“Kaya nga tatawagin ko si Vicky Morales, eh. She’s the master of hiding. I don’t know. We’ll see. I think I’m a sturdy person naman na kahit ano’ng kondisyon, eh, kaya kong magtrabaho pero baka ayawan naman ako ng mga boss ko.”

So, would it also mean goodbye to her famous high heels? “Sabi ng doctor ko as long as you don’t fall on your face,” she quipped.

Does it also mean she’s saying sayonara to working out?

“Sabi nga niya [doctor], as long as it doesn’t entail anything that has to do with your belly, your tummy. Puwedeng mag-jog sabi niya; swim, puwedeng upper body workout”.

Since she and Steve are wishing for a baby boy, Pia disclosed the name her husband has chosen for their incoming bundle of joy.

“I think napupusuan niya ‘yung Alessandro. Sandro or Ali (‘yung nickname). We’ll see.”

Pia is unsure how she will be as a mother.

“Hindi ko nga alam, eh,” she admitted.

But she somehow gave a sampling on how she would react on matters concerning her child.

“Sabi ng  sister-in-law ko, si Malen, kasi my niece was throwing up all over the place nu’ng Christmas time. Parang sabi ko, ‘Ano’ng ginawa n’yo? What was the problem?’ then she goes, ‘Don’t worry about it. You know, it’s mother’s instinct how to take care of your child.’ Sabi ko, ‘San ba nabibili ‘yang mother’s instinct na ‘yan?’'

To Pia’s advantage, it helped that “maraming nauna sa akin (na maging mom) like Jen [Mercado]. She’s going to be a source of information, a wealth of information for me. Also in ‘Bulaga’ marami ding tao doon na mommy na. Also in our family…So I won’t be at a loss for resource persons.

So, is she ready to become a mom?

“I think I have the whole eight months to get the whole readiness thing down. I think the reason nga kaya nine months before the baby comes out is because para makapag-bonding kayo, para you get to know each other well and you get to do research.”

She stressed that she and Steve are still honoring their one-child policy.

“That’s still the plan. We’ll see pero I don’t know. Right now it’s still at one. We’ll keep it at that. I don’t know what to expect, eh. Wala pa akong mga discomforts, which I really am thankful for.”

Before the interview, Pia’s Kapuso friends extended congratulatory messages through VTR interviews.

“24 Oras” anchor person Mel Tiangco said she’s glad that “finally here it is.”

“And of course I’m very, very happy for her. This is also a fulfillment of being a woman also for her. Big deal ‘yan talaga kapag mommy ka na. And I’m happy also. So, congratulations sa ‘yo at tulad ng sinabi ko sa ‘yo, hindi lang ikaw ang buntis, si Steve din; kaya kayong dalawa congratulations.”

Mike Enriquez shared that “isa yata ako sa una niyang tinext, eh. Sabi niya, ‘Mike and Tita Babes, buntis na ako. Totoo na ‘to this time.’ Excited ako na magkaroon tayo ng isang Pia na ina naman ngayon. So, nakikita natin ‘yung ikot ng buhay ni Pia, ‘yung pagiging buo ng buhay niya. Exciting.”

TV host Tim Yap believes that “a new bundle of joy will come and add more luck, more blessings in your life, into your married life, into your renewed faith.”

“Eat Bulaga” co-hosts Ruby Rodriguez, Anjyo Yllana, Keempee de Leon, Julia Clarete and Ryan Agoncillo shared Pia and Steve’s joy in the coming of their first baby.

“Of course, congratulations to both of you. Yes! Sabi mo nga Pia, babae ka,” Ruby said.

“Pia, finally meron ka nang baby. Makakalaro na ang mga babies natin. Congratulations,” Anjoy said.

“Mag-ingat ka sa mga lakad-lakad,” Keempee said in a show of concern. “Good luck sa inyo ni Steve and sa baby n’yo. Congrats and God bless.”

Julia was teasing Pia in the video while eating chocolates.

“Pia, iwas sa mga tsokolate. Ako muna ang kakain ngayon. Iinggitin muna kita,” she said.

“Hey, Mommy P, ano, tatay na ko [at] ikaw magiging nanay na rin. Ano ‘yan, napakasayang chapter ng pinapasok mo. Enjoy every moment and don’t worry [kasi] nandito kami para tumulong,” Ryan said.

“Actually, ang pinakamasaya diyan yata, aside from Steve and my family of course, si Ryan dahil umpisa pa lang after we got married, pinupursige na talaga niya akong magpabuntis…magka-baby na right away. It wasn’t really in the plans to get [me] pregnant this early,” Pia commented after watching the VTR.