Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1988-04-06
- Born Place: Philippines
Also Known As:
Melai Cantiveros-Francisco, Melisa Cantiveros-Francisco, Melissa Cantiveros
Melai Cantiveros
Melisa Bunayog Cantiveros-Francisco, popularly known as Melai Cantiveros, is a Filipino comedian, actress, and television personality born on April 6, 1988, in General Santos City, Philippines. She gained national recognition after winning Pinoy Big Brother: Double Up in 2009, which launched her career in the entertainment industry. In 2015, she further solidified her fame by winning the first season of the Filipino version of Your Face Sounds Familiar. Melai is currently one of the hosts of ABS-CBN's long-running morning show, Magandang Buhay, and has been a contract talent with Star Magic since 2010. Her versatility extends to acting, with notable roles in television series such as Two Wives (2014), We Will Survive (2016), and Apoy sa Dagat (2013), as well as films like Ma’am Chief: Shakedown in Seoul (2023) . In 2024, Melai was appointed as the Honorary Ambassador for Korea Family Tourism by the Korea Tourism Organization, where she and her family promote South Korea's family-friendly tourist destinations . Additionally, she hosts Kuan on One, the first mainstream Bisaya-language talk show, reflecting her commitment to celebrating Filipino culture and language. Beyond her professional achievements, Melai's personal life has been a subject of public interest. She married fellow Pinoy Big Brother housemate Jason Francisco on December 9, 2013. They have two daughters, Amelia "Mela" Lucille and Stela Rosalind, and are affectionately known as the "Melason Family" .
