Lily Yu Chu-Monteverde[1] (19 August 1938 – 4 August 2024), known as Mother Lily and professionally credited as Lily Yu Monteverde, was a Chinese Filipino film producer and businesswoman.
Her father Yu Chu did not provide her with dowry after she decided to marry Leonardo, a San Beda University basketball star. In 1958, her brother Jesus granted her a loan to finance Regal Entertainment as distributor of Hollywood films, starting with her ₱7,000 film rights to All Mine to Give, which hit the ₱500,000 mark in the box office. In 1961, Monteverde, as adventurer earned ₱200 per day of work with her parent-in-law at Montemarte Department Store. With her two popcorn makers costing 3,000 pesos, she started her business as popcorn hawker at a Cherry Foodarama in Mandaluyong and at Good Earth Emporium at Rizal Avenue.[2]
Her very first 1974 Magsikap: Kayod sa Araw, Kayod sa Gabi sold P4 million from a P400,000 cost. Monteverde revealed that her top films include Sister Stella L., Shake, Rattle, and Roll and Mano Po.[3]
Monteverde produced nearly 300 films in the Philippines from the early 1960s. She operated Regal Entertainment for many years. The Mano Po film series, which began in 2002 and was produced by her filmmaking firm, paid tribute to her Chinese Filipino roots and became a hit in various local markets.[4]
In August 1996 she invested much of her wealth into hotels in Quezon City.[5][dead link] She opened the Imperial Palace Suites on the site of an old gasoline station at the corner of Tomas Morato Avenue and Timog Avenue in Quezon City.
Monteverde died in Manila on August 4, 2024, at the age of 85, less than a week after the death of her husband and 15 days before her 86th birthday.[13] She was buried at the Heritage Park in Taguig.[14]
