february 2017

THe

ONe

NuMber
eNTerTaINMeNT

MaGaZINe

ceLebrITy brIdeS

Rufa Mae
The comedy star tells the happy tale
of a whirlwind romance that has made her
bride, wife, and mothertobe

Camille

How a young widow found love

the second time around

PLuS

BABY ZIA TURNS ONE starGaZING

jERIchO ROSAlES, EUgENE dOmINgO,
pAOlO BAllESTEROS, SANdARA pARk, lIZA
SOBERANO, xIAN lIm, hEART EvANgElISTA, cARlA ABEllANA,
kARYllE, YlONA gARcIA, wYN mARqUEZ, RIckY dAvAO, gINA
AlAjAR, RIchARd YAp, jEAN gARcIA, ARA mINA, SUNShINE cRUZ,
SUNShINE dIZON, ANgElIkA & mIkA dElA cRUZ; STAgE plAY: ThE
fIfTh pROdIgAl; ThE Sm STORE cElEBRATES fAmIlY sNaps mISS
UNIvERSE kIck-Off pARTY bravo mIkE TAN

P110

POGI SerIeS
debuT

gABBI gARcIA

RURU mAdRId

From the

PHoto: CyrUs Panganiban

EDITOR
T

he first found love, again; the other

found love, finally.
The first is a star who was young
and in love, had a fairy-tale wedding, lived
a nice life with husband and son, and then,
at age 26, saw it all fall apart as, without
warning, she lost her husband to cancer.
The other star is best known as sexy and
funny, had suitors and romances that
were the stuff of showbiz lore, was a real
Jo-ANN Q. MAglipoN
hard worker who liked taking care of her
with grANdchild luciA liANNe
entire extended family, and was always so
sassy about singlehood that no one saw how, in the years that passed, she had
felt very alone.
For Camille, the princess is again living the happy ending; for Rufa Mae,
finally, as she so famously says, This is it!
To add to our showbiz stories this February, we watch as the lovely and
fashionable Gabbi Garcia takes her star turn as a debutante, and we catch up
with her onscreen partner Ruru Madrid in the YES! Pogi Series, which is all
about getting to know the handsomest guys in showbiz.
Happy reading, everyone!

Jo-ann Q. MagliPon
EDITOR IN CHIEF
anna b. Pingol
MANAGING EDITOR
JereMiaH M. idanan
ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR
Gabby Reyes LibaRios JoceLyn T. VaLLe
SENIOR WRITERS
sHara C. Cayetano
juNIOR WRITER
arvee Javier-nonga Maria irene l. Mislang
OPERATIONS OFFICER PRODuCTION COORDINATOR

Jose F. laCaba ExECuTIvE EDITOR

ContribUting PHotograPHers
CyrUs Panganiban, noel orsal, Mark atienza, allan diones

LISa GokoNGwEI-CHENG
President
EDNa T. BELLEZa
PUBLisHer
HaNSEL C. DELa CRuZ
Vice-President for oPerations
CHRISTINE o. SaNDEjaS
dePUtY GroUP PUBLisHer
Ro maNaLo
team PUBLisHer
CLaRENCE C. aRREZa
jr. associate PUBLisHer

text: gabby reyes libarios / PHoto: CoUrtesy oF gMa artist Center

groUP editorial direCtor Jo-Ann Q. Maglipon

editorial direCtor Myrza c. Sison

MIKE TAN AT
INFINITE BLESSED
Kapuso actor Mike Tan celebrated his 29th birthday last
December with the residents of Infinite Blessed Home Care, a
home for the elderly at the Don Antonio Heights subdivision in
Quezon City.
Aside from sharing a meal with the residents, some of
whom are Alzheimers and stroke patients, Mike gamely sang
karaoke with them. The day didnt end without Mike giving the
residents a few things that they can use in their nursing home:
tissue, toiletries, toothpaste, detergent, dishwashing liquid, and
coffee.
An event like this reminds the Ika-6 na Utos actor of home.
Thats because Mike is close to his grandparents, who molded
him into the person that he is today.

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 1

Feedback
facEbook MEssagEs
Thank u YES! Magazine! iba tlaga pag kayo, sulit na sulit ang 110
pesos :) i cant wait to have this one. Merry Christmas!
Danilyn Lejos
love how you say italdens modern two story dwelling represents all
his dedication, sacrifices, tears, rejections, joys and triumphs and the
phenomenal success which the kapuso actor worked so hard to achieve
for years. really, the fruits of aldens hard work.
so excited to read more and to learn more about his inspiring story.
Ill try my luck to get one tom. thanks yes! Happy holidays, too!
Jaydee Blue

WRITE US Mail YES! Magazine Summit Media,

7th Floor Robinsons Cybergate Tower 3, Pioneer
St., Mandaluyong City EMail yeseditor@
summitmedia.com.ph TExT Type YES ED
<message> <full name> <age> <email address>
and send to 2640 for GLOBE, SUN & SMART

lETTEr of ThE MonTh

MARICAR SAMSON
Dear Yes Magazine,
Heartfelt gratitude for your feature on Alden, your
feature and his story are truly inspiring for all to
continue believing in our dreams and always be
grateful for the blessings that we receive.
The feature is very timely as the young lad is
being attacked right now by various controversies
which can be easily disproved by your story on Alden
and his family in your January 2017 issue.
I hope all press personalities will be as
responsible as your team is. Have a fruitful 2017!

Kaya nga I admire this guy not because of his looks or his being
famous but because at a very young age what he has sacrificed for
his family and now at a very young age what he has achieved in his
life. More Blessings to you Gov. And dont ever ever change.
Victoria De Leon

Aww kakabili ko lang ng last issue ung kanila nina vic sotto. pero bibili pa
dn ako gift ko sa sarili ko
Rhay Perez Ulat

Get the digital version of

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other mobile device at
summitnewsstand.com.ph

Nong pumunta aq sa mall nkita q sa isang bookstore ang bagong issue

ng YES na si alden ang coverHindi q na pinalagpas ang pagkakataon
syempre bumili agad aq mhirap na bka maubusan na nman aq
malungkot ang pasko q kung magkataon.
Lorele Legaspi Troyo

His house was built on simplicity... Ang ganda pati ng mga furniture
nia hnd masyadong grandioso.... May God bless you more Alden.....
Dianalyn Rose Sulit Cabal

2 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Stay updated on
Twitter by following
us via @YESmag

doWNloAd

At last nakabili na ako ng Yes Mag, konti na lang basa ko na

lahat, very interesting ang topic about Alden, kung di lang ako
magluluto, di ko bibitawan, ayyyyyyy nawala stress ko.
Monic Dimaun-Dela Cruz

Thank you Yes MagazineAng ganda ng house nya Bunga ng Sobrang

pagsisikap at sipag Naachieve nya mga dreams nya.
Corazon Zaleta De Guzman

Join the discussions at

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yesmagazine.ph

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your favorite stars,
showbiz events, and
other updates on our
Instagram account
@yes_magazine

Thanks yes magazine for featuring ALDENS HOME ...YES! Magazine

January 2017 issue. nakabili na ko sa CV Magazine sa Landmark Dec.25.
thanks a lot 4 featuring him Sana next naman ung house Ni MAINE
MENDOZA Nerissa Te

Ang galing naman ng pambansang bae sipag at tiaga sa

trabaho nakapagpagawa na ng dream house cge sulong lang
sa mga magagandang gawain sa buhay para makamit mo ang
lahat ng tagumpay mo hwag pansinin ang mga taong walang
magawa sa kapwa nila pag ganyan lalo kng aangat sa buhay.
Imelda Santos Lugtu

STAy
CoNNECTEd!

AbRoAd

Hi, MARICAR! Thanks for your letter, and thank

you for loving our Alden Richards story. Please
accept tokens from our friends and sponsors
Palmolive Philippines, Ever Bilena, Natasha, and
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in this
issue
f e b r ua ry 2 0 1 7 vo l . 1 7 n o. 2 0 3

01

bravo!
mikE TAN AT iNFiNiTE BlEssED

04

first birthday
BABY ziA TURNs oNE

06

stargazing
jERicho RosAlEs, EUgENE
DomiNgo, pAolo BAllEsTERos,
sANDARA pARk, RichARD YAp,
jEAN gARciA, RickY DAVAo, lizA
soBERANo, xiAN lim, hEART
EVANgElisTA, cARlA ABEllANA,
YloNA gARciA, wYN mARqUEz,
kARYllE, sUNshiNE cRUz, ARA
miNA, DiNgDoNg AVANzADo,
jEssA zARAgozA, jAYDA,
sUNshiNE DizoN, RochEllE
pANgiliNAN, ARThUR soliNAp,
giNA AlAjAR, ANgElikA & mikA
DElA cRUz, ThE sm sToRE
cElEBRATEs FAmilY

16

snaps
miss UNiVERsE kick-oFF pARTY

18

yes! pogi series

RURU mADRiD

28

debut
gABBi gARciA TURNs 18

68

celebrity wedding
cAmillE pRATs & Vj YAmBAo

COV E R STO RY
R u fA M A E & T R E V O R

38
4 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

aby Zia
Bturns

one

BABY ZIAS BIRTHDAY

CELEBRATION
EVENT DATE
NOVEMBER 27, 2016
VENUE
GRACIA-DANTES
RESIDENCE, MAKATI CITY

n November 23, 2015,

celebrity couple
Dingdong Dantes and
Maria Rivera were blessed with
a daughter whom they named
Maria Letizia and nicknamed
Zia or Z.
On that day, the proud father
took to Instagram to announce to
the world that his firstborn had
arrived. His post, which came
with a photo of his big hand
holding his daughters hour-old
fingers, read: Twenty-three
November, 2015the day God
decided to deliver His most
precious gift. This morning, I
witnessed a miracle...and during
that moment, i realized that my
life would never be the same
again. As we welcome this new
graceful chapter with open
hearts, we thank everyone who
prayed with us through this
sweet journey. Friends, say hello
to our Maria Letizia.
A year later, Zias parents
decided to celebrate her first
birthdaynot just once, but
three times!
On her exact birthday, her
parents took her to Sonyas
Garden in Tagaytay, where the
three of them blew out Zias first
birthday candle.
Three days later, they
gathered relatives and friends
Zias godparents especiallyto
an all-red party at the Summer
Palace Chinese Restaurant at the
Edsa Shangri-La Hotel,
Mandaluyong.
Zias third party, where most
of the photos on these pages
were taken, was held on
November 27, at the Dantes
residence in Makati. This time,
it was a strictly family affair.
The couple wanted small,
intimate, but separate parties for
Zia instead of the usual big blast,
so Zia wouldnt get too tired in
one celebration and so she could
spend more time with more
people.
In late December, the
Dantes family of three flew to
Badung in Bali, Indonesia, to
celebrate Dingdong and
Marians second anniversary as a
married couple. (They were
married on December 30, 2014.)
Looks like the so-called
ber months, year after year,
will always be a merry season for
this good-looking family.

This black-and-white photo, posted by Dingdong on

the night of Zias actual birthday, was taken at Sonyas
Garden in Tagaytay. His caption read: We celebrated her first
birthday in the same place where we had our first date 8 years
ago. #HappyZDay #MariaLetizia.
Marians caption for this photo reads: My source of
Happiness and Joy! Love you Anak!
Dingdongs separate and simple post reads: Day 365.
Both of their posts carried the same hashtag:
#MariaLetizia.
On Zias exact birthday, Dingdong
also gave his wife a gift. Its this
mother-and-daughter commissioned
portrait by photographer and painter
Mark Paderal.
Proudly, Marian immediately posted
a photo of the painting on Instagram
(IG). Addressing Zia first, she wrote:
Happy birthday, Anak. Mahal na
mahal ka namin ng Tatay mo. Naway
lumaki ka na maging isang mabuting tao
at mapagmahal sa iyong kapwa. Kasabay
ng iyong kaarawan ay ipinagpapasalamat
ko rin ang isang taon ko na pagbibigay ng
gatas sa iyo.
She then quoted her husbands
message to her on that day. Marian went
on to write:
Hinding-hindi ko nakakalimutan
ang sakripisyo mo para sa anak natin.
I am so proud of you! I appreciate your
efforts very much!Iyan ang litanya ng
asawa ko bago nya ibinigay ang painting
na yan sa akin kanina lang pagkauwi
namin from Tagaytay. Mahal, salamat sa
regalong ito. Sobrang naantig mo ako.
Haaay ang sarap mabuhay na
kasama kayong dalawa! Thank you LORD.
#PurelyBreastFed.

TEXT by ANNA PINGOL

PHOTOS by PRAM & CRADLE (main)
& frOm thE INstAGRAM ACCOUNts
Of thE DANtEs COUPLE
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 5

stargazing

STaRgaZIng
text by ANNA PINGOL,
JOCELYN VALLE & SHARA CAYETANO

At the December 9 premiere night of Mano Po 7: Chinoy at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City,

onscreen couple Jean Garcia and Richard Yap elicited lots of kilig shrieks from fans, both on
the red carpet and in their Mano Po sceneslots more than their younger counterparts and
co-stars. Jean and Richard became cozy friends after the filming of the movie.

PHOTO OP
WITH RIckY D.
After meeting up with his friends at Conchas Garden Caf, actor-director Ricky Davao
(second from right) obliged some diners request for a photo op.
Ay, may bayad po, Ricky jested.
Conchas Garden Caf is Alden Richardss new restaurant on Tomas Morato Avenue,
Quezon City. The photo op took place on the evening of December 21, 2016.
6 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

After a three-year hiatus from the big

screen, actress Eugene Domingo, who
was last seen in the 2013 period drama
Barbers Tales, made a loud and remarkable
comeback via Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 2:
#ForeverIsNotEnough.
The comedy movie, a sequel to the
hit Cinemalaya 2012 entry Ang Babae sa
Septic Tank, was an entry in the 2016 Metro
Manila Film Festival.
During the Septic Tank 2 press
conference, held last December 17 at
the Shangri-La Finest Chinese Cuisine
restaurant in Quezon City, Eugene hammed
it up for the cameras with her leading man,
Jericho Rosales.
Eugene earned rave reviews for her
energized performance in the sequel, which
satirizes the process of making rom-com
movies in Philippine cinema.
One such review was by film critic
Mario Bautista. In his online column
Showbiz Portal, Mario wrote: Needless
to say, Eugene is outstanding in providing
solid laughs as she makes a lunatic parody
of herself and [has] an obvious grand time
doing it. If you laughed at her three levels of
acting in Septic Tank 1, this time, youll enjoy
her hyperactive delineation of the three
levels of hugot. That cleverly written scene
with her and Jericho exchanging a witty
series of hugot lines is truly hilarious.

photos: allan diones (eugene domingo) / anna pingol (jean garcia & ricky davao) / mark atienZa (paolo Ballesteros)

MaY aSIM Pa lOve TeaM

back with a
vengeance

stargazing

Paolo Ballesteros definitely stole

the scene from his fellow actors
when he arrived at the Metro
Manila Film Festival 2016 Parade
of Stars dressed and made up
as beauty contestant Trisha
Echavarria, his character in the
Jun Lana entry Die Beautiful.
The parade, which started at
the Manila City Hall and ended
on Plaza Miranda, was held last
December 23, 2016.
At the festivals awarding
ceremony six days days later,
Paolo was hailed as MMFF best
actor for his competent and
sensitive performance as a
transwoman.
Earlier, in November 2016,
Paolo also won the best actor
plum at the Tokyo International
Film Festival for the same film. In
Tokyo, the Eat Bulaga! cohost
who is also famous for his
makeup transformation skills
came out as Angelina Jolie when
he strutted on the red carpet,
and as Julia Roberts when he
went onstage during the awards
night.

thE fifth prodigal

The Fifth Prodigal, an original stage play about five dysfunctional siblings and their
aging mother, had a successful twoshow run last December at SM Centerpoint
Cinema 1 in Sta. Mesa, Manila.
The play, written and directed by Paul Ballano of Stairs Theater Production, was
also staged in mid2016 in the towns of Baler, Aurora province, and Morong, Rizal
province.
Direk Paul (standing, leftmost) posed with the full cast of the play: (seated, LR)
Vida Masakayan, Krissa Neri, YD Diego, Ethyl Osorio, Joffa Rodil; (standing) Ace
Castro, Cris Lomotan, Lucky Mercado, and Orven Siy.
Singeractress Krissa Neri was the grand champion of GMA7s Proteg: The
Battle for the Big Break in 2011. Modelturnedactor Cris Lomotan was a finalist in the
2012 Century Tuna Superbods competition. TV and indie actor Lucky Mercado was
last seen in GMA7s 2017 dramacomedy series Calle Siete.
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 7

photos: courtesy of abs-cbn (sandara) / courtesy of staIrs theater productIon (fIfth prodIgal)

SCENE
STEALER

SaNdara
SizzlES

The singeractress formerly known

as the homegrown ABSCBN talent
Sandara Park, now known simply by
her stage name Dara, sizzled in her hot
songanddance number during the
grand reveal of the winners of Pinoy
Boyband Superstar last December 11,
2016, at the Newport Performing Arts
Theater at Resorts World Manila, in
Pasay City.
Dara performed her own song,
Kiss, which was also her first official
single in South Korea.
It may be recalled that the Korean
born Dara, runnerup in the first season
of ABSCBNs Star Circle Quest in
2004, left Manila in 2007 to try her luck
in her home countrys entertainment
industry. She wasnt disappointed. She
was signed up by YG Entertainment
management, which launched her as
a solo Kpop artist first and later made
her part of 2NE1, an allgirl songand
dance group.
Last year, Dara made her Philippine
showbiz comeback as one of the
judges of Pinoy Boyband Superstar, the
ABSCBN singing competition where
she had Aga Muhlach, Vice Ganda, and
Yeng Constantino as fellow judges.
Daras onstage rendition of Kiss
on December 11 was also her first time
to perform live after the disbandment
of 2NE1 last year.

stargazing

its
about
time

A much-sought-after brand
ambassador, Liza Soberano
endorses over 20 products, the
latest of which is the Swiss watch
brand TechnoMarine.
The lovely star of the 2016
teleserye Dolce Amore and of the
forthcoming movie My Ex and
Whys was launched as the newest
TechnoMarine brand ambassador
on December 3 at the Bonifacio
Global City complex in Taguig
City. At the launch, she told the
press that shes quite particular in
selecting products to endorse.
You carry their name with
your name, she said. You have to
make sure that its something that
youre really going to use and you
really believe in. I like to choose
endorsements that I know since
before pa and that I trust.
As for the particular look of
the watch she likes wearing, she
simply put it this way: As long as
its in style and Im comfortable in
it, Im good to go!

Liza was all smiles when

she posed with Alexander
Meerovitsch, managing director of
TechnoMarine Philippines and Invicta
Watch Asia.

(L-R) Entrepreneur Dong Ronquillo, PR man Enro Mendoza, Senator

Sonny Angara, G-Force dance company founder Georcelle Dapat-Sy, Belo
Essentials skin care head Cristalle Belo-Pitt, talent manager Arnold Vegafria,
and cosmetic doctor Hayden Khobrand ambassadors allproudly wore their
TechnoMarine watches.

Beauteous ladies
were in attendance,
led by 1 Binibining
PilipinasUniverse
Maxine Medina;
2 GMA-7 actressTV host Arianne
Bautista; 3 ABSCBN talent Sofia
Andres; 4 Ika-6 na
Utos kontrabida Ryza
Cenon; and 5 modelturned-actress
Phoemela Baranda.

photos: noel orsal

With both arms raised, Xian Lim flashed the peace sign when he was
introduced to the audience by program host Tim Yap. Xian is also a
TechnoMarine endorser.

stargazing

happy tie-up

The people behind the Filipino makeup brand

Happy Skin had the surprise of their lives
when the Walt Disney Company, the global
entertainment company commonly known as
Disney, reached out to them in February 2016
to collaborate on a project.
The collaboration resulted in Happy Skin
X Disney limited edition makeup collection,
which takes inspiration from the well-loved
heroines of animated films produced by
Disney. The movie heroines, popularly known
as Disney Princesses, include Snow White,
Cinderella, Rapunzel, Belle (from Beauty and
the Beast), Aurora (from Sleeping Beauty),
Ariel (from The Little Mermaid), and the
sisters Elsa and Anna (from Frozen).
We were surprised, but at the same
time, honored, Happy Skin co-founder Rissa
Mananquil-Trillo told YES! at the product
launch on November 8 at the Power Plant Mall
in Rockwell, Makati City. It was a big global
stamp of approval. Disney has a very high
standard when it comes to other brands
that theyre working with. Happy Skin is
actually the first local makeup brand that
they chose to partner with, so I think its a
milestone for what a Filipino can do.
Happy Skin X Disney chose eight
event ambassadors for the makeup
collections launch: actress-visual artist
Heart Evangelista, actress-TV host Carla
Abellana, actress-singer Karylle, teen
star Ylona Garcia, Philippine blogging
pioneer Tricia Gosingtian, YouTube
vlogger Janina Vela, and blogger-sisters
Vern and Verniece Enciso.
Using her real name Love Marie,
Heart has also collaborated with Happy
Skin for a lipstick line called Happy Skin
X Love Marie.

photos: courtesy of happy skin

Channeling their inner princess at the

event were celebrity guests 1 Heart
Evangelista; 2 Karylle; 3 Wyn Marquez;
4 Ylona Garcia; 5 Carla Abellana;
6 Gabbi Garcia; 7 Gabby (left) and
Alyssa Gibbs, both daughters of actors
Janno Gibbs and Bing Loyzaga; 8 Tweetie
de Leon; and 9 Tessa PrietoValdes; as
well as 10 Happy Skin cofounder Rissa
MananquilTrillo, whos a former fashion
model.

10

9
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 9

stargazing

Job Abogado is
the face of Ren
Mouris Philippines.
Before he became its
brand ambassador, Job
joined male pageants
here and abroad. He
won the Mister Model
International 2016
title in the the firstever Gentlemen of the
Philippines pageant,
held last July 31 in
Quezon City.

OPM singers Dingdong Avanzado (right) and Jessa Zaragoza

(center) brought along their daughter, 13-year-old singer Jayda.
The teenager has inherited not only her parents singing prowess, but
their good looks as well.

REN MOURIS LAUNCH

Sunshine Cruz (right)

attended the event with her
friend Ara Mina (below), whos the halfsister of Sunshines current boyfriend,
Macky Mathay.
Actress Ara Mina doesnt seem to
age. The mom of one came to the event
in a figure-hugging dress.

Luv U stars Sharlene San Pedro and

Jairus Aquino tried on several of the
Ren Mouris watches on display.
10 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Comedian Jimmy Santos showed

off a Ren Mouris watch.

photos: noel orsal

The French timepiece brand Ren Mouris brought in some

of Philippine showbizs most beautiful to officially launch
the brand in the country. The fashionable event was held last
November 27 at the grand ballroom of City of Dreams Manila
in Paraaque City.
The French brand was established by Ren Javier-Mouris
in 1975 in the city of Besanon, France. According to the
brands official website, its watches are classic, elegant and
affordableand suitable for people from all walks of life.
On the wrists of our celebrities, it certainly is stylish!

stargazing

Geoff Eigenmann couldnt look any

happierperhaps because of his
girlfriend of 10 months, Maya Flores. Maya is
one-half of the singing duo Migz & Maya.
Sisters Angelika and Mika Dela Cruz,
both singers and actresses, sure know
how to model their watches! Mika (right),
who turned 18 last December, was the winner
of the Best Child Actress award at the PMPC
(Philippine Movie Press Club) Star
Awards for Movies back in 2010,
for her role in the horror movie T2.
Her Ate Angelika is currently the
chairwoman of Barangay Longos in
the city of Malabon, Metro Manila.

Sunshine Dizon is the star

of GMA-7s new soap, Ika6
na Utos, which began airing in
December.

Encantadia star Carlo

Gonzalez (left)here
with rapper Gloc-9looked
dapper in his suit jacket and
matching pants.

Gina
Alajar
is very happy
for her son
Geoff and
his girlfriend
Maya. In an
interview with
PEP.ph, Maya
revealed that
she already
felt [Ginas]
warmth on
their first
meeting:
Ang gaan
kaagad ng
loob namin sa
isat isa.

Zuri Tradings chief executive officer (CEO) Frank Ong and and vice-president for
marketing Ana Kristina Garcia (fourth and fifth from left) posed with (L-R) Job Abogado,
Ren Mouris executives Miguel Perreira (general manager), Javaid Mehmood (managing
director), and Candy Ho.
Zuri Trading is the watch brands official distributor in the country.

Arthur Solinap and Rochelle Pangilinan

were engaged in February 2016 and are
set to be married this year.
12 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

stargazing
SM tapped the best of the fashion industry
(and their loved ones, too) for their
#SMLoveYourFamily campaign: 1 (L-R) Fashion
stylists Andr and Daryl Chang, with their father
Leoncio. 2 (L-R) Model Bea Soriano-Dee and her
businessman husband Eric Dee Jr., with their
son Braeden and Erics mom Lisa. 3 Marketing
executive Rafa Alunan (rightmost) and his
wife, bag designer Amina Aranaz-Alunan (in
front of Rafa), with their children Lucas, Helena,
and Diego, as well as Rafas parents Raffy and
Elizabeth. 4 Fashion photographer BJ Pascual
(rightmost), with his grandparents.

the sm store
celebrates family

photos: CoURtEsY oF thE sm stoRE

Christmas or not, family is always worth celebrating. But the warmth and
love within families is most felt during the holidayswhen members reunite,
exchange presents, and make memories for years to come.
Last December, The SM Store (the mall chains department
store) reminded Filipinos to celebrate family togetherness with its
#SMLoveYourFamily campaign. For the campaign, some of the countrys top
creatives posed with their loved ones and shared their holiday traditions in
studio shoots.
Christmas may be over, but Valentines Day is fast approachingso theres
no reason to stop reminding the members of your family that you love them!

SNAPS
t e xt BY gabby reyes libarios
photos BY noel orsal

miSS uNiverSe
kick-off PArty
Seven weeks before the 65th Miss Universe
coronation nightscheduled to take place on
January 30, 2017, at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena
in Pasay Citybeauty pageant fanatics had the
chance to see 12 beautiful women from different
countries at the Miss Universe Kick-Off Party.
The party was held at S Maison, the high-end
shopping center of the bayside Conrad Manila
Hotel in the MOA complex. One of the 12 beauties
in attendance was our very own Pia Alonzo
Wurtzbach, then the reigning Miss Universe.
According to Pia, bringing the prestigious
beauty pageant to the Philippines had been her
dream since she was crowned Miss Universe 2015
in Las Vegas, USA, in December 2015. Its not just
a dream of Paulas [referring to Paula Shugart,
president of The Miss Universe Organization], a
dream of the Miss Universe Organization, but also a
dream of mine to bring back the competition here
and to show the world how beautiful the Philippines
is, Pia said. And it would really be great to finally
have my proper walk onstage in no less than my
home country, of course.
In mentioning her proper walk onstage, Pia
was clearly referring to Miss Universe 2015 pageant
host Steve Harveys onstage blunder, which
inadvertently deprived her of the chance to do her
first formal walk as Miss Universe.
The Philippines was the very first Asian country
to host the Miss Universe pageant. That was way
back in 1974, when the title was won by Spains
Amparo Muoz, who was crowned by Miss Universe
1973, Margie Moran of the Philippines. The second
time the Philippines hosted the Miss Universe
pageant was 20 years later, in 1994, when Sushmita
Sen became the first Indian woman to win the Miss
Universe title. This years event, 22 years later, is our
third time to host the competition.
16 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Only 12 candidates were presented

to the media at the kick-off
party. Standing proudly alongside Miss
Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach
(sixth from left) were (L-R) Miss Australia
Caris Tiivel, Miss Japan Sari Nakazawa,
Miss Indonesia Kezia Warouw, Miss Korea
Jenny Kim, Miss Malaysia Kiran Jassal,
Miss Myanmar Htet Htet Htun, Miss New
Zealand Tania Pauline Dawson (whos
half-Filipina), our very own Maxine
Medina, Miss Thailand Chalita Suansane,
Miss Vietnam Dang Thi Le Hang, and Miss
USA Deshauna Barber. Not in photo is Miss
China Li Zhenying.
At the Miss Universe Kick-Off Party,
the Philippines bet in the 65th
Miss Universe beauty pageant, Maria
Mika Maxine Medina, was beautiful in her
immaculate white dress. She confidently
glided across the stage amid cheers and
applause from fans and the members of
media.

snaps - LJs Mapp

No one from the Miss Universe Organization was more excited

about the staging of the 65th Miss Universe in Manila than Miss
Universe 2015 herself. But in her speech, the confidently beautiful with
a heart Pia said, obviously with tongue in cheek, that shes not ready to
relinquish her title: You know, Im not yet ready to give up this sash. Im quite
attached to it. But good luck to all the ladies.

Shamcey Supsup-Lee, aka Mrs. Lloyd Lee, and Kapuso actor Benjamin
Alves served as the event hosts that night. Shamcey represented the
Philippines in the Miss Universe 2011 tilt in So Paulo, Brazil, where she finished
third runner-up. Shamcey also worked for the Miss Universe Organization as the
host of the web coverage of the Miss Universe 2012 contest.
Jonas Antonio Gaffud,
who was present
at the event, is one of the
queenmakers of Aces &
Queens, the training camp
responsible for training Pia,
Miss World 2013 Megan Young,
and Miss International 2016
Kylie Verzosa. For many months,
Jonas and his team had been
closely working with the
Department of Tourism, along
with suppliers and sponsors,
in putting together a series of
pre-coronation events for the
Miss Universe candidates.

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 17

U
R
U
R
TExT BY Gabby REyEs libaRios
phoTos BY cyRus panGaniban
18 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

d
i
r
d
a
m

O, sige, dapat
topless na tayo,
the tall, handsome actor says, suggesting
that he would willingly pose half-naked
on the streets of Quezon City for YES!
Readyng-ready pa naman ako, he adds,
before breaking into a belly laugh.
Thats Ruru Madrid. Funny.
Friendly. Candid. Charming.
In a three-hour interview and photo
shoot, YES! gets to know more about this
promising young actorfrom his
childhood in Marikina City, where he
played tumbang-preso on the streets, to
his unforgettable stint in Protg, the
show that changed his life.

BATANG KALYE

Born on December 4, 1997, as Jose

Ezekiel Mesa Madrid, Ruru Madrid grew
up in his familys condominium unit in
Makati City. The whole family later
moved to his paternal grandfathers
house in Marikina.
Ah, super simple lang ang buhay
namin, pero happy, Ruru says, referring
to his growing-up years in Marikina.
Nakaka-miss din, kasi sobrang laki ng
family ko sa side ng dad ko. Magpipinsan
kami. Nasa thirty kasi ang sa dad ko,
eleven sila magkakapatid. Tapos, super
close pa kami lahat.
Rurua nickname that his parents
Armando and Jacklyn got from their friend
from Zamboanga, a datu named Ruru
Kiramis the eldest in a brood of three. As
the kuya and the only boy in the family,
Ruru says hes protective and strict in
dealing with his younger siblings.
Medyo conservative ako when it
comes to pananamit, Ruru says, smiling.
Pagka nagso-shorts sila, pinapagalitan
ko sila. Siyempre, yon yong magiging
sanhi ng pambabastos, di ba? So, para
maiwasan yon, kailangan maayos sila.
The Kapuso actor, who turned 19 last

December, admits that despite being

mischievousor pasaway, as he puts
ithe still knew how to obey his parents.
Hindi natin maiiwasan na medyo
pilyo, ganon. Pero ano ako, e, kung ano
yong gusto nila, like parang sinabi nila
sa akin mag-aral akong mabuti,
talagang sineseryoso ko talaga yon.
Hindi ko masabi na mabait ako, dahil
alam ko naman na hindi ako ganon
kabait, pero mas marami naman siguro
yong pagsunod ko kesa sa pagsaway.
A self-confessed batang kalye, the
young Ruru spent his spare time playing
traditional Filipino games like patintero,
tumbang-preso, and sipa with his friends
under the sun.
Na-experience ko lahat ng mga
larong kalye, he recalls. Oo, kasi sobrang
kulit ko. Kasi dati, di ba, sa condo sa
Makati kami nakatira? So, hindi ko alam
kung ano ba yong pakiramdam na sa
kalye ka maglalaro. Kasi don ka lang sa
condo lagi. Pero nong lumipat na kami sa
Marikina, don na ako nahilig sa paglalaro
sa kalsada.
Laughing, Ruru tells YES! that he
was the type of boy who didnt mind the
sunburn or the scratches on his feet. All
he ever wanted was to have fun with his
friends.
Favorite ko yong sipa, tapos tagutaguan, bahay-bahayan. Tapos,
nagbabasketbol din ako nakapaa lang.
At hindi sa covered court, ha. Yong court
na nasa kalye lang, sa kanto, mga ganyan.
Naglalaro kami, tapos pustahan pa.
Ice tubig ang bayad. Ganon kami.
Even if he was pilyo and maloko,
the young boy didnt give his parents
headaches when it came to his studies.
In fact, Ruruwho went to the National
Christian Life College in Marikina from
elementary up to second year high
schoolexcelled in some of his subjects.
He was even part of the basketball,
volleyball, and track-and-field varsity
teams of his school.
Hindi ko rin masabi na mabait ako sa
school, dahil hindi talaga, Ruru recalls.

Ruru Madrid counts his stint in the realityTV show Protg

as one of the proudest moments of his life. Kasi, una sa
lahat, ang dami kong pinag-auditionan na hindi ako nakuha.
Kaya nong nakuha ako sa Protg, sobrang hindi ako
makapaniwala. Ako po yong pinakabata, wala akong talent.
Then every week, nakikita nila na parang nag-iimprove ako.
Malaking bagay po sa akin na masabihan ni Tatay Ipe [Phillip
Salvador, Rurus mentor in the show] na, Anak, ang galing
mo na.

Sobrang bihira akong pumasok sa school,

pero napapasa ko siya. And simula bata pa
lang ako, talagang naalala ko, nursery ako,
first honor. Tapos, nong prep, kinder,
grade one hanggang second year high
school, may honor ako lagi. Top ako lagi.
Chuckling, he adds that his parents
were not aware of his absences from
school. Hindi nga nila alam na nagkacutting-classes ako, e. Oo, dati nagka-cut
ako para lang makapag-Dota. Oo, sikat
na sikat kasi dati non yong Dota.
Dota, short for Defense of the
Ancients, was a popular online
computer game at the time. But despite
Rurus addiction to the computer game,
which led him to cut classes, he still got
amazing grades. Nag-top-two overall
pa nga ako, e.
Being playful and friendly taught
the young Ruru how to overcome his
shyness and become more confident, a
trait that would later help him enter
the world of show business.

FROM PAGEANT TO PROTG

Even as a little kid, Ruru was already

into playacting, and he had the uncanny
ability to fake-cry or to cry on cue
although his memory on this isnt as
sharp as his memory of the street
games he used to play.
Nong bata daw ako
kinukuwento lang sa akin, kasi siyempre
hindi ko na matandaanparang every
time na may napapanood ako sa TV na
umiiyak, ginagaya ko daw. Sobrang
babaw daw ng luha ko. Minsan,
sasabihin ko pa raw sa mga pinsan ko,
Tara, paunahan tayo umiyak. Iyak na
ako agad. Ganon ako kabilis umiyak.
Tapos, sa school, magsasakit-sakitan
ako, iiyak na ako. Maniniwala naman
sa akin.
The prelude to Rurus foray into
showbiz came in the form of a male
pageant called Ginoong Kalikasan. He
was a Grade 6 student when he joined
the contest simply because he wanted
to experience what it was like to
model, to stand and speak before a
crowd, and to compete.
Ruru gives YES! the backstory on
his experience in the pageant.
Yong Ginoong Kalikasan, parang
about sa nature siya. Parang Mister
Science, ganon. E, nanalo ako sa buong
Marikina. Nagtaka nga ako kung bakit
ako nanalo. Sabi, ako daw ang pinili. E,
di, inilaban naman po ako sa buong NCR
[National Capital Region, aka Metro
Manila]. Inisip ko na nga mag-back-out,
kasi alam ko na hindi naman ako
mananalo, e.
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 19

#1
The Kapuso actor admits
that hes mischievous,
especially when hes in the
company of friends and
co-stars. But that doesnt
mean he doesnt know when
playtime must stop. Oo,
andon yong biruan side,
may joke time, pero ako
yong pagdating sa trabaho,
or pagdating sa pag-aaral,
sineseryoso ko siya. Pag may
isang bagay kasi na gusto
kong seryosohin, tulad ng
acting, talagang ibubuhos ko
lahat don.

RURU's
FIRSTS

First scare oF your liFe?

Well, nakakita ako ng multo, pero akala ko kasi, dad
ko yon, e. Pero hindi ko talaga makakalimutan yon.
Pagkababa ko don sa may basement naminmay
window kasi don, malapit sa switch ng ilawpagpindot
na pagpindot ko, biglang may bumulaga sa akin na
parang mukha. Wala siyang mukha pero kita mo yong
buhok niya. Tapos, parang may mga dugo. Akala ko,
tinatakot lang ako. Takbo talaga ako. Tapos, tinanong ko
kung may tao ba don sa baba. Wala daw.
Hanggang ngayon, hindi ko makakalimutan yon. Siguro
mga six years old ako non.
First purchase using your First salary?
shoes.
First time you said i love you?
Siguro kay Mama and sa Dad ko. Ganon ako, e. Bago ako
umalis ng bahay, nagsasabi ako lagi ng i love you. Kasi,
di ba, hindi mo naman alam kung yon na ba yong last
time mong masasabihan sila ng i love you.
First time you made someone else cry?
Mga kapatid ko. habit ko po yong mang-asar ng mga
kapatid ko. [ruru is the eldest in a brood of three.]
First time you embarrassed yourselF?
Sa isang acting workshop na puro artista. Siguro, more
than twenty kami. Pagkatapos ng iyakan, sinabi sa mga
artista yong feedback. Sabi sa akin, Ruru, galing mo!
Gumaganon pa sina Direk Maryo [maryo J. de los reyes].
Nagtaas ako ng kamay. A, wait lang po, gumanon ako.
Di, lahat sila nagtinginan sa akin. Bigla akong nautot
nang hindi ko sinasadya! May sasabihin sana ako. Pag
ganon kopooot! Lahat sila nagtinginan sa akin. Alam
na alam nila na ako yong umutot, kasi nagtaas pa ako
ng kamay. Hiyang-hiya talaga ako non. Sabi ko na lang,
sorry po, kasi hindi po yata maganda yong
nakain ko kanina.
First heartbreak?
Wala, e. Hahaha! Pero siguro may heartbreak din ako
nong nag-disband yong one direction, hahaha! Hindi,
wala. Wala pang heartbreak.
[the popular english-irish boy band one direction
went on a hiatus early in 2016, but the hiatus is now
permanent, and the bands former members are
embarking on solo careers.]

20 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

last

RURU's
LASTS

Last happy dream?

Nasa loob daw ako ng Encantadia. Tapos, ako talaga ang
mayari ng kingdom. Tapos, don daw ako nakatira sa kingdom.
Tapos, sinasabi ko pa, O, anong oras yong taping natin
mamaya? Gumaganon ako. Tapos, alam mo yong movie
na Richie Rich? May mcdonalds din daw ako sa bahay. May
basketball court din daw ako sa loob ng kuwarto. Tapos, parang
sa panaginip ko, totoongtotoo siya, pero nasa loob pa rin ako ng
Encantadia. Pero alam ko na nasa taping din ako.
Last time you made someone smiLe?
[addressing the yes! team] Ikaw. Kayo, di ba? Yong kinuwento
ko about sa utot... Sobrang safe ng sagot, ano?
Last time you cried?
Siguro yong hagulgol na iyak na totoongtotoo na hindi acting
e nong namatay Lola ko. she just passed away few weeks ago.
Yon, talagang sobrang iyak ako nang iyak, kasi Lolas boy ako.
Last time you LauGhed so hard?
Kailan ba? Well, sobra kasi akong masayahin, di ba? Tapos,
pagka tumawa, ako yong tipo na naiiyak na ako sa tawa. Basta,
kahit konting ano lang, simpleng bagay lang, mabilis akong
mapatawa.
Last time you Lied?
Ngayon. Yong kanina, yong tinanong mo ako about sa dream
ko. Hahahaha. Just kidding!

So prinaktis ako sa mga dapat na

isasagot sa mga Q&A portion. E, sakto yong
tinanong sa akin sa pageant e yon din yong
prinaktis ko. E, di, nasagot ko na naman at
ako ang nanalo. Sabi ko, ayoko na talaga.
Pagkatapos non, inilaban naman ako
sa buong Pilipinas. At that time, medyo
nagugustuhan ko na siya. So inaral ko na
siya. E, pagdating ng contest, hindi pala
Q&A yong ibinigay sa akin. May picture na
kailangan ko daw i-describe. E, hindi ko
naman napaghandaan yon. Hindi ko talaga
alam ang isasagot ko, pero pinilit ko na lang.
Tapos, ayun, nanalo ako, pero second runnerup lang sa buong Pilipinas.
Before Ruru went home that day, a
talent scout approached him and asked
him if he would be interested in entering
the world of showbiz. Sabi ko, Okey lang
po. After that, nag-audition ako, ganyan.
Hindi ako nakukuha po talaga.
Ruru later auditioned for a spot in Star
Magic, the talent management arm of
ABS-CBN. Libo-libo po kami, pero

nakapasok po ako hanggang Top 20, he

recalls. He was fortunate enough to receive
a callbackwhich meant that the casting
director liked his initial audition.
But Ruru chose not to return for a
second audition. That was after he met
award-winning film and TV director
Maryo J. de los Reyes.
Direk Maryo J., best-known at the time
as the director of the multi-awarded
Magnifico (2003), advised Ruru, who was
then 14, to try his luck instead in the second
season of Protg: The Battle for the Big
Artista Break, a talent competition for
showbiz hopefuls. The show had been
launched in 2011 by GMA-7, ABS-CBNs
rival network.
Hindi na ako nakapunta sa callback,
kasi don naman ako pinag-audition ni
Direk, na nakilala ko sa isang party.
Direk Maryo J. would later take the
young Ruru under his wing.
Siya na po yong naging manager ko.
Sabi niya, Gusto mo mag-artista? At that

time, medyo na-depress din ako dahil

audition ako nang audition, hindi naman
ako nakukuha. Parang naisip ko tuloy na
ayoko na. Pero nong pinag-audition po ako
sa Protg, don ako nakuha.

SHOWBIZ OVER STUDIES

When Ruru Madrid became a contestant in

Protg, he made one life-changing
decision. He chose to put his studies on the
back burner and make showbiz his top
priority.
Nong una, pinagsabay ko pa school
and showbiz. Sabi ko pa, Kaya yan, sisiw
yan, ganon pa nga ako, e. Pero na-realize
ko na hindi talaga puwede, kasi may time na
galing akong taping, tapos didiretso ako sa
school, so medyo lutang ang utak ko, kung
ano-ano ang mga sinasagot ko. Sabi ko,
parang ayoko na pumasok. Wala, magaartista na lang ako.
The decision to stop his studies was a
tough one, but the young Ruru also
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 21

He had curly hair when he was a

toddler, Ruru recalls. Super kulot nong
bata. Kaya lang, pinakalbo ako nang
pinakalbo hanggang sa maging straight
yong buhok ko.

This Boy's Life

Ruru Madrid may be mischievous, especially
when hes with friends, but when it comes
to family, hes a sweet, loving, obedient,
protective brother and son.

The actor and his dad, whom he calls

Dada, have an easygoing kind of
relationship. Ruru likens their relationship
to that of Homer and Bart Simpson. Were
more like barkada. Super cool siya kasama.
Para lang kami magkaibigan pag nag-uusap.
Paminsan nga, hindi na ako napapa-po sa
kanya. With them is his mom Jackie.

Ruru, here showing off his medals

and a certificate in prep school,
reveals that when he was growing up, he
never experienced going on educational
field trips: Dati, hindi ako naka-experience
ng field trip dahil natatakot sila [his
parents]. Naka-experience ako ng field trip,
second year high school na ako. Artista na
ako non. Sabi ko, kaya ko naman siguro
pangalagaan ang sarili ko.
When he was a kid, people would often
mistake Ruru for a girl. Mukha nga
raw po akong babae, says Ruru, here proudly
smiling beside his toy car. Natatandaan
ko nga na napagkakamalan ako sa mall na
babae. Kunwari, ang ipapasukat sa akin mga
pambabae, dahil akala nila babae ako.
22 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

The youngest in the family, Rere

(left), wants to follow in the
footsteps of her Kuya Ruru. But if Ruru
could have his way, he would rather
have their bunso stay in school. He says
he told her: Wag muna, please, kasi
sobrang hirap ng na-experience ko. Hindi
ka na makakatulog. Pagka natapos
mo na ang high school, sige, game.
Tutulungan pa kitang makapasok ng
showbiz.

thought that showbiz was an

opportunity too good to pass up. Rurus
parents, who were commercial models
in their younger years, supported his
decision.
Ang daming nangangarap diyan sa
puwesto na yan, so bakit mo siya
papakawalan? Hanggat mainit pa, dapat
i-grab mo nang i-grab. Bakit ko ihihinto
to? So, siguro, once na na-reach ko na
yong point na may time na ulit ako magaral, don na lang ako mag-stop sa
showbiz at mag-aral na muna talaga.
Ruru did not regret his decision. At
the end of Protgs second season run,
he emerged as one of the runners-up,
alongside Elle Ramirez, Mikoy Morales,
and Zandra Summer. Jeric Gonzales and
Thea Tolentino were declared the
winners of that season.
Even if he didnt win the top prize,
Ruru went on to bag rolesbig and
smallin such GMA-7 shows as Paroa:
Ang Kwento ni Mariposa (2012), Akin Pa
Rin ang Bukas (2013), Dormitoryo (2013),
My Destiny (2014), Instadad (2015), Let
the Love Begin (2015), and The Half
Sisters (2015). In the ongoing Encantadia,
Ruru plays Ybarro, the character that
Dingdong Dantes played in the original
2005 version of the fantasy series.
On the big screen, Ruru had the
chance to appear in such movie projects
as My Lady Boss (2013), Above the Clouds
(2014), and Felix Manalo (2015).
The19-year-old, who is celebrating
his fifth year in showbiz in 2017, says that
he has made a few realizations of his own
about the entertainment industry. First,
showbiz is not all about fame; second,
it is not always about money.
Akala ko, ang pag-aartista is about
fame and money lang. Iniisip ko dati,
Bakit gusto maging artista e ang hirap ng
buhay diyan? A, siguro dahil sa pera, para
mabuhay, at para makilala. Hindi pala
ganon yon.
It was his Protg mentor Phillip
Salvador who made Ruru realize that
passion is the sole reason why actors
stay in the business.
Parang sabi niya, Kaya nag-artista
at kaya tumatagal ang mga tao dito ay
dahil sa passion nila. Dahil love nila yong
craft nila.
Nong una, hindi ko pa naintindihan.
Naisip ko, Para ka nang baliw, di ba? Iiyak
ka, papatawanin ka. Hindi mo alam kung
ano ang gagawin sa yo. Pero don ko
na-realize na parang ang sarap palang
maging artista.
Kaya ngayon, every time na may
scene ako or nakakapagbasa ako ng mga
script, sinasabi ko sa sarili ko, Ang
suwerte ko, eto ang trabaho ko. Kasi mahal

ko yong trabaho ko. Siguro naging

passion ko na rin siya, dahil yong mga tao
na nakapaligid sa akin nong una, mahal
din ang trabaho nilasina Tatay Ipe at
Direk Gina Alajar.
The value of pakikisama, Ruru adds,
also goes a long way. Its one of the
important keys that help newbies like
Ruru last in the business.
Ang dami ko pa palang dapat
matutunan. Yong pakikisama, dapat
maging natural, di ba? Kailangan talaga
maging mabait ka sa lahat ng tao, kahit
sobrang galit ka sa mundo or sobrang
lungkot mo or kahit ano pa ang mood mo.
Kahit sobrang init, kung kailangan na
nakaleatherjacket ka, gawin mo. Dapat
presentable at masaya ka pag nakita ka
ng tao. May public image ka na
kailangang alagaan. Artista ka, e. Pero pag
love mo yong ginagawa mo, magiging
madali na lang ito para sa yo.
Needless to say, Ruru is happy where
he is now. His latest role, as Ybarro in
Encantadia, has allowed him to live
another one of his childhood dreams: to
become an action star.
Siguro, pinakaespesyal sa akin
yong Let the Love Begin, kasi yon yong
first soap ko na ako yong leading actor.
Pero dream ko na talaga ever since na
maging action star. Nong una nga,
kinukulit ko pa si Direk Mark [Reyes of
Encantadia], Ano, Direk, naeexcite na
ako sa fight scenes ko, dali na. Sabi niya,
Antay ka lang, ikaw ang mananawa.
Totoo nga! Ngayon ako na yong Wait lang
po, Direk, wait lang. Kasi kailangan ko
talaga magpahinga after ng fight scenes.
Hindi kasi ako nagpapadouble.
Ruru Madrid does not know
whether he will last five or 10 or maybe
20 years in the business. He might meet a
distraction that will take his mind off
showbiz or discover another passion
that will inspire him to make a career
change, who knows? But for as long as he
remains grounded and continues to live a
life of gratitude, this young, promising
actor deserves to stay where he is now
in the spotlight.

SHOOT PRODUCER IRENE MISLANG

ART DIRECTION JEREMIAH M. IDANAN
STYLING TON LAO
STYLING ASSISTANT MACKY COMBE
GROOMING JAY HERRERA

RURU's
FAVORITES
Color
Black and white.
Perfume
Bulgari extreme. Pero ako kasi yong tipo na hindi nagsi-stick sa
isang klase. Kaya medyo madami ako sa bahay na stock.
food
Sinigang. Kahit anong klaseng sinigang. As in, every day
kaya kong kumain ng sinigang lang.
Current song/s in your PlAylist
Coldplay yong mga kanta ko ngayon. E, kasi, malapit na
[yong manila concert nila]. super fan ako ng Coldplay. Kasi
nga, sobrang ganda ng meaning ng kanta nila, like yellow,
scientist, and fix you. Medyo ano lang, nakakabaliw
lang yong mga meaning nila. Pero pagka malungkot ka,
yon lang papakinggan mo.
[the British rock band Coldplay is scheduled to perform at the
sm mall of Asia (moA) on April 4, 2017. the concert is part of its
ongoing world tour to promote its latest album,
A Head Full of Dreams.]
Phone APPs
instagram, twitter, and facebook. Hindi ako naglalaro ng
games sa phone, e. Dati, Clash of Clans, pero na-bore ako.
fAvorite suBjeCt in sChool
math and filipino.

Ruru Madrid is aware that he is good-looking

and that he has an effect on girls. He is torpe,
though: shy and timid. Or so he claims.
Opo, torpe po ako. Super torpe ako. Pagka
may girls diyan, sobra akong nahihiya. Kaya
parang nagpapatulong pa ako sa mga tao.
Hindi ko po talaga kayang lumapit sa mga
babae. Siguro, dahil nakasanayan ko na rin
kina Mama, ganon. Mahiyain po talaga ako
sa babae.
A few seconds later, Ruru
backpedals and takes back what he has
just said.
Well, nakakahiya naman, halatang
kasinungalingan ang sinabi ko, he
says, grinning. Hindi naman ako torpe,
pero hindi rin naman ako aggressive
pagdating sa girls. Siguro, ano lang, chill
lang. Mas okey yong parang tahimik
ka lang. Hayaan mo na sila yong unang
titingin sa yo.
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 23

RURU's
ifs

If you had an unlImIted budget for a date wIth

the gIrl of your dreams,
where would you take her?
world tour. Hindi naman isang araw lang. Lalahatin ko
na. Uubusin ko na. unlimited nga siya, e. Tapos, siguro
isusurprise ko siya na parang yong mga napapanood natin
sa mga movies na may mga jet na nagsusulat ng I love
you, mga ganon. effort ka dapat sa mga ganyan.
If you were to wake up as someone else
tomorrow, who would you be?
Siguro, ano, gusto kong maexperience yong nararanasan ni
Justin Bieber. Ano kaya yong feeling na sobrang famous ka,
tapos parang lahat kaya mong bilhin? Just for a day naman,
di ba? Maexperience lang ba.
If you were to sIng for someone specIal,
what song would you sIng?
Siguro yong photograph ni Ed Sheeran.
If you have a chance to have dInner wIth
someone famous, dead or alIve, who would you
InvIte?
Si Jose Rizal. Gusto kong malaman kung ano yong mga
ginawa niya para sa Pilipinas.
If you could read a famous persons dIary,
whose dIary would you choose?
Siguro kay Solenn [Heussaff]. Gusto kong malaman yong
talambuhay niya, kung ano ang mga ginagawa niya.
If you could be presIdent for a day,
what would you do?
Gusto ko, maging sobrang maayos lang, like sobrang linis.
Siguro, tatanggalin ko na ang yosi talaga. Tatanggalin
ko yong drugs Siyempre, parang yon lang yong ano,
e, punot dulo ng lahat, e. Pagka may drugs, parang
nagkakaroon ng mga rape, nagkakaroon ng mga
patayan, di ba?

If you could have a superpower,

what would It be?
Lumipad! Kahit yon lang. Para pag may traffic,
lumipad ka lang. Pagka tinawagan ka ng mahal mo sa
buhay, lilipad ka lang.

24 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

At the time of his YES! interview,

the 19-year-old Ruru is single. He
is not closing his doors on love,
but he is not actively looking for
it either. Single by choice, he
says, chuckling. Kasi, kailangan
lang talaga. Ano siguro, wala pa
sa panahon para mag-ganon.
Marami pa akong priorities.
Mahirap kasing pagsabayin.
Ruru adds that he has
never had a serious relationship
before. Ano lang, puppy love
lang.
But what about Gabbi
Garcia, his onscreen love-team
partner? Isnt he attracted to
Gabbi, who was his leading lady
in Let the Love Begin and who is
also in the cast of Encantadia?
The 18-year-old Gabbi fits
his concept of the ideal girl,
Ruru admits. Yeah. Gusto ko
kasi sa babae, simple lang, Godfearing. Tapos, love na love
niya yong parents at kapatid
niya. Tapos, maaalalahanin at
mapagmahal. Yon ang gusto
ko. Si Gab, mabait, totoong
mapagmahal siya sa parents
niya. Hindi siya mahirap mahalin.
Para ngang mabilis ma-fall sa
kanya. Pero kung sakali mang
puwede nang manligaw sa kanya,
gagawin ko.

26 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Gabbi
Garcia
Debut gabbi garcia

18
turns

TEXT BY GABBY REYES LIBARIOS

PHOTOS BY BLUFISH PHOTOGRAPHY

28 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

EVENT DATE
DECEMBER 6, 2016
VENUE
MARRIOTT HOTEL
PASAY CITY

Debut gabbi garcia

Now that she is 18, Gabbi can look

forward to making decisionsbig and
smallon her own. She also plans to
travel soon. I want to travel, pero with
my family pa din naman. Hopefully,
after Encantadia. Siguro we all deserve
a long break to travel and all.
And where does she want to go?
Gusto ko talagang mag-New-York. If
not New York, mag-Euro trip.

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 29

Debut gabbi garcia

Since she was a little girl,

Gabriella Louise Ortega
Lopez, more popularly
known as the Kapuso
actress Gabbi Garcia, had
always dreamed of having a debutante
ball on turning 18.
That dream became a reality on
December 6, 2016, or four days after her
actual birthday, December 2. The
teenager who had become legally an
adult was thrown a whimsical comingout party at the Grand Ballroom of the
Marriott Hotel in Pasay City.
In a phone interview, the Encantadia
actress tells YES! that her star-studded
event exceeded her expectations. All she
ever wanted was to celebrate this
important milestone with the important
people in her young life. She never
thought that she would turn 18 in grand
fashion.
I really wanted a simple debut lang,
like a simple party, she says. I didnt
imagine na it would be held in a hotel na
high-end pa, with a great team and with
the help of everyone pa, ganon.
Preparations for Gabbis big event
started in June, or some six months before
her birthday. We started telling GMA na
gusto kong mag-debut early this year [2016]
pa lang, she recalls. Pero we started
planning talaga, tapos lahat na non,
inaksiyunan na namin around June.
Gabbi proudly informs YES! that she
was super hands-on to the point of OA
with all the preparations.
Lahat ng lists and guests, pati yong
mga eighteen Gifts, Roses, ako talaga ang
gumawa. Ako rin nag-set ng table
assignments. I would bring the paperwork
to tapings. Dala ko siya lahat. Sometimes,
the other cast members would help me
arrange things.
Gabbi recalls the times when her
co-stars on the set of the GMA fantaserye
Encantadia would remind her not to
sweat the small stuff of her debut, not to
worry about all the little things. Gab,
tama na, they would tell her. Wag mo
nang problemahin yong mga ganito.
Okey na.
But Gabbi admits that she couldnt
help overacting. As in, to the point na
gusto ko makita ang isang plano na ma-draft
muna, before siya ma-finalize. I wanted to
see what it would look like first, because I
value memories so much. So gusto ko
talaga perfect yong night.
In short, she wasnt just OA, or
overacting. She was practically OC, or
obsessive-compulsive.
Did her party turn out the way the way
she planned it?
Yes, Gabbi answers. Nag-exceed nga
siya sa dream debut ko.
30 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Gabbi loved her silver gown

to bits. Super love it, as in,
Ive been reading comments
about my gown, parang naging
memorable naman yong gown
sa debut. Ganda, sobra! I was
very happy.
Mark Bumgarner did her
gown, as he has for nearly all her
events. She was dolled up by her
stylist Kat Cruz, hairstylist Mark
Rosales, and makeup artist
Jason Delos Reyes.

Debut gabbi garcia

One of the highlights of the party

was the part where Gabbis dad
Vince and mom Tes gave their message to their
daughter and revealed to her their birthday gift:
the keys to a brand-new black Hyundai Grand
Starex VIP, a top-of-the-line van.
The debutante was a vision when she made her grand entrance at her party. Wala
naman talaga ako plans na mag-entrance nang ganon, she says, giggling. Pero
nag-ocular kami sa venue, and I saw the staircase. Sabi ko, Parang gusto ko, don na mag-enter
na lang.
She says that, while she was descending the stairs, nasa utak ko lang talaga na
kailangan hindi ako madapa. Ang taas kaya non!
The debutante posed for photos with her dad Vince, her mom Tes, and her elder sister
Alexandra Deneece Lopez, nicknamed Alex. This was the first time for the family to
hold such a grand celebration. According to Gabbi, her sister Alex had chosen not to have a
debut ball: Yong sister ko kasi, ayaw niya talaga, dahil wala sa personality niya yong mga
ganyan.

What made the event more memorable

for the Kapuso actress was that she was
able to dance not only with her dad, but also
with her grandpas from both the paternal and
maternal sides of her family. Im glad na mga
lolo ko sa both sides ay naisayaw ko pa. All my
friends were there. Tapos, si Ruru, andon din.
Actor Ruru Madrid plays Gabbis love
interest in the current reboot of the GMA-7
fantasy series Encantadia.

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 31

Debut gabbi garcia

Ruru Madrid, who plays Ybarro, the love

interest of Gabbis Alena in Encantadia, was
the debutantes partner for her 17th dancethe 17th of her
18 Roses.
Gabbi is being romantically linked to her onscreen
love-team partner, but she clarifies that Ruru was not
her escort at her debut: Not really my escort, but he was
there. Hes the 17th Rose, kasi he became close na rin sa
akin. Parang its just right na he was the 17th Rose. Ive
been working with him for three years na rin, hindi lang
naman puro work yon. He became close na rin sa akin.
If Ruru wasnt her escort, why was the good-looking
fellow wearing a suit different from all the other guys that
night? With a laugh, Gabbi answers, Oo nga, e, nagulat
nga ako. Siya lang ang naka-white!
Gabbi cant exactly put into words what she and Ruru
have. She adds that theyre close friends, who care for each
other dearly.
In an earlier interview with YES!, Ruru has told us that
if we want to know if hes courting Gabbi, then we should
ask Gabbi ourselves: Tanungin nyo na lang po siya.
When we tell Gabbi about that previous conversation
with Ruru, the beauteous actress says: Hala, yan din
yong isasagot ko. Tanungin nyo siya. Ano ba yan! She
then adds: Wala namang official na ano talaga. Wala.
Ewan ko. Close kami, e. As in, every day magkasama.
After a little prodding and teasing, Gabbi concedes:
Sweet siya. Uhm, alam mo yong ramdam ko na iba siya sa
akin, ganon.

32 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Christian Bautista
serenaded the
debutante with his
song, The Way You
Look at Me. The singeractor is part of the cast
of Encantadia, where
he plays the adoptive
father of Rurus
character. Christian also
sings the shows theme
song, Maghihintay.

Debut gabbi garcia

1
Kapuso heartthrobs, who were also dressed to impress that night, composed
Gabbis 18 Roses, among them: 1 Tom Rodriguez, who was Gabbis co-star in My
Destiny; 2 Rocco Nacino; 3 Kim Last, a member of the all-male group Thats My Bae;
4 Prince Villanueva; 5 Pancho Magno; and 6 Carlo Gonzalez, whom Gabbi considers
one of her kuyas in showbiz. Rocco, Pancho, and Carlo are also in Encantadia.

2
4

3
Making the debutante feel extra
special were her past and present
co-stars, such as 1 Andre Paras,
2 Gardo Versoza, 3 Avery Paraiso,
4 Jerald Napoles, and 5 Rodjun
Cruz.
Andre, Avery, and Rodjun are
Gabbis co-stars in Encantadia.
Gardo was Gabbis father in the
2015 TV series Let the Love Begin.
Jerald is Gabbis colleague in the
weekend comedy variety show
Sunday PinaSaya.

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 33

Debut gabbi garcia

This elegant
emerald green
gown was the second one
that Gabbi wore at her
party. This was for the
blowing of the candles on
her multi-tiered Belgian
dark chocolate cake and
for the presentation of the
18 Candles.
Both this emerald
gown and the silver one
she made her entrance
with were designed
by Mark Bumgarner. I
actually wore three. The
last dress, yong pangafter-party, was from
Martin Bautista. Wala
masyado nakakita non
because we transferred to
another venue.

Event hosts Atom Unson, Tim Yap, and Donita Rose led the winetoasting segment of the party.
GMA Network
executivesvicepresident for entertainment
Marivin Arayata, senior vicepresident for entertainment
Lilybeth Rasonable, and vicepresident for drama Redgie
Magnocame dressed to the
nines to celebrate with one of
the networks most promising
actresses.
Showing their love and
support for Gabbi on
her big night were GMA Films
president Annette Gozon,
talent manager Joy Marcelo,
and fashion designer Tina
Lirag, owner of the Romack
Manila design studio.

34 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Debut gabbi garcia

The Sanggres, or supernatural princesses, of EncantadiaGlaiza de

Castro, Kylie Padilla, and Sanya Lopezcame in full force to express
their warmest birthday greetings for their fellow Sang-gre. In Encantadia,
Glaiza is Sanggre Pirena, Kylie is Sanggre Amihan, Sanya is Sanggre
Danaya, and the debutante is Sanggre Alena.
Marian Rivera-Dantes,
holding a box that
contained her gift for the debutante,
gave her heartfelt message to Gabbi
during the 18 Treasures segment.
Marian, who plays Encantadias Ynang
Reyna Mine-a, the keeper of the
elemental gems and the mother of the
four Sanggres, gifted Gabbi with a pair
of designer shoes.
Nagulat nga po ako, Gabbi says.
Alam niya po kasi na sobrang hilig ko
rin sa heels. Kasi magkasama kami sa
Sunday PinaSaya, so nakita niya sa akin
na mahilig ako sa fashion and sa heels,
kaya nagkakasundo kami.
Marian arrived with her debonair
date, her husband Dingdong Dantes,
who also plays a part in Encantadia. The
handsome couple came in matching
suits to boot.
Simoun Ferrer, GMA Artist
Center assistant vicepresident for talent imaging
and marketing, was among the
debutantes well-wishers.

Gabbis namesake, Gabby

Eigenmann, was also there to
wish her a happy birthday. Gabby and
Gabbi worked together in the 2015
weekly drama InstaDad, where they
played father and daughter.
36 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

The night did not end without the debutante regaling her
guests with her musical talents. Gabbi played the guitar
and performed along with the band. She sang a mash-up
of the Beatles song Come Together and the Australian
songstress Lordes hit song Royals.

cover story rufa mae & trevor

38 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

cover story rufa mae & trevor

Cover Story

e
a
M
a
f
Ru
r
o
v
e
r
T
&
This is it!

Wedding date
november 25, 2016
Wedding & reception venue
the blue leaf cosmopolitan
robinsons bridgetowne business park
eulogio rodriguez jr. avenue
barangay libis, quezon city

text & captions BY jocelyn t. valle

intervieWs BY anna pingol & jocelyn t. valle
Wedding photos courtesY of
limacon still + motion photo company

Rufa Mae Quinto, 38, and Trevor Magallanes, 30, both waited long to find each others match. My
whole life, Ive been looking for my partner, like the one Im gonna marry, he recalls in a joint postwedding interview with YES! Nodding, she adds: We have the same dream.
When their paths crossed in January 2016, they no longer let each other go. Ten months later, on
November 25, they sealed their romance and cemented their relationship by exchanging marriage
vows in a civil wedding attended by their families and friends. Indeed, they couldnt have chosen a
more apt hashtag for their special day than #trevorrufathisisit.

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 39

cover story rufa mae & trevor

40 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

cover story rufa mae & trevor

The year 2007

was a fortuitous
year for Rufa Mae
Quinto.
Right after the wedding ceremony
and just before the reception, the
newlyweds had a photo shoot in a
designated area of the wedding venue,
the Blue Leaf Cosmopolitan events
place in Libis, Quezon City. They had
some shots taken beside the bridal car,
a 1947 Jaguar Mark V provided by Don
Roberts Bridal Cars.
Rufa Mae says the language barrier
with the U.S.-born-and-bred Trevor is
realbut manageable. After all, shes
the one who popularized the use of the
term nosebleed, referring to the problem
that a Filipino who has difficulties
communicating in the English language
has to deal with when speaking with
someone who speaks in straight English.
I struggle before, thats why we
always argue before, she explains.
Kasi nga, yong mga sometimes I dont
wanna talk na, so parang naiirita na ako,
nahihirapan na, nagno-nosebleed na
Pero siyempre, because we understand
each other, we love each other, so I just
look him in the eyes yes! Hahaha!

At that time, she had already been in

show business for around 13 years. She
had gone from 17-year-old newbie in the
teen TV program Thats Entertainment,
to rising star getting steady work on the
small screen (Ober da Bakod, Super LaffIn, Mixed N.U.T.S.) and the silver screen
(Kalabog en Bosyo, Grepor Butch
Belgica Story, Dyesebel, Paracale Gang),
to leading lady in the 1997 sexy comedydrama Gloria, Gloria Labandera.
She had gone on to bag more projects
that banked on her sex appeal and sense
of humor, notably in the TV sketch
comedy Ispup, in which she performed
with ace impersonators Willie
Nepomuceno and Jon Santos, and in the
rom-com Dahil May Isang Ikaw, starring
Aga Muhlach and Regine Velasquez,
where Rufa Mae played the ditzy but
lovable secretary of Agas character.
Rufa Mae finally found solo stardom
as the title-roler in the 2001 hit comedy
flick Booba, which is about a slow-witted
but soft-hearted bombshell who
figuratively speaking, but at some points
literallygets nosebleed when shes
spoken to in straight English. Being
Booba solidified Rufa Maes career as a
top sexy comedienne busy with TV and
movie projects, as well as with singing
engagements on the side. The character
became so popular that it inspired a
comedy-bar talent named Ethel Gabison
to adapt it for her screen name, Ethel
Booba. Rufa Mae also had a female
impersonator who went by the name
Rufa Mi.
The new stars string of TV projects on
GMA-7 included the sitcom Idol Ko si Kap;
the gag show Bubble Gang; the comedy
mermaid series Marinara; the
entertainment program Showbiz Central;
and the game show Whammy! Push Your
Luck, which premiered in October of 2007.
That was the fortuitous year when
she first came to the attention of a
Filipino-Chinese-American named
Trevor Magallanes.
In 2007, somewhere in the city of
Millbrae, just west of San Francisco Bay,
in the U.S. state of California, the
then-21-year-old Trevor subscribed to

GMA Pinoy TV to learn more about his

Filipino heritage, which came from his
Fil-Am father, who had passed away in
2001. Trevor was particularly intent on
learning the Filipino language, to better
understand his Filipino friends when they
talked in their mother tongue.
GMA Pinoy TV is the Kapuso
networks international TV channel,
through which it brings its lineup of
shows to overseas viewers, particularly
those living in the U.S., Japan, and Middle
Eastern countries. Naturally, the lineup at
that time included Whammy! Push Your
Luck, the game show that Rufa Mae
co-hosted.
Trevor began following the Filipino
programs, and the game show became his
favorite, not so much because he liked
rooting for the contestants, who were
slugging it out to accumulate money and
to avoid getting eliminated, but largely
because he loved watching Rufa Mae, who
was sharing hosting chores with Paolo
Bediones.
Trevor developed a crush on the
actress-TV host, and he let it grow over
the years.
In January 2016, the stars aligned for
the Filipino showbiz star and her U.S.-based
admirer. They finally met each other, and
they soon fell in love. Now they have settled
down in her homeland and are awaiting the
arrival of their first child.

the LONG ROAD tO hAPPINeSS

Basta right timing, Rufa Mae declares

one sunny afternoon, her bright smile
adding wattage to the well-illuminated
lobby of the New World Makati Hotel in
the heart of the Makati City commercial
district.
Its exactly a month and a day before
her November 25 wedding to Trevor, and
the two of them sit down for a prewedding interview with YES! Magazine,
to share their story over a midafternoon
snack of fried spring rolls, burgers, fries,
salad, and other eatables.
Iyon siguro kaya okey na naging
comedian ako, magaling ako sa timing,
she adds. So, pati sa tunay na buhay ko,
napasok ko din ang timing, di ba?
People who know the Booba star by
her real-life nickname P-Chi or who have
followed her showbiz career get what she
means. She joined showbiz 22 years ago
primarily to provide for her family, from
her paternal grandmother to her
separated parents, her older brother, her
other siblings both from her fathers side
(the Quinto family) and her mothers side
(the Sy family), and down to her other
relatives. All these years, shes been
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 41

cover story rufa mae & trevor

working so hard whenever and wherever

opportunities knock.
Grumadweyt ako sa lahat ng
responsibilidad bago ako nag-enter-frame
sa another master degree, she says,
speaking naturally in gay lingo. Parang
freeng-free sa lahat. Wala akong
commitment sa kahit saang network,
wala akong commitment sa kahit sinong
pamilya. Sarili ko lang. I commit myself
to myself.
But the road leading to that another
master degreemeaning the point in her
life where she found her husband and they
would start building a familywas a long
and bumpy road. For starters, her beloved
paternal grandmother Luisa Quinto, whom
she fondly called Mommy Luchi,
succumbed to colon cancer on August 8,
2011. Rufa Mae took the loss badly, and
secretly struggled with depression.
Less than three years later, Rufa Mae
discovered lumps in her left breast.
Though those lumps turned out to be
benign, she had them removed, along with
her breast implants. Unfortunately, the
surgery went awry, leaving her body badly
bruised because of hematoma (defined by
the healthcentral.com website as a
localized collection of blood, usually
clotted, in a tissue or organ).
Nagkapasa-pasa dito, she recalls,
pointing to her chest area. Dapat ano lang
siya, reconstructive surgery. Aayusin lang
yong peklat. Pero dahil na-trauma ako sa
mga past surgery ko, parang feeling ko
ewan ko, naging takot ako sa operasyon. E,
ako, afraid ako sa needle. So yong idea
being in the hospital e napraning ako. Dahil
sa sobrang nerbiyos koyon pala ang
ikamamatay ko, sabi ko.
In time, Rufa Mae overcame her
fears and finally had one final operation
to end her medical misery. By late August
2015, she was on her way to full recovery.
From there, biglang nagdasal na
ako. Nagbagong-buhay ako. I changed my
lifestyle. Talagang I prayed so hard, with
tears and everything. Ayoko na, masakit
na sa lahat ng bagay, sa friends, sa
family Siyempre may nawala sa pamilya,
yong lola ko, tas wala pa akong love life,
so parang, Lord, bigay nyo na, ngayon
na. Pero because of that, I learned to
relax, and I got stronger.
Towards the end of that year, the
actress-TV host decided to travel to the
U.S. Para makapagpagaling, she
explains. Yong ma-relax ang mind ko,
mag-enjoy ng buhay.
The time off also allowed her to
recognize the signs that she felt God was
sending her.
I feel like I know Im gonna meet
someone already, she grins, recalling the
>>> PAGE 46
42 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

the Bride

Rufa considers her altar date with Trevor as the realization of her dream wedding. More than what
I expected na din, e, she points out. Gusto kong ikasal, pangarap ko yon, pero dumating na din kasi
ako sa point na nawalan na ko ng pangarap. Sa tanda ba naman Tapos, parang, wala lang, biglaan.
Ang galing naman ng Diyos. Ang bait sa akin. Yong pangarap ko, pinaganda pa niya nang sobra.
On the day she was to say adieu to her single life, Rufa Mae felt so much excitement and no
fear at all. Wala, hindi ako natatakot, she beams. She recalls waking up early that morning kasi
nagugutom ako, and she had breakfast alone in her hotel room because she and Trevor observed
the Filipino tradition that forbids the bride and groom from seeing each other before the wedding.
Bawal daw magkitae, di, siyempre inuna ko munang kumain, she says, chuckling.

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www.pep.ph

cover story rufa mae & trevor

Rufa Mae wore a gown by fashion designer Pepsi Herrera, whom she considers a close
friend. The grooms suit designer, Edwin Tan, is another close friend of Rufa Maes.
On Instagram, the bride wrote on her wedding day: Ang saya Pala maka pag gown
... lalo na ang bongga ng gown ko Gawa ng matalik kong kaibigan na mga designers
na sina @pepsiherrera and @edwintan_designer! I love them as munch as I love my
wedding gown, Totoo Pala na iba na pag ikaw ikakasal na naka wedding gown sobrang
Gandatrevorrufathisisit.

A few hours before her altar date, the bride looked well-rested and fresh in
her hotel room. Her makeup artist, Mark Qua, succeeded in bringing out the
inner joy that she was feeling on her special day. She also practiced holding the
bouquet made by Teddy Manuel, of the eponymously named floral design and
event styling company, Teddy Manuel Flowers & Events.
The arrhae or unity coins were placed in a
small holder that featured hearts and birds
(right photo). The bridal bouquet (below, right photo)
is a cascading arrangement of white Phalaenopsis,
peach Calla lilies, Fado Ecuadorean roses, white
Astilbes, Dusty Miller, and wax flowers accented with
Misty Blue and Eucalyptus leaves. Rufa Mae got the pair
of Rene Caovilla handcrafted Venetian shoes (photo
below) as a wedding present from Trevors mother
Stephanie Lee, nicknamed Steff. The bride expressed
her gratitude on Instagram: My wedding shoes from
my Mother in law ... Mom Steff, thank you so much
for my @renecaovilla and for accepting me as your
daughter in law.

The wedding invitation, made by the modern

calligraphy and design studio Ink Scribbler, was
composed of four cards bearing details about the date and
venue; directions for going to the venue; the entourage
list; and the required attire, which was formal to the
highest level.
On the first card, the invitation text reads: To
everything theres a reason, a time and a purpose. On this
day, I will marry my best friend, the one I will laugh with,
live for.
44 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

cover story rufa mae & trevor

Her wedding gown was originally

designed as seksing-seksi dapat,
backless, fit na fit, parang serpentine. But
it had to be changed. E, wala, buntis na, e,
she says, shaking her head.

Rings

In addition to two sets

of engagement and
wedding rings, Rufa Mae
had customized alphabet
charms called Kelly tags,
which came from Metal
Gallery, a provider of
metal hardware used for
handbags, belts, purses,
luggage, and shoes. Kelly
tags were also given away to
the ninangs.
In an Instagram post
that she made less than a
month before the wedding,
Rufa Mae explained that
Trevor got her a new
engagement ring and a
new wedding band only
because my finger is getting
bigger since preggy.
In their joint interview
with YES!, she explains that
she and Trevor have two sets
each of wedding rings. The
first and nicer set came from
her Dubai-based friend Iris
Fullon, who runs the online
jewelry shop Siri Sparkler
Collection. The couple
bought the second and
simpler set from the Cartier
luxury brands local branch,
located at the Greenbelt 4
mall in Makati City.
Trevor remarks: So
well have one, like, our real
wedding ring, and then our
nice wedding ring.
His better half points
out: Kasi yong nice
wedding ring I dont wanna
wear it every day. Gusto ko
yong simple lang, pangeveryday, kasi heaviness
naman. Ninerbiyosin ka pa.
And mabigat, kasi nagluluto
ako. I cook and everything

In an email to YES!, top fashion designer Pepsi

Herrera describes the wedding gown that he created
specially for the popular comedy actress:
Rufas gown was off-white. And since she
was pregnant and was big, the cut was empire. It
was embellished on the bodice and at the hem with
embroidered French lace and beaded with white and
opaque crystals. Since she wanted to still be sexy, I was
inspired to make her neckline low and strapless. The gown
was made of soft illusion tulle.
The beaming bride lovingly touched her baby bump. She kept her happy disposition while chatting
with her cousin, fellow actress Jean Garcia, and her grooms suit designer, Edwin Tan (center and right,
inset below). The designer of Rufa Maes wedding gown was Pepsi Herrera, as shown on its label (inset,
center). For additional bling on her overall look, the bride wore hair diamonds that were beautifully arranged
by her hairstylist, Renz Pangilinan. She also wore her own pair of 10-carat emerald earrings (inset, bottom).

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 45

cover story rufa mae & trevor

sound of wedding bells in her head.

Kampana, totoo yon, e. Kahit saan ako
pumunta, may kinakasal, may kumakanta
So parang ako, I just listen to the signs.
Parang magaan yong feeling na may music.
Totoo yonyong naririnig mo na.
So, parang hindi ko naman sure kung
sino. Hindi ko naman din ini-expect na siya
pala yon. So, parang kaya ayoko ring
mag-pay-attention to anyone, kasi alam ko
meron na, e. Yon nga, siya pala yon.
The siya shes referring to is none
other the man seated beside her, Trevor,
whos about a month shy of his 30th
birthday on the day of our pre-wedding
interview.
He relates that he only had a vague
idea about the country of birth of his late
father Raymond Magallanes, because his
father never really talked about the
Philippines. Trevor only knows that his
dad, though born in the Philippines, grew
up in the U.S. territory of Guam and then
went to high school in the U.S. mainland.
So I dont think he really knew much
about the Philippines, he points out.
Trevor describes having a typical
American childhood in a middle-class
household in the San Francisco Bay Area.
His mother, Stephanie Lee, is an American
of Chinese descent who runs a sports bar
in their area. Trevor hadnt been to either
the Philippines or China, though his older
brother and only sibling, Jesse Magallanes,
had visited the Philippines as a child.
I never had the opportunity, Trevor
says wistfully. Its always been my dream
to come to the Philippines. All my friends
are from the Philippines. They tell me
about the Philippines all the time, so, of
course, Ive always been excited to come
here. Always been number one on my list
of places to visit.
Things changed for Trevor in the year
2007, when he subscribed to GMA Pinoy
TV, an international cable channel, and
ended up getting smitten with Rufa Mae.
She would be on TV and I was, like,
Wow! This girl is stunning! he recalls
with a big grin. I love her personality and
energy, and she was, like, really my big
crush. Like, out of even the Hollywood
actresses.
Rufa Mae interjects with a punch line:
Yes! Leveling!
He continues with a flattering remark:
I really thought shes a star.
While admiring Rufa Mae from afar,
Trevor went on with his life. At that time,
he was in the final stage of his four-year
stint in the U.S. Air Force.
I served after high school, he recalls.
I wanted to do something like, you know,
take the road less traveled, have some
adventure, serve the country. I really felt,
46 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

the Groom

Dapper in his Edwin Tan black suit,

Trevor struck a pensive pose on
the staircase. He may have the
chiseled features of a male model,
the athletic abilities of a basketball
player, and the attractive qualities
of a showbiz star, but he isnt
interested in becoming any of those
personalities.
I just dont like being in front
of the camera, take pictures, he
says, feeling a bit shy. Id rather just,
you know, be by myself. You know
what I mean? I dont wanna be in the
spotlight. Just her.

cover story rufa mae & trevor

The tattoo on Trevors back shows the

years when his Fil-Am father, Raymond
Magallanes, was born (1957) and died (2001).
Trevor tells the story behind his body art:
My friend Jeff Gombio dragged me into his
tattoo appointment. I was curious to see what
it felt like, so I ended up getting a small tattoo
in honor of my father, who passed away when
I was a teen.

Trevor spent the last few

hours of his bachelorhood
taking a dip in the pool of
the Marco Polo Ortigas
Manila hotel, Pasig City,
where he and his family,
as well as his bride,
stayed. The weddings
photography team also
took shots of him here for
the wedding video that
was later shown at the
reception.

Trevors older brother and only sibling, Jesse

Magallanes, helped the groom dress up for
his big day.
Jesses profile in the professional social networking
site LinkedIn describes him as a strategy and analytics
senior consultant at IBM Global Business Services,
who had worked as a quality engineer and mechanical
engineer at Precision Engine Controls. He has a
Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from
the University of California, San Diego, and a Master of
Business Administration degree from the University of
Southern CaliforniaMarshall School of Business.

One of the wedding gifts came early and in a luxurious fabric bearing the names of Trevor
and Rufa Mae (left photo, below). It came from one of the groomsmen, Alan Nio Atienza.
Among the wedding giveaways from the bride and groom was a Batangas handcrafted balisong
that came in a personalized leather case made by Trend Artisans, an online shop that sells
genuine leather accessories (right photo, below). This balisong has Alans surname written on it.

Unlike the guys in some of the brides

past relationships, Trevor is not from
showbiz. But he understands Rufa Maes work
as an actress, TV host, and overall entertainer.
Supportive siya talaga, kaya siya nakaadjust sa mundo ko, Rufa Mae says of her
man. Sabi niya, I believe this is your destiny,
sa pag-aartista ko.
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 47

cover story rufa mae & trevor

Bridesmaids
The bridesmaids and other
women close to the bride
had a blast inspecting and playing with
the bridal gown, trying on the strappy
heels given to them as gifts by the bride,
and posing for photos. They also got a
bathrobe each from the online retail store
Cruella & Co.

48 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Before going to the

wedding venue, the
bride had a posterity shot
with her abays at the hotel
where she was then staying:
(first row, L-R) Grace Lee
and Patrizia Mae Quinto;
(second row) Joyce Jimenez,
LJ Moreno, Jean Garcia,
Giejan Sy, Gabrielle Alexis
Quinto, and Kyla Sy.
Giejan, Gabrielle, and
Kyla are Rufa Maes sisters.
Patrizia Mae is their niece,
being the daughter of their
oldest brother Archie, and
Jean is their cousin.
LJ, Joyce, and Grace are
good friends of the amiable
comedienne and TV host.

cover story rufa mae & trevor

like, it was my calling. Ive always admired

people who serve, which is something that
I wanted to do. Plus, I saw all the benefits
that came along with it, how it would pay
for my education.
I really wanted to make it myself,
make it my own way. I didnt want my mom
to spend for my college. I wanted to be
independent right away. So I saw that as a
great opportunity for me to do all the things
I wanted, and, in turn, do something
positive.
So thats why I decided to join the Air
Force, and during that time, I was in
intelligence, so basically, like, doing
airplane stuff, controlling cameras for the
airplanes. Thats what I did there. And
then, I knew after my four years of service I
didnt have a choice of where I could stay.
Like, they put you where they need you. I
could have been in Omaha, Nebraska, or
somewhere cold, even Alaska, maybe. I
didnt like that idea, that uncertainty, so I
decided to go to school, really educate
myself, and open up towards a career that
will decide on my future path. It took me
four or actually five years to finish school.
After graduating cum laude from the
University of San Francisco with a degree
in finance, he worked as an accounting
clerk and eventually moved up to financial
analyst in a pharmaceutical company.

Groomsmen
The groom (front row, second from right) and his posse in black suit: (front row, L-R) Jeff
Gombio, Brian Pung, Jesse Magallanes; (back row) Zack Lee, Jordan Lum, Amiel Paterno,
Jordan Crisostomo, Keenan Morris, Jeff and Alan Atienza, and Eugene Bayani.

WHIRLWIND ROMANCE

In December 2015, when Trevor was

already a financial analyst, Rufa Mae
arrived in the U.S. for the vacation that she
had decided on after recovering from her
breast surgery. She initially checked in at a
hotel, but when Christmas drew near, she
decided to check out and move, first to a
friends house, and then to a cousins place.
Kasi nga, nakakalungkot na
magChristmas, New Year without your
family, she says with a sigh. First time ko, e,
without spending time with my family, so
parang naiiyak ako. I cried. Sabi ko, Ano ba
yan? Pero okey naman, masaya naman after.
Happiness beckoned right after New
Years Day, in 2016. It was the day the
actress was supposed to fly back home to
the Philippines, but she got word from the
production staff of the gag show Bubble
Gang, where shes a mainstay, that their
director, Uro Q. dela Cruz, had taken ill, so
their taping for January 4 had been
canceled. (Direk Uro passed away on
February 4 due to cirrhosis of the liver.)
Rufa Mae decided to postpone her
return trip and extend her vacation for one
more week.
Siyempre, nagshopping ako and
everything, kasi last time ko na magstay
don, sabi ko. I mean, What am I doing in

Trevors longtime buddies goofed around while prepping

up for the main event and ended the session with a toast.
A boutonniere made of berries and pink wax flowers
(inset) gave a pop of color to the mens formal wear.

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 49

cover story rufa mae & trevor

the States? sabi ko. Go ako nang go, para

akong tanga. Sabi ko, Last na to. So,
nagshopping ako ng mga shampoo, alam
mo yon, very much a tourist. Hahaha!
Tuwalya, rug, ganyan. So, madami. Hindi
na muna ako babalik sa States, kasi
parang wala naman akong trabaho don
and everything. Kung vacation naman,
tapos na. Ang tagaltagal ko nang
nagbabakasyon.
After going on a shopping spree, she
planned on watching Star Wars: The
Force Awakens, a sequel to the original
trilogy of the iconic sci-fi film franchise,
with her cousin Paola Angeles. Before
heading to the moviehouse, Paola was on
her mobile phone, communicating, via
its FaceTime video feature, with her
friend Charlie Lozano, who was then
having a party, celebrating his birthday.
Charlie happens to be Trevors best
friend. Trevor is a ninong of Charlies son.
Trevor remembers Charlie telling
him that time: Hey, Rufa Mae Quinto is
here, and shes my friends cousin. Im
gonna try to set you guys up.
And Trevor was thinking: Yeah,
whatever. I didnt believe that Rufa Mae
Quinto was here, yeah right, sure! I didnt
believe him cause, you know, its
impossible to meet Rufa Mae Quinto.
Rufa Mae herself can no longer
recall exactly how they met.
Basta nasa FaceTime na, tas
nandodon na siya agad sa screen. So
ginanon sa akin [ni Paola]and Rufa
Mae picks up her mobile phone and
places it near her face to illustrate what
she means. Sa parking lot pa nga kami
non. Hindi na ako nagano. Sabi ko sa
pinsan ko, Ibaba mo na yang phone. Tas
umalis na ako. Pero nakita ko siya [Trevor,
on Paolas mobile phone].
And? Sabi ko, guwapo. Kaya lang,
sabi ko, Ano ba yan? Baka ito, isa na
namang
She leaves her last sentence hanging,
pauses, and then gives an explanation:
Parang ayaw ko namang sabihin ng mga
tagaAmerika, maghasik ako ng lagim
doon. I mean, makilala ako tapos
sabihing Baka gamitin lang ako, yong
mga ganon.
Then she adds, taking their
geographical locations into
consideration: Kasi parang feeling ko,
ang layo. Tas baka hindi naman ako
seryosohin Yong kilala kang Rufa Mae,
tapos yong gagamitin ka lang na ganon,
or idol ka lang, ganon. So sabi ko, ayaw ko
naman ng ganon. Mga Pilipino don,
sasabihin, Nadatedate ko na si Rufa
Mae. Parang ganon yong naisip ko.
But Rufa Maes cousin Paola was
serious in setting her up for a date with
50 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Rufa Mae basked in the love and support of her family: (front row, L-R) niece Patrizia
Mae Quinto and mother Fe Ocampo; (back row) sister Giejan Sy, brother Glenn Sy, sister
Gabrielle Alexis Quinto, brother Archie Quinto, sister Kyla Sy, nephew Patrick Quinto, and sisterin-law Lea Quinto. The ladies got help from makeup artist Arnel Pitalbo in becoming more
beautiful for the wedding.
There was one family member whom the bride sorely missed, especially on her special day:
her paternal grandmother Luisa Quinto, who succumbed to colon cancer on August 8, 2011.
The grooms mother,
Stephanie Lee, turned
emotional while apparently
reviewing the speech that she
would later give at the reception
(right).
The brides mother,
Mommy Fe, shared a tender
moment with her daughter, who
gave her mom the traditional
pagmamano (far right).
Mommy ko, walang paki, Rufa
Mae says, laughing. Masaya
lang siya hanggang sa nakatulog
na nga don sa sofa, e! Hahaha!
Trevor had only gratitude for his family, who flew all the way from the U.S. to attend the
wedding: (front row, L-R) Todd and Jennie Lee, Lance Dalton and Stephanie Lee, Jesse
Magallanes, Sandra Lee, Cheryl Lee, Lorena Lee, Burton Lee; (back row) Lucas Lee, Gabriel Lee,
Zack Lee, Karen Wong, Vince Wong, Melanie and Sam Mac, Loren Guajardo, Rachael GuajardoSoares, and Kelby Wong.

cover story rufa mae & trevor

The couple tied the knot in a wedding that the bride describes as classic modern Filipino. Event stylist Teddy Manuel was responsible for fusing
those three varied styles to create a unique look.
The main theme for the wedding started out as Filipiniana with their menu choices and the centerpiece style, Teddy tells YES! via email. But
we injected a bit of fantasy as to the event styling.
Thus, there were floor-to-ceiling arches (reminiscent of cathedral windows) lining the aisle, and a crown-shaped gazebo that served as main
canopy. The arches and the gazebo, Teddy says, were decorated with white orchids, roses, carnations, aster, and gypsophila with green leaves as fillers.

Trevor. Nirereto kami, the actress says.

Matagal na, bago mag-New-Year pa lang.
Ayoko nga, ayaw ko na kasi mag-date. For
the first time, charot! Basta, may season
na ako na ayoko nang makipag-date.
She ignored Trevor until she
realized that the holiday season had
ended, and her cousin and her friends
had gone back to their daily grind.
Nalungkot ako, she admits. Tapos,
yon nga, push nang push yong pinsan ko.
E, kababata ko yon, kaya hindi ako
ipu-push sa mga ganap na ipapahamak
ako. Sabi ko, Sige, try out. At the same
time, wala na rin akong magawa. Wala na
ring sasama sa akin. Alam mo naman sa
States, di ba, ipapasyal ka dapat. Kung
hindi, wala. Hindi naman ako nagda-drive
doon, so parang talagang, anong gagawin
ko dito?
On January 4, two days after their
chance meeting on FaceTime, Rufa Mae
and Trevor were set up for a date.
52 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

She remembers preparing herself

well for the occasion: Naka-makeup ako.
Bago lahat ng damit ko, yong pang-date
na pang-America. Alam mo yong Notting
Hill ang dating.
Shes referring to the romance flick
Notting Hill, starring American actress
Julia Roberts as a movie idol who falls in
love with a bookshop owner played by
British actor Hugh Grant.
Rufa Mae goes on, describing her
outfit: May bonnet, turtleneck [top],
naka-boots. Pinaghandaan ko talaga,
yong babaeng-babae. And she
mentions Hollywood stars Jennifer
Aniston and Drew Barrymore as her
fashion pegs.
Trevor, on the other hand, was on
pins and needles. When she agreed to
meet, I was, like, having panic attacks.
But when I met her, I felt comfortable
with her, and thats not really normal,
cause Im a shy person.

They recall how their first date went

that night. For me, romantic, kasi nagprepare ako, umeffort ako, she maintains.
Nodding, he concurs: Yeah, it was a
little romantic for me. It was sweet
because, you know, I picked her up. Ive
never been on a date where I have to go
in the house [of my date] and meet the
people there and look for
She finishes his sentence: Parang
may mother, father.
He agrees: Yeah, like that.
She points out: Pilipina nga kasi ako.
He adds: You know, open the door
for her. And then we drove together. So
that time, its kinda were alone
She interjects: Parang ano nga,
Notting Hill.
He supplies more details: And then
we talked, and we had dinner, and we
met up with her friend Michelin. So, I
mean, it was a fun date for me, and I had
a good time. And I was really surprised

cover story rufa mae & trevor

While inside the bridal car en route to the

wedding venue, Rufa Mae bantered with her
bridesmaid Joyce Jimenez (left) and matron of honor
LJ Moreno (right), who both happen to be happily
married.
Since retiring from showbiz in 2008, Joyce has
settled down in the U.S. and is now known as Joyce
Reintegrado-Egbalic (Reintegrado being her real
maiden surname). She flew in to the Philippines just
to attend the wedding. LJ, on the other hand, tied
the knot with professional basketball player Jimmy
Alapag in 2010. They have two children: son Ian
Maximus and daughter Keona Skye.
LJ Moreno looked amused while watching her
two-year-old bundle of joy, Keona Skye.
The actress had her daughter four years into her
marriage with her husband Jimmy. The couple had earlier
adopted a son, Ian Maximus, when it seemed that LJ
couldnt get pregnant. But then, along came Keona.
Indeed, the little girl was the answer to LJs prayers.

Trevor escorted his attractive mother, Stephanie Lee,

an American of Chinese descent and the widow of
his Filipino-American father, Raymond Magallanes. The
bridegroom was all smiles as he reached his spot near the
altar and waited for his bride to arrive.
The flower girls provided a dose of cuteness to the
event: (L-R) Keona Skye Alapag, Russian Alijah
Salalila, Rhianna Angelica Roque, and Althea Juliana
Nicole Eduave. The boy with them is Bible bearer John
Mikyle Salalila.

Lovely bridesmaids (L-R) Joyce Jimenez, Shalani Soledad-Romulo, Camille

Villar, Grace Lee, and CJ Jaravata had a photo op with the similarly stunning
matron of honor, LJ Moreno, who carried in her arms her daughter Keona Skye.
Rufa Mae had worked on TV with five of her friends: with Joyce, in the sexy
drama series Subic Bay (2000); with Shalani, Camille, and Grace, in the game
show Wil Time Bigtime (2011-2013); and with LJ in the sitcom Kool Ka Lang
(1998-2003).
CJ, a childhood friend of the bride, has played roles in the TV shows
Lastikman (2007), I Heart Betty La Fea (2008), and Felina: Prinsesa ng mga
Pusa (2012). CJ and LJ are also best friends, and the two won in the reality-TV
competition Amazing Race Philippines: Season 1 in 2012.
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 53

cover story rufa mae & trevor

The radiant bride walked down the aisle to

the music of Beautiful in My Eyes, a love
ballad popularized by American singer-songwriter Joshua
Kadison. The first stanza of the song goes like this:
Youre my peace of mind
In this crazy world
Youre everything Ive tried to find
Your love is a pearl
Youre my Mona Lisa
Youre my rainbow skies
And my only prayer is that you realize
Youll always be beautiful in my eyes
In her post-wedding interview with YES!, Rufa Mae
confesses: Naiyak ako bago ako lumabas. Nakakaiyak pag
bago ka pumasok,tsaka parang nakaka-touch Pero pag
nandon na, wala, parang simple lang. Ganito pala feeling
ng kinakasal. Nakikita ko sila [the wedding entourage and
guests], kaya nga hindi ako naiyak, e!

Flanking the bride on the way to the altar are her

Mommy Fe and Kuya Archie, in this shot with their
backs to the camera.
54 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

cover story rufa mae & trevor

The grooms eyes welled up with tears while waiting for his bride at the altar.
Rufa Mae, on the other hand, looked cool and composed.
In the couples post-wedding interview with YES!, Trevor cant immediately
give an answer to our question of why he was so emotional that time. Its hard to
explain, he says after some pushing from his now-wife. I dont know, like, you wait
your whole life for that. And then you finally see its coming before you. Its so much
more than you expected, and youre in tears and overjoyed at the same time.
Abays Jean Garcia, Kyla Sy, and Patrizia Mae Quinto (photo below, L-R) wept
in happiness for the bride, their beloved P-Chi. Jean was a candle sponsor;
Kyla, a maid of honor; and Patrizia Mae, an honorary attendant of the bride and
groom.
Jean (bottom photo, third from left) was also spotted watching the ceremony
with heartfelt delight, along with fellow actresses Ai-Ai delas Alas (leftmost) and
Aiko Melendez (second from left), who were cord and veil sponsors, respectively.
The lady wiping away tears (bottom photo, rightmost) is Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) director general Charade Puno, who was a ninang.

by how open she was and how down-toearth she was cause, you know, as an
ordinary person you would think a
celebrity is, you know, you dont know
how theyre gonna act. But shes really
relatable and
She laughs: Yes!
He continues: So I was really
shocked, and it was a sweet evening for
me, yeah.
She seconds the motion: Ako din.
Rufa Mae giggles when the memory
of Trevor asking her questions na hirap
na hirap akong sagutin comes to her
mind. Examples: Whos your crush?
Whos your first love? Why youre here?
Talagang prangka, as in, she says,
her eyes widen in mixed disbelief and
delight. Parang I forgot for a while about
love life. Kasi, di ba, nagpa-heal ako ng ano
ko, ng operation, yong hematoma? So
parang to me, I wanna recover by myself
kaya ayaw ko munang makipag-date. Kasi,
gusto ko, gumaling muna ako. I mean,
yong health ko, maayos and everything.
She turns cautious as she looks back
on her past failed relationships. Kasi
ayokong maging madrama, tapos may
dyowa, tapos ida-drag ko lang siya sa
kadramahan ko. Or baka hindi mag-click
na naman, dahil nga mabigat nga yong
nararamdaman. Or hindi ako maka-focus
kasi nga Kaya yon din ang isang reason
why I dont wanna date because of the
health issue.
She snaps out of her kadramahan,
and thinks about how fast or slow she
answered Trevors queries. Di ba, I
answered for a short while? she asks him,
and then turns to us. A-answer ako nang
konti, tapos mga three days, Im still
answering. Hahaha! Kasi I cannot process
right away. Naging honest din ako. Tas
biglang, I remember now my answer. Sabi
ko, You know, jet lag, the weather, the
time zone
He interjects, grinning: Culture
shock, language barrier, alcohol
After their first date, they saw more
of each other, just hanging out and getting
to know each other more. She spent her
last night in the U.S. with Trevor and
some friends. At around 3 a.m. the
following day, January 9, 2016, the date of
her scheduled flight back to the
Philippines, they had become boyfriend
and girlfriend.
Trevor was then telling Rufa Mae:
When I go visit [you in the Philippines],
just save a day for me. Like, if youre busy,
its okay. But just one day.
And she replied: I love you, too.
He recalls what came to his mind
when she said those words: I was, like, I
just wanted a day to hang out and you can
show me around. Hahaha!
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 55

cover story rufa mae & trevor

Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista officiated

the civil wedding rites. At some point during
the ceremony, he told Rufa Mae and Trevor:
This marriage will bind you together for life,
in a relationship that is so close and intimate
it will greatly affect your entire future. The law
obliges you to live together, observe mutual
respect and fidelity, and render mutual help and
support.
After the reciting of vows, the groom
kissed the bride.

A natural-born comic, Rufa Mae couldnt help throwing punch lines and making
wisecracks while reciting her vows to Trevor. Consequently, she had everybody,
including herself, laughing during the supposedly solemn part of the ceremony.
She began her piece with a mild warning: I have a piece of kodigo, you know. I have
to write it down because, you know, my English is limited, yes.
And she ended with a sigh of relief: Diyos ko, pinagpawisan ako don.
She remained in a jovial and calm mood for the rest of the ceremony.
Right after the civil wedding rites, Pastor Leejay Teves (photo below, left),
together with Pastor Julius Fabregas (not in photo), both of the Makati City branch
of Victory Church, led in praying over the newlyweds.

56 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

cover story rufa mae & trevor

In her defense, she explains her

sudden declaration of amorous feelings:
I feel na he wants to say something, but he
couldnt say it, parang ganon. Ewan ko
kung Im just dizzy. Nakainom lang pala.
Hahaha!
Turning serious, she reveals that her
eyes welled up in tears when she told
him, I love you, too.
Sobrang iyak ako nang iyak hanggang
madaling-araw na, from three to five a.m.
Two hours na akong umiiyak. Parang iba
yong feeling. Iyak lang ako nang iyak
habang nagda-drive. Nasa car kami,
nagda-drive. Isipin mo yong view namin,
Golden Gate Bridge.
For his part, Trevor says he just let her
cry because he understood her.
Didnt he find her weird?
Ive always found her weird, he
responds, laughing.
Hindi daw ako boring, she chimes in,
grinning.
He shifts gears and declares: Shes,
like, my ideal girl, actually, to be honest.
So I was, like, she didnt do anything to
make me fall for her.

GETTING SERIOUS

Just hours after Rufa Mae and Trevor

officially became a romantic couple on
January 9, 2016, she returned home to
what she thought was a workload
waiting for her. It turned out that tapings
for her gag show Bubble Gang had been
postponed again. A few days later, she
flew back to the U.S. and was reunited
with her boyfriend.
Trevor drove his girlfriend about
200 miles east of San Francisco to show
her the picturesque Lake Tahoe, where
the states of California and Nevada meet,
and spend some relaxing time there.
Afterwards, he opened the doors of his
own place for her to stay in and
introduced her to his family and friends,
including his pet dog.
Dati, takot ako sa mga dogs, she
confesses. Tas biglang may dog siya.
Ako pa ang nag-alaga. I took care of
them.
While Trevor was at work, Rufa Mae
was left in his place with his dog. She
enjoyed waiting for him, yong parang
asawa, but after three weeks of being that
way, she woke up one day, asking herself,
What am I doing here? She decided she
didnt want their relationship to be just one
of those she had in the past, and she
wanted it to be for keeps.
That morning, she sent him a text
message, telling him exactly how she felt,
and ended it with this line: I think I
want a civil wedding.

A naughty grin appears on the

actresss bare yet still pretty face.
Suggestion lang naman, she says.
Hindi ko naman sinabing Will you
marry me? Hindi naman siya sumagot ng
Okay, Ill marry you. So, hindi naman
talaga nag-propose ako.
Also grinning, Trevor quips: And I
didnt say, I do, in fairness! Hahaha!
She replies on his behalf: He said,
Okay, when?
He admits getting overwhelmed by
her text message about wanting a civil
wedding.
I know I wanted to marry her, I
already knew. I just didnt expect that it
would happen, like, quickly. But if
thats what she wanted, you know, I
was willing to do it And I was, like,
strongly attracted to her, and I just
knew that shes a good person and
would be the perfect wife. I was
really excited because I knew, like,
I was ready.
A few days later, they applied for a
marriage license and planned a simple
wedding at the San Francisco city hall.
But when he broke the news to his
shocked family, his mother Stephanie
Lee offered to give them an engagement
party first and advised them to have a
proper wedding at a later date.
A day before their February 3
engagement party, Rufa Mae checked
out the venue, an Asian restaurant, and
saw Stephanie and her husband Lance
Dalton having lunch there and
finalizing the menu for their party.
So, sabi ko, Ay, seryoso! Naiyak ako.
Thank you, sabi ko. Napa-emote ako.
The engagement party went
smoothly. Soon afterwards, the showbiz
star made a quick trip back to her home
country. When she went back to her
fianc, they decided to travel together to
the Philippines. On April 23, Rufa Mae
made Trevors dream of coming to his
late fathers birth nation come true.
He accompanied her to her work
engagements, including the Liberal Party
campaign sorties for its presidential and
vice-presidential bets, Mar Roxas and
now incumbent Vice-President Leni
Robredo.
Nag-all-around-the-Philippines
kami dahil sa campaign, she says.
Gustong-gusto naman niya. Enjoy na
enjoy naman ako. Kahit saang probinsiya,
ka-join ko siya.
On May 28, Rufa Mae celebrated her
38th birthday. Four days later, Trevor
flew back to the U.S. Every day after that,
she would call him up to complain about
how badly she was feeling.

Vows

Rufa Maes wedding vows

I want to thank God for bringing us
today here. I always pray to have a
family of my own. Its a dream, and
now its a reality. Yes, my dream came
true. You gave your life, your
surname Yes. And the greatest love of
all, your love, and your fruit of love,
our little one Yes. [Laughs.] Though
she is not little anymore, our baby
Alexandria [pointing to her tummy],
very big na nga, o, like you, ayan!
Thank you for coming to the
Philippines to live your life here
Parang liham, no? [Laughs.] Thank you
for loving me, our daughter, my family,
and our countrymen Yes. Mabuhay
ang Pilipinas! [Laughs.]
I sometimes say, or act ano yon?
Or act crazy and have tantrums, saying
things that I regret cause I dont want
to hurt you, but my hormonal
changes Yes. Alam mo yon pag
buntis. I cannot help it, especially
when Im hungry and sleepy, so I just
want to say that thank you for being
patient, cause I believe that love is
patient and kindness Yes! And you
gave it to me and to all aray!
Ayan, thank you for that, and I
believe thats what love is all about.
Ano pa ba yon? I will do my best to the
highest level to make you a better man,
for whatever it takes, you feel me?
[Laughs.] Apir! Yes. So keep the faith
and patience, let me bring out the best
in you more and more, forevermore so
we can have the best marriage that
anyone could ever have. I love you.
tRevoRs vows
Just wanna say Babe, thank you as
well. You know that you said that I
sacrifice a lot for you, but I really It
was all worth it, and it was the best
decision Ive ever made. And I promise
that I would be the best husband that
you deserve, and that I can be the best
person to take care of our family, and
just want to make sure that youre
happy for the rest of your life.

>>> PAGE 61
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 57

cover story rufa mae & trevor

Flanking Trevors mother Stephanie Lee are her son Jesse Magallanes (left) and
her husband Lance Dalton.

Actor-director Cesar Montano, here applauding

during the wedding ceremony, was one of the
ninongs. In Manalo, Matalo, Mahal Kita, Cesars 1995
rom-com-action flick with Mikee Cojuangco, the
then-17-year-old showbiz newbie Rufa Mae Quinto
played a minor role. Two years later, Rufa Mae had
her launching movie, Gloria, Gloria, Labandera, and
four years after that, she had a big hit in the sex-laced
comedy Booba.
Cesar is currently the chief operating officer of
the Tourism Promotions Board, an agency attached to
the Department of Tourism.
Listening to Rufa Mae recite
her wedding vows apparently
reminded the people close to her of
how funny she is and how deserving
she is of the happiness that she now
has in her heart: (above photos, L-R)
bridesmaids Grace Lee and Camille
Villar; ninangs Wilma Galvante and
Charade Puno; and bridesmaid Shalani
Soledad-Romulo.
The newlyweds had the
traditional post-ceremony photo
op with their principal sponsors: (first
row, L-R) Jocelyn Garcia, Maria Cecilia
Suntay, Rosalinda Pimentel, Wilma
Galvante; (second row) Sara Solivende Guzman, Anna Grace Ponce, Charade
Puno; (third row, L-R) Leonides Pea,
Rodolfo Puno, Congressman Johnny
Pimentel of the second district of
Surigao del Sur, Cesar Montano, Atty.
Jesus Manuel Suntay, Gerald Aycardo,
and Domingo Fernando de Guzman.
Two of the principal sponsors,
movie and TV directors Joyce Bernal
and Dante Nico Garcia, were unable to
make it to the wedding.

58 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

VillaDelConte YESMB_0117.indd 1

12/12/16 6:42 PM

DAPHNE
OSEA - PAEZ

reveals the lessons she has learned

in life, love, design, style, and work.
With exclusive interviews with Ben Chan, Tina
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Kenneth Cobonpue, Chef Tonyboy Escalante,
and more

#CHICByDaphne is exclusively available at National

Book Store for P395.
Special thanks to Gingersnaps and Hi-Precision.

cover story rufa mae & trevor

The Celebration

As the newlyweds kissed, their loved ones made sure that

the romantic moment was captured by cellphone cameras.

Event stylist Teddy Manuel designed

a lavish setup for the couples 250
guests.
In his email interview with YES!, Teddy says he
had the venues ceiling (right photo) filled with
crystal chandeliers and crystal stands with swags of
fabric on the side, while a 10-foot ring served as the
backdrop for the newlyweds table, symbolizing their
infinite love for each other.
High and low table centerpiecesconsisting
of white and peach Ecuadorean roses, lithianthus,
carnations, tulips, hydras, and dendro orchids
adorned the presidential and regular tables (left
photo and inset). The presidential table was also
accentuated with gold candelabras and candleholders
made of capiz shell and crystal.

60 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

cover story rufa mae & trevor

The delectable
wedding cake,
decorated with colorful
flowers, was made by Rufa
Maes matron of honor, LJ
Moreno. LJ, whose real full
name is Lari Jeanne RicafortAlapag, has her own pastry
shop, The Lollicake Factory.
One of Trevors best men,
Charlie Lozano, brought the
champagne. Trevor considers
Charlie his best friend. He is
like a brother to me, Trevor
tells YES! And if it wasnt for
him, Rufa and I wouldnt have
met.

Super hangover, yong fatigue na

talagang pagod na pagod. I wanna throw up.
Dizzy, morning sickness. One week yata
akong umiiyak sa kanya. Aray ko, sabi ko,
my body sore. Im dizzy.
His reaction: I was, like, Oh, you need
to, you know, take a pregnancy test.
She sought the advice of her friends
LJ Moreno and Grace Lee, and her wedding
coordinator Teena Barretto, and they all
gave the same advice. She took the home
pregnancy test three times, and all the
results she found to be mali-mali, malabo,
because she got too excited and nervous.
On June 21, which happened to be the
birthday of her late grandmother Luchi and
her younger sister Kyla, she had a checkup
with her obstetrician, and the result was
positive: she was heavy with child.
She then happily broke the news to her
fianc, who got to be by her side on July 19,
and never left her again.

AND BABY WILL MAKE THREE

A big gift-wrapped box sits on the kitchen

counter of the loft-type condo unit in
Makati City that Rufa Mae bought years ago,
and which she now shares with her husband
Trevor. Its been nearly a month after their
November 25 wedding, and they meet with
YES! anew for a post-wedding interview.
Gift pa din, o! she says, sounding a bit
surprised, pointing to the box on the kitchen
counter. Tapos na ang kasal, accept pa din
nang accept ng gift! Hahaha!
Apart from the late delivery of presents
and the presence of wedding invitations and
giveaways, there was little evidence in the
condo unit of the hectic, frantic few months
that the couple had spent preparing for the
nuptials and entertaining Trevors family
members and close friends, who had
traveled all the way from the U.S. to
personally witness the couple exchange
marriage vows.
These days, Rufa Mae and Trevor are
busy preparing for the arrival of their first
child togethera girl, whom theyll name
Alexandria Bela. The baby, Rufas first, will
be Trevors second. He has a six-year-old
daughter from a previous relationship, and
the girl lives with her mother in the U.S.
The next birthing class for the parentsto-be has been set right after Christmas, and
their target date for the baby shower is end
of January. The first-time mom herself is
due to give birth on the last week of
February.
Ang laki na niya! she exclaims, as she
shows us the print of the 4D ultrasound
image of the fetus in her womb. Kaya
hingal na hingal na ko. Matangos ang ilong
Kaya masaya na ko sa buhay ko, kasi healthy
>>> PAGE 64
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 61

cover story rufa mae & trevor

The newlyweds had a photo op with

Amiel Paterno and Wendy Nguyen
(leftmost and second from left), the guests
who caught the wedding garter and the bridal
bouquet, respectively.

Holding hands with her

husband, Rufa Mae thanked
all those who came to their
special day.
She tells YES! that
Trevor and his mom were
helpful in running the show
on their wedding day: Yong
bandang huli, kami na lang ng
nanay niya yong nag-aayos.
Yong lalaki, bandang huli,
bumibitaw na. Nag-e-enjoy,
nakita ko, kasama ang mga
pinsan niyang lalaki. She
sounds more amused than
annoyed as she says this.

The guest list included actress Diana

Zubiri (second from left) and Dianas
husband, Andy Smith, a Filipino-Australian
model and businessman (leftmost). Just like
Rufa Mae, Diana was once part of the longrunning gag show Bubble Gang.

With a smile,
Stephanie Lee,
the grooms mother,
gave a speech in honor
of her bunso and her new
daughter-in-law.

The money dance netted a total of P50,000 for the

couple. May dollars, marami-raming dollars, Rufa Mae
says, grinning.
The dinner menu of Filipino dishes provided by Juan
Carlo The Caterer included (clockwise from top left)
pancit sotanghon, Seafood Bicol Express, kare-kare with
alamang, and lechong paksiw sa kawali.

Program hosts John Sweet Lapus

(left) and Eagle Riggs kept the guests
entertained. John worked with Rufa Mae in
several projects, notably the comedy flick
Masikip sa Dibdib: The Boobita Rose Story
(2004) and the entertainment TV program
Showbiz Central (2007-2012).

cover story rufa mae & trevor

Rufa Maes Kuya Archie has become a

father figure to her and her siblings since
their father died years ago.

The newlyweds smiled for the cameras with Rufa

Maes colleagues and friends (L-R) Chesca GarciaKramer, Antoinette Taus, LJ Moreno with son Ian Maximus,
Phoemela Baranda, Zhara Banal, CJ Jaravata, and Joyce
Jimenez.

While matron of
honor LJ Moreno was
giving a speech, her husband, top
basketball player Jimmy Alapag
(below), listened intently.
Ever since I got married [in
April 2010], part of my prayers
had been for P-Chi to find the man
that God has prepared for her,
LJ said. So Im very happy that
finally, this is it!

Shalani Soledad-Romulo came with her husband,

former Pasig City Representative Roman Romulo. The
former game show host had herself served as Valenzuela City
councilor for three terms, from 2004 to 2013.
Flanking the bride are her good friends and former
Bubble Gang castmates Diana Zubiri (left) and
Ara Mina.

Clifford Ponce, the brides cousin, is so

close to her that she chose him to be her
man of honor, the male counterpart of maid
of honor.
In his speech, Clifford recalled growing up
with Rufa Mae, whom he calls Ate P-Chi, and
their treating each other like siblings:
Ive had the opportunity to watch
Ate P-Chi mature, grow, and evolve into the
beautiful woman that sits before us today,
and I am honored not only to call Ate P-Chi my
cousin, but to call her my best friend.
She is driven, intelligent, kindhearted,
and the most selfless woman you will ever
meet. She puts effort and dedication into
everything she does, and I know Ate P-Chi
will approach her new role as a wife the same
exact way.
Clifford then addressed his now-cousinin-law: You are one lucky man, Trev. Thank
you for making Ate so incredibly happy. It
is with great comfort knowing she has a
man whos caring, loving, spontaneous, and
supportive by her side.
CJ Jaravata (left) and Phoemela
Baranda, who are both in modeling and
acting, played supporting roles in Rufa Maes
2013 starrer, Ang Huling Henya.

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 63

cover story rufa mae & trevor

Rufa Mae and Trevor had their first dance as

a married couple to the tune of Always and
Forever, by the 1970s R&B group Heatwave. The
songs chorus beautifully encapsulates how the
couple feel for each other:
Every day, love me your own special way
Melt all my heart away with a smile
Take time to tell me, you really care
And well share tomorrow, together
Ill always love you forever, forever.

The groom also danced with his mother, Stephanie Lee, who has been
supportive of the couples relationship from the start. She threw an
engagement party for them back in February 2016, when they had originally
planned on getting married in the U.S. She also led her family in traveling to the
Philippines to attend the wedding.
Rufa Mae was most touched by the attendance of Trevors family and friends
from the States. Ang supportive nila at tinanggap nila ako, she says. And hindi
naman sila kung sino-sino, respectable family sila. First time nila sa Philippines. At
may pamasahe, charot! Hahaha!

anak ko, kumpleto siya, at mailalabas na.

The couple have bigger plans after
Alexandria Bela, to be nicknamed Alexa
Mae, is born. Theyve decided to settle
down in the Philippines, so Rufa Mae can
continue her showbiz career, while
Trevor, who used to work as financial
analyst in the U.S., has already gotten job
offers in the Philippines. Theyve also
started looking into some business
ventures, including real estate.
Speaking of real estate, Rufa Mae is
bent on renovating her familys ancestral
home in Cubao, Quezon City. She and her
husband are also keen on moving out of
their condo and into a bigger house
hopefully, with five bedrooms
somewhere in Alabang, or in its
neighboring suburbs, or maybe up north.
On January 9, a full year after they
became boyfriend and girlfriend, Rufa Mae
had premature contractions that prompted
Trevor to bring her to the hospital. She took
to Instagram to relate what happened by
posting a photo of herself in her pink
hospital gown with this caption:
64 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Hold on baby
@alexandriamagallanes. Thank you my
loving husband @trevvvsilog for being
with us... in the hospital, you are the
greatest dad.. Ill tell our daughter that
when she gets older, I love you... we can
both get some fully nice resting. Sleeping
... knowing that our daughter and I are
safe and sound . Nasugod Kami ng anak
ko lastnight sa hospital , kwento ko more
details soon, nakaya namin lahat
sarap ng may minamahal, may
nagmamahal, lahat Kaya mo , lahat
Laban , anak mahal ka namin at
madaming abangers sayo so wait , 1 more
month , we will see you and the world
thank you

An hour later, she posted another

photo of herself on Instagram, a close-up
shot this time, and captioned it this way:
Ganito Pala maging Ina, kailangan
sobrang Tibayan at sobrang lakas ng loob
mo para mairaos mo ang anak mo sa Kung
ano ang test, Totoo ang kasabihan na you
are risking your life pag preggy , natakot
ako ninerbyos Pero bandang Huli... I told

myself, I have to be strong for my

daughter @alexandriamagallanes... sa
tulong ng asawa ko, naging mas madali
kanina naka recover kami agad ng anak
ko. Salamat daddy @trevvvsilog for being
with us the whole time. Our daughter will
be very proud of you! The best gift that
dad could ever give to her child is to be
there, give support + % . Sensya na sa
eksena kagabi .. hay salamat mister ko .
Ikaw na ang pinaka gwapong lalake para
sa Amin .. taga pag bantay ko
sensya
na sa selfie ko , may pinag daanan lang
Pero nakaraos na din.. konting Ubos
nalang ng swero, konting bed rest, 1
month nalang bago tayo pasabog ng
grasya.stay there , inside mama, Hold on ,
hold tight ... we love you! Grow some
more, kakain pa tayo madami na
yummy #everythingisoknow.
Remembering Rufa Maes beaming
face in our post-wedding interview while
talking glowingly about how excited she
and her husband are in having a baby, we
know for sure that Trevor is right:
Alexandria Bela is indeed a blessing.

Get style inspiration straight

from the stars!

Celebrity Homes Special 2016 is now available in

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cover story rufa mae & trevor

Days after the wedding, Mr.

and Mrs. Trevor Magallanes
tell YES! in an interview that
married life so far has made
them more relaxed than
before. Mas focused na kami
sa future naming dalawa at
ng anak namin, Rufa Mae
beams.
Shes due to give birth in
late February to a baby girl
who will be named Alexandria
Bela. She says they chose the
name Alexandria because
Cleopatra was born in
Alexandria in Egypt, referring
to the Egyptian ruler known
for her legendary beauty and
her love affairs with great
Roman statesmen Julius
Caesar and Mark Antony.
At saka ang daddy ko,
Alex ang pangalanAlexander
the Great, she laughs,
referring to the king of the
ancient Greek kingdom of
Macedon, now known as the
nation of Macedonia.
Your dads Alexander the
Great? Trevor quips, teasing
his wife.
Hindi, she lightheartedly
rebuts him. From there, King
Alexander. She turns to us.
So parang gusto ko yong
Alexandria, pero parang gusto
niyang lagyan ng Bela. Or Billy.
Sabi ko, Billy? Bela na lang.
Nakakalalaki yong Billy. Gusto
niya, Alexandria Bela, pero ang
nickname, Alexa Mae Ang
haba ng nickname! Hahaha!
Trevor gets her drift, and
laughs along.
And, to give a twist to the
popular saying, the couple
who laugh together, stay
together.

66 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

CRE8 YESMB_0117.indd 1

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wedding camille & VJ

Celebrity Wedding

Camille
&VJ
From Schoolmate
to Soulmate

68 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Love,

Both Camille and VJ are already

parents to loving sons, but they are in
no rush to add another child to their
brood. Their immediate priority, VJ
said, is to have a deeper relationship
together as husband and wife.
Blended family is how Camille
refers to her new family setup, since
it includes her son Nathan and VJs
son Ice. The actress says she wants to
form a solid foundation with her new
family first before adding another
child. Then, when we know for a
fact na O, okey na tayo, then we add
another one.

TEXT BY SHARA CAYETANO

INTERVIEW & addITIoNal
capTIoNs BY ANNA PINGOL
pHoTos BY NICE PRINT
PHOTOGRAPHY

Camille Prats says, looking at the man seated

next to her. Her lips break into a smile,
highlighting the tenderness in her eyes.
Love is what she calls the man beside her
her childhood friend and now-fianc,
businessman John Jerickson Yambao,
nicknamed VJ.
VJ, whose term of endearment for
Camille is Lovey, smiles back at her, and when
he does so, one thing becomes plain and
obvious: these two could not be more in love
with each other.
In an interview with YES! less than two
months before their wedding, the couple
share the story of their lovea love that began
within the four walls of a grade school
classroom but only blossomed years later,
when they were both adults deserving
another shot at love.
This is the story of how, as Camille puts it,
schoolmates turned into soulmates.
Simulan natin sa umpisang-umpisa, says
VJ. He recalls the first time they met, as
children, in a Grade 2 classroom at the OB
Montessori school in Sta. Ana, Manila. They
were seatmates, and though neither of them
knew it at the time, they had a crush on each
other.
Unfortunately for the young VJ, Camille
was frequently absent because of her showbiz
engagements. It was at around this time that
she was working on the film Sarah Ang
Munting Prinsesa, in which she played the
title role. The filman adaptation of the 1985
Japanese anime movie Princess Sarah, which
was itself based on the 1905 childrens novel
A Little Princess, by the English-American
writer Frances Hodgson Burnettwould go
on to become one of the most memorable
films in Camilles acting career.
Even back then, VJ was a gentleman who
would always lend Camille his things.
Kaya ko siya natandaan, Camille says,
still smiling,kasi nagpapahiram siya ng gamit.
Pag hihingi ka ng papel, bibigyan ka niya.
Nagpapahiram siya ng lapis.
Camille and VJ were schoolmates for two
years. But their friendship was cut short
when they were in Grade 4, because VJ and
his family moved to Cainta, Rizal.
And while VJ kept hearing of the actress
who used to be his Grade 2 crush, Camille
didnt hear of him again.
It was serendipity that would bring them
together, more than two decades later, in yet
another schoolthis time, the Divine Angels
Montessori of Cainta Inc. (DAMCI), which
describes itself on its website as a familyowned educational institution founded by its
President and School Directress, Ms. Camille
Prats-Linsangan.

wedding camille & VJ

The school, based in Cainta, Rizal, was

built in 2008, a time when change was
beginning to define Camilles life. That
same year, she became wife to Anthony
Linsangan and mother to Nathaniel Caesar
Linsangan, nicknamed Nathan.
VJ, on the other hand, also had a
young son with his then-girlfriend. The
boy, Isaiah, nicknamed Ice, happened to
be enrolled in Divine Angels Montessori.
During the schools moving-up
ceremony in 2009, Camille fulfilled her
duties as school directress by
congratulating each and every student,
as well as the parents who came with
their kids. But one parent in particular
stood out.
Tumatanggap ng certificate yong
bata, Yambao yong last name, Camille
recalls. Tapos, yong pumapanhik na
parent to accompany the childsabi ko,
Kahawig nito yong kaklase ko nong
Grade 2.
Sensing how weird she might sound
to her interviewer, Camille quickly
explains: I have very, very vivid
memories of my childhood. Even
classmates from nursery, pag nakita ko
yong itsura nila ngayon, hindi ko man
alam ang pangalan niya, alam ko kaklase
ko siya dati. Matatandaan ko.
Camille couldnt shake off the
feeling that the man was indeed one of
her old classmates. So when he came
back onstage, she gathered her courage
and asked him directly: Ikaw ba si John
Jerickson Yambao?
VJ, surprised that Camille not only
remembered his face but also his full
name, couldnt do anything but nod.
Yong mukha niya, sobrang shocked
lang, Camille recounts with a laugh.
Despite that serendipitous moment,
the childhood friends didnt reconnect at
that time, nor did they speak to each
other beyond polite his and hellos.
Eventually, as they did when they
were children, they parted ways again. VJ
uprooted himself from the country and
relocated to the U.S., where his dad was
based. Camille stayed in the Philippines
and continued to be a dutiful wife and
mother and a dedicated educator.
For a couple of years, all was well for
the young actress. But in 2011, tragedy
struck the Linsangan family when
Anthony, at the age of 31, succumbed
to throat cancer.
Widowed at 26, Camille decided that
she would focus on raising her son,
Nathan, who was then only three years
old. I was at that point in my life
wherein I wasnt really looking for a
relationship, she recalls. I was okay
with just having Nathan, with just having
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 69

wedding camille & VJ

70 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

wedding camille & VJ

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art

(LACMA) was one of the places that
the couple visited when Camille, on VJs
invitation, traveled to the U.S. in 2012.
VJ was still working as a nurse at
the time, but he went on leave from his
job to be Camilles tourist guide of sorts
during her U.S. visit. The former grade
school classmates found themselves
falling in love when they reconnected,
and in the next four years, VJ found
himself spending half of his time in the
Philippines and the other half in the
States. But when he finally formally
proposed to Camille in 2015, he knew
he had to come home to his mother
country.
Yong number one condition sa
kanya ng parents ko, Huwag mong
dadalhin [si Camille] sa Amerika, the
actress says with a laugh.
VJ, willing to do anything for the
girl of his dreams, packed his bags and
left the United States.

to work. Pero yong mag-relationship pa,

hindi ko siya priority.
But just when Camille least expected
to fall in love, VJ walked back into
her life.
The Internet played a role in the story
of their reconnection. In 2012, almost a
year after Anthony passed away, Camille
posted a status on one of her social media
accounts, and VJ left a comment that
amused her. That was when she realized
that she wanted to reconnect with this old
classmate, the one who always lent her pen
and paper, the one she used to have a crush
on. So she asked for his number, and the
next thing she knew, they were talking to
each other on a messaging app.
The classmates didnt run out of
things to talk about. They talked about
the old times. They talked about LeBron
James and basketball. They talked about
how their days went. They talked to
each other every day, for two months
straight, and in the middle of it all they
realized something: they were falling
for each other.
At the end of those two months, VJ
decided to try his luck. He invited
Camille to the Statesspecifically, in Los
Angeles, where he was based.
Sabi niya, may game si LeBron sa
States, manood daw kami, Camille tells
YES! Tapos, ako naman, parang, Ha?
Parang niyaya niya akong pumunta ng
Amerika.
Surprised as she was, the invitation
excited Camille. Not only would she get
to travel, but she would also get to meet
VJ again.
Feeling ko, it would be a nice thing
to do, to travel alone, tapos do whatever,
ganyan. Parang na-excite ako don sa idea.
Second to the fact na I was also excited to
meet him. Kasi, first time talaga namin
maghaharap nang face to face na close na
kami sa text. Alam mo yon? Close kami,
pero hindi talaga. It was actually a weird
kind of relationship, kasi yong feeling na
sobrang at ease na kayo sa isat isa pero
hindi mo naman siya physically kilala.
So she made up her mind: she would
go to the U.S. for two weeks, just before
the holidays. She began making plans
with U.S.-based friends and family. In
case she didnt click with VJ, she
thought, she would have other people to
spend time with.
But VJ had a totally different idea in
mind. Determined to make the most out
of Camilles visit, the guy took a twoweek leave from his job as a nurse so that
he could be with her.
Siyempre, he says, I had to take
the opportunity dahil andon siya, di ba?
Both VJ and Camille laugh as they

remember that time in their lives. In the

end, however, Camille didnt really need a
backup plan. She clicked with VJ the
moment she met up with him.
When we got to know each other,
I felt comfortable being with him. Very
maalaga din kasi siya, e, very maasikaso.
Tapos, he really made sure na he took
care of everything for me. Don ko talaga
nakita na napaka-sincere niya, saka yong
intentions niya, okey.
But though they enjoyed spending
time with each other, there was still a
question on both of their minds: What did
they mean to each other?
VJ says he was sure that he wanted to
be in a relationship with Camille:Sabi ko
sa sarili ko, hindi ko na palalampasin pa
ulit na I have this opportunity. I have to
grab this. Kasi dati, crush-crush lang.
Ngayon, totoo na. Nasa tamang edad
na tayo.
Ang goal niya pala, Camille
adds,hindi ako aalis ng Amerika nang
hindi kami. Parang ganon. He wanted to
get that assurance na hindi ako aalis don
nang hindi kami.
On December 1, 2012, VJ got the
assurance he wanted, as well as the girl of
his dreams.
Camilles two weeks in the States were
memorable for the couple, but those two
weeks werent really enough. Eventually,
they had to face the reality that they would
have to be in a long-distance relationship.
Nong umuwi na ako, Camille says,
napag-usapan namin na parang Sige,
lets work our way around this. Kasi,
siyempre, magkalayo kami, e.
As it turned out, distance would be the
least of their problems. Three months
after Camilles U.S. visit, VJ returned to the
Philippines to spend time with her and
introduce himself to her family. He stayed
for a whole year.
Camilled admits that the first year of
their relationship was a struggle for her
and VJ. Siyempre, the first year was the
most challenging for us, kasi the
adjustment was different.
Their biggest challenge had to do with
their respective sons. Since both Camille
and VJ had sons from different partners,
explaining the situation to the kids and to
the rest of their respective families wasnt
exactly a walk in the park.
It was already complicated on my
part, Camille says. I have a son, then I
chose someone who also has a son Ang
takot ng parents ko. Are you making the
right decision? Not even for myself but
for Nathan.
It came to a point when VJ and
Camille began to question whether staying
>>> PAGE 81
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 71

wedding camille & VJ

As early as two months after her engagement, Camille already

approached the talented designer Patricia Santos to create her
bridal gown. Patricia, according to a Philippine Daily Inquirer article, is
recognized for her passion for detail and exquisite craftsmanship.
The designer herself says on her Instagram page that she creates
elegant & feminine details that highlight a womans silhouette.
For Camilles wedding, Patricia came up with a beautifully
embroidered gown that had a mermaid silhouette and a sweetheart
neckline. Indeed, it was a breathtaking gown, but what stole the show
was the gowns detachable monarch trainwhich not only extended
several feet along the floor, but was also intricately embroidered.
The website brides.com describes a monarch train as one that
extends a yard or more on the floor. Its the most dramatic option and
often requires assistance from a flower girl.
Taken together, the gown and train were perfect for Camilleonce
the nations Princess Sarah, and now VJ Yambaos queen.

The bride, who is beautiful even without a touch of

makeup, shone even more on her wedding day with the
help of makeup artist to the stars Ting Duque. Ting has
done work for clients such as Liza Soberano and Bea
Alonzo, so there was no doubt about her skills. On the day
Camille Prats became Camille Prats-Yambao, her face
glowed with loveand with Tings work.

Even the robe that

Camille wore while
she was being prepped up by
her stylist and makeup artist
was a pretty sight. The lace
sleeves and the calligraphy
on the back would have made
any bride want something
similar. The robe must have
been such a delight to wear,
since Camille reviewed her
wedding vows (above) while
still dressed in it.
72 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

wedding camille & VJ

The couple steered

away from traditional
gold bands, opting for a
silver set. VJs wedding ring
appears to be plain, while
Camilles is set with several
heartshaped diamonds.
The ring in the middle, which
features a single diamond, is
the engagement ring that VJ
gave Camille in July 2015.

One of VJs special cufflinks carried

this inspirational phrase: Forever
and Always.

Camilles Kuya John

Pratshere helping
the groom with his bowtie
and VJ were already close even
before they became brothers
inlaw. In fact, John was one of
the first people to know that
VJ was planning to propose to
Camille, and when the wedding
was in the works, VJ got John to
be his best man.

It was VJs turn to help with a bowtiethe one worn by Ice, VJs
12yearold son from a previous relationship. In a way, it was Ice
who brought his dad and his nowstepmom together, since it was at the
boys movingup ceremony at the Divine Angels Montessori school that
childhood friends Camille and VJ first met again.
VJ wore a
metallic gray
Carina Canlas suit at his
wedding. Smaller versions
of the suit were also made
for VJs son Ice and Camilles
son Nathan, so that the look
of father and sons would
match at the ceremony.
After he got dressed,
the businessman read a
handwritten note from
Camille. The note came
with a box containing a
brandnew Rolex watch.

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 73

wedding camille & VJ

Mother and son look so happy: they feel

that theyve found happily ever after
the second time around, this time as
Yambaos.
Even at the beginning of her
relationship with VJ, Camille had been
thinking of her son Nathan. She admits
that when she lost her first husband,
Anthony Linsangan, she wanted to
focus solely on raising their young son.
When she became VJs girlfriend, one of
the struggles she had to go through was
how to explain her situation to Nathan.
Over time, VJ and Nathan grew closer,
and Camille saw one of the best things
about VJ: that he loved not only her, but
Nathan as well.

74 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

wedding camille & VJ

Camille shrieked and beamed

when she received a gift from VJ:
an elegant diamond cross pendant.

Camille (in white) had a photo souvenir taken with her pretty-in-pink entourage: (front
row, seated L-R) Patty Yap, Katrina Raymundo-Banguis, and Sarah Abad-Contreras;
(back row) Pauleen Luna-Sotto, Kaye Abad-Castillo, Isabel Oli-Prats, Naomi Prats, Kaye
Esguerra-Prats, Danica Quiambao, Ginger Serranilla, Dr. Janelle Salazar, and Kat Corpus.

VJ and his son Isaiah, aka Ice (on the

stairway landing), posed with the
grooms entourage: (top to bottom, starting
from top right) man of honor Jet Tablante;
groomsmen Nicole Maristela, Marvin Vicedo,
Joseph Banguis, and Carlo Prats; best man
John Prats; groomsman Benjamin Santos;
and groomsmen Raffy Prats, Benedict Santos,
Joshua Paz, and Glen Castelo.
Members of VJs entourage had a kilig
moment when they saw VJ receive
Camilles gift, a new Rolex watch, and when
they heard VJ read Camilles message.

76 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

wedding camille & VJ

Camillehere
with her Lola
Ester Quiambao, her
maternal grandma
is a certified Lolas
girl.

The bride joined members of her family for a portrait shoot: (L-R) Carlo, Carlos wife Kaycelyn and daughter Noelle,
Naomi, dad Daniel (nicknamed Dondie), mom Alma, Raffy, Camilles son Nathan Linsangan, Isabel and daughter
Lilly Feather, and Isabels husband John.
The groom VJ (second from left) had his own photo op with his family: (L-R) younger brother Benedict Santos, mom
Victoria, son Ice, and youngest brother Benjamin Santos.

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 77

wedding camille & VJ

Camille was not the first Prats to get married at the

vacation resort that the Prats family owns. Back in
May 2015, her Kuya John tied the knot with his longtime
girlfriend Isabel Oli (left photo, above) in the same venue.
Since then, John and Isabels family have grownthey
now have a nine-month-old daughter named Lilly Feather.
Thats the baby in Johns arms (left photo, below). She
looks just like a cherub!
Sam Milby, in
a simple white
button-down, is a good
friend of both John and
Camille. He was the best
man at Johns wedding
to Isabel back in 2015.

One of the most touching

moments of the wedding
was when Camilles then-eightyear-old son Nathan walked
down the aisle right before she
did. He held a sign that said:
Happily ever after starts here.
Nathan turned nine on
January 24, 2017.

The bride walked down the aisle to the

tune of Pangarap Ko ang Ibigin Ka
sung live at the wedding by none other
than Ogie Alcasid (not in photo).
VJ struggled to stay composed
as the love of his life walked down the
aisle to become his wife.

78 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Kaye Abad got married the

month before Camilles
weddingto former Pinoy Big
Brother housemate Paul Jake
Castillo. The ceremony, which was
held in Cebu on December 9, 2016,
was also attended by Camille and VJ.
As kids, Kaye and Camille
worked together in the ABS-CBN
youth-oriented variety show Ang TV.

wedding camille & VJ

The brides parents were a picture of joy when

they reached the end of the aisle. Mr. Prats
got emotional as he gave his daughter away for the
second time, and as he gained another son in VJ.
Before the wedding ceremony began, Camilles
dad embraced his daughter and his new son.
VJ and Ice also welcomed Nathan to the family with
hugs.
Showbiz ninangs (L-R) Sherilyn Reyes-Tan,
Suzi Abrera, and Yayo Aguila couldnt look
any happier for their good friend Camille.
Sherilyn and Yayo, together with Pauleen
Luna (not in photo), are part of the brides barkada,
called Pinkies.
Suzi is Camilles co-host on the nightly talk
show MARS, aired on the GMA News TV cable
channel. That shows title, incidentally, is Tagalog
slang for mare or kumare. Now, Suzi and Camille are
not just magkumare, but also magninang.

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 79

wedding camille & VJ

Wedding Venue

The Proposal
DATE
JULY 18, 2015
VENUE
NAYOMI SANCTUARY RESORT
BALETE, BATANGAS
For months, VJ had wanted to ask
Camille to be his wife. But before he
could do that, first he had to go the
traditional route: ask her dad for her
hand in marriage.
The traditional pamamanhikan
happened on the farm inside the Nayomi
Sanctuary Resort, the Prats vacation
resort in Batangas. Left alone with
Camilles dad Daniel, VJ gathered all of
his courage and spoke to his prospective
father-in-law. Sabi ko, Dad, may
sasabihin po sana ako sa inyo. Gusto
ko po sanang kunin yong kamay ni
Camille.
VJ recalls that Camilles father
turned quiet. Medyo kinabahan ako,
the businessman admits.
But as it turned out, he had nothing
to worry about. Mr. Prats only had one
request: that VJ take care of Camille.
He remembers well his future biyenans
words: Alam ko naman na don kayo
pupunta. Basta alagaan mo lang si
Camille. Alam ko na ikaw naman din
makakatuluyan niya. Ako na bahala kay
Mommy.
(By Mommy, Mr. Prats meant
Camilles mom Alma.)
Months later, in that very same
resort, VJ finally proposed to the love of
his life. The formal proposal was made
in a surprise event for which VJ had
enlisted the help of Camilles family and
closest friendsa surprise touch that left
the actress teary-eyed.
Surrounded by the people who love
her most, she said yes.
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wedding camille & VJ

The afternoon ceremony took place in a garden inside the Prats-owned Nayomi Sanctuary Resort.
Event stylist and florist Gideon Hermosa transformed the empty garden into an exquisite space
reminiscent of a white cathedral, complete with chandeliers and arched windows. He also styled
the reception venue and all the flowers used in the wedding.
In an Instagram post, Camille thanked her fairy godmother Gideon for the hard work he put
into her fairytale wedding:
My dear @gideonhermosa , thank you for making our dream wedding happen. Your fairy
godmother skills definitely whipped up something that left us and our guests in awe of the
beauty you have brought into being.
It was way beyond what we have imagined. the ceremony set up was just gorgeous,
matched with a great weather, it was definitely a perfect day to be married.
More than anything, we are grateful for the friendship we have built the past year during
our wedding planning. we are beyond grateful Gids! thaaaaaank you!
#Gideonized.
#YambaosTakeVows.

with each other was the right thing to do.

We were both asking each other na parang
Itutuloy ba natin to? Paninindigan ba natin
to? Kasi, more than anything, siyempre
yong priority namin pareho was to make
sure that we are not actually hurting other
people that we love, most especially
our sons.
But the couple kept the promise they
made to each other at the beginning of their
relationship: that they would make it work.
So they took things slow, and they made it
their priority to explain the situation to
their kids.
Camille, especially, had to break the
news to her son Nathan slowly, since he
was only five years old then.
Pag nagfe-FaceTime [video call] kami
ni VJ, pinapakilala ko siya kay Nathan
Siyempre, it was hard to explain, di ba? Ang
intindi niya kasi, once you get married, you
can never get married again. So, ang iniisip
niya, Sino to? Di ba? Sino yan? So sabi ko,
Thats Tito VJ, thats my friend. Nong
umuwi na si VJ, ganon lang din. Pag
nandiyan si Nathan, we were acting like we
were friends, hanggang sa unti-unti, naging
close sila ni Nathan.
VJ, on the other hand, had it a little
easier, since his son Ice already knew
Camille as the directress of Divine Angels
Montessori. So it was only a matter of
sitting Ice down and explaining the
situation to him.
Pinlano namin na to take him out one
night, na kaming tatlo lang, dahan-dahan,
Camille says. Tapos, nong okey na, don
namin sinama si Nathan, silang dalawa
naman yong nag-meet.
Nathan and Ice hit it off almost
immediately, to Camille and VJs relief.
Sobrang okey sila, Camille says. Its a
blessing for us na magkasundo sila.
With their concerns about the kids
resolved, VJ was finally free to pop the
question. With the blessing of Camilles
parents, he organized a surprise proposal
at the Prats-owned Nayomi Sanctuary
Resort in Batangas City. On the day of the
event, VJ told Nathan about his plan to
propose to Camille.
Nathan kept the secret from his mom.
Hours later, VJ Yambao knelt down on
one knee and asked Camille and Nathan to
become his family.
With teary eyes, both mother and son
said yes.
This is the story of a love that began
within the four walls of a classroom, but
didnt truly blossom until the moment was
right. The story of how old schoolmates
found each other and became soulmates.
The story of how a family began.
This is the story of the Yambaos.
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 81

wedding camille & VJ

CAPTION

Camilles Vows
Hi, love, after months and years of
being apart, dumating na din ang araw
na pinakahihintay natin. Sa mga
panahon na hindi tayo magkasama,
walang araw na hindi ko inisip ang
pagdating ng araw na ito. Ang araw na
hindi na tayo muling maghihiwalay pa.
We are now standing together infront
of God and all who are dear to us,
proving our unwavering love for each
other [that] not even the hardship of
distance can break. Through you, God
has shown His amazing love for me,
you are the man I have prayed for and
more. And I am beyond blessed to be
here with you as I vow to be your
partner for all the days to come.
Thank you for always putting me
first, for always looking after my own
happiness and comfort before yours,
for loving me with all my flaws and
imperfections, most of all, I am grateful
for the love you give to Nathan. You are
truly an answered prayer not only for
me but more so for him. Because of you,
I am a firm believer of second chances,
destiny and fate.
From this day on, I commit myself
to loving you. Your strengths and
weaknesses, your highs and lows, your
best and worst. Your toyo and
everything else in between. I commit
myself to always choose to love you
especially during the days when I find it
hard to. From now on, you will never go
through life alone, I promise to always
be by your side in times of need and
trouble, success and failures. I will be
your best friend, your travel buddy,
partner in crime, sound critic and
forever buddy.
I promise to always try to be the
best wife that I can be for you, to look
after your needs before mine, and to be
the best mother to our children.
Making you happy will be my everyday
mission. All these promises I can only
fulfill through the grace of God upon
me, coz without Him, I am nothing.
And only through his love and guidance
can we continue to love and accept
each other with all our imperfections.
I promise to selflessly and fiercely
love you in all your forms, and no
matter what challenges might carry us
apart, we will always find our way back
to each other.
82 YES! F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

VJ and Camille actually got married in the

morning in a simple church ceremony with only
a few witnesses. But the wedding traditions
were incorporated in the afternoon garden
ceremony at Nayomi Sanctuary Resort. The
wedding cord, by the way, was commissioned
from jewelry maker MAU Designs, which makes
rosary wedding cords, aside from jewelry pieces.
The couple also had custom unity coins, or
arrhae, aka aras (not in photo), made for them
by Jigs and Clays. Aras is defined by the Vicassan
Pilipino-English Dictionary as the traditional
gift of thirteen pieces of coins given by the
bridegroom to his bride.

wedding camille & VJ

VJs Vows

Finally, Mr. and Mrs. Yambao! The excited newlyweds faced their
cheering guests for a few moments, and then VJ lifted the veil and
kissed his bride.

I remember when I was praying to

God, I asked Him to give me the ideal
wife for me. Simple lang naman ang
hiling ko, yung taong mamahalin ako
habang buhay.
Naalala ko pa dati nung mga bata
pa tayo sa classroom, magkatabet
naguusap. Sa playground naman
masayang naglalaro. Sa harapan ng
ating pamilya, mga kaibigan at lahat ng
nagmamahal sa atin, sino bang
magaakala na ngayon kaharap na kita
sa altar? I never imagined that God
would give me someone more than I
prayed for.
We both know that our
relationship went through trials and
hardships. The start was extra hard
specially when it seems that everyone
was trying to put us down. But you
stood by my side and fought for our
love. Just like the saying goes, what is
meant to be will always find a way no
matter what.
I thank you for always being so
understanding and patient with me
whenever I get moody and irritated
quickly sometimes. Aaminin ko na, ako
talaga ang may TOYO sa ating dalawa.
I appreciate you for being the first
person to laugh on my nonsense jokes.
I appreciate you because you treat
my son, Ice, as your own.
I take you as you are now, and who
you will become. I promise to listen to
you and learn from you, to always
support you and accept your support.
I vow to love you, encourage you,
trust you and respect you. I promise to
be your biggest and number one fan.
I vow not just to grow old together
but also grow together.
I will love you faithfully through
the difficult and easy.
I promise to be the best father to
Nathan, Ice and to our future children.
I promise to have Christ to be in
the center of our relationship.
I will always be there because I
gave you my hand to hold, so therefore
I give you my life to keep.
Mahal na mahal kita.

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 83

wedding camille & VJ

The couple posed for the requisite altar photo, which, in

this case, featured a backdrop of delicate white flowers
descending from the ceiling. Guests celebrated the new
union by lighting sparklers and illuminating the way for
the couple as they walked down the aisle. With such a
warm, romantic ambiance, the couple couldnt help but
kiss one more time.

It appears as if
Camille is wearing
a different dress in
this twilight photo.
But in reality, she
only took off the veil,
sleeves, and train of
her wedding gown.
This shot was taken
as the newlyweds
strolled down to the
reception venue,
which was only a
short walk away.

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wedding camille & VJ

The newlyweds with the ninangs: (L-R) Irene Quimson, Alice Tiletile, Maricel Prats-San Diego, Sherilyn
Reyes-Tan, Edna Serranilla, Yayo Aguila, Suzi Abrera, and Lilybeth Rasonable.

With the
ninongs:
(L-R) Renie
Quiambao, Rod
Pangilinan, Gil
Navelgas, Nelson
Mendoza, Engineer
Ferdinand Monakil,
Saturnino Belen
Jr., Atty. Eugenio
Soyao, Erick
Liwanag, Martin
Gabriel Tinio, and
Philip Secosana.

And with the

bridesmaids
and groomsmen:
(L-R) Danica
Quiambao, Patty
Yap, Kat Corpus,
Dr. Janelle Salazar,
Sarah AbadContreras, Apple
Mapua, Pauleen
Luna-Sotto, Benedict
Santos, Glen Castelo,
Benjamin Santos,
Joshua Paz, Marvin
Vicedo, and Raffy
Prats.

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 85

wedding camille & VJ

Celebration

Since the reception started at sundown, the reception venue needed to be

well-lit. This was achieved by stringing thousands of fairy lights across the
ceiling, as well as by adding several ornate chandeliers. The flowers hanging from
the ceiling also matched the ones used for the outdoor ceremony.

The entrance to the reception tent was

straight out of a dream. Florist Gideon
Hermosa went all out with the flowers, covering the
entirety of the arches for an ethereal look. Warm lighting
from the chandeliers made for a truly romantic look.
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wedding camille & VJ

Minimal styling was done on the

tables so that their look would not
compete with the ceiling decor. The use of
ghost chairs and white tablecloths made
for an aesthetically pleasing setup that still
allowed the ceiling to be the focal point of
the venue. (A ghost chair, according to the
wisegeek.net website, is any type of chair
made from a transparent material.)

No reception
would be
complete without dancing.
The wedding couple
made sure to have a space
dedicated to grooving and
moving, complete with
its own lights and sound
system.

These ceramic coffee tumblers

were provided by InstaMUG,
which specializes in personalized
items and giveaways. The company
said in an Instagram post that Camille
chose to give away mugs since she is
a coffee lover. The company added:
She also is the one who gave us these
quotes to print on each tumbler.
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 YES! 87

wedding camille & VJ

Camille got her kabarkada Pauleen Luna-Sotto to

be one of the secondary sponsors. Pauleen gave the
camera a quick smile in the middle of the festivities.
Camilles younger sister Naomi cried as she read
her wedding message to her ate. Shes very
spoiled with me, Camille told us via Viber. We hang
out a lot and we are like best friends. We sleep beside
each other and were inseparable. Naiyak din ako kasi
now that Im married, it means I wont be sleeping next
to her anymore...Moving out also from our family home.
Sobrang mami-miss ko sila.

The six-tiered butter-flavored lantern cake, with its delicate

piping, was a sight to behold. Bethany Dream Cakes, the
supplier, says that the design of the cake was inspired by Camilles
gown. Over 2,000 sugar flowers are cascading towards the
bottom tier of the cake, the cake supplier explains in an
Instagram post.
At the
reception,
YouTube sensation
Moira dela Torre
sang covers of
the couples
favorite songs
Say You Wont
Let Go, Closer,
and Something I
Need, to name a
few.
Camille says
Moiras presence
at their wedding
was a gift from her
friend Sam Milby.
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wedding camille & VJ

To end the night, the Yambaos

Nathan and Ice included!
treated their guests to a special dance
number. The family danced to Justin
Timberlakes Cant Stop the Feeling,
which they rehearsed only a few days
before the wedding.
Camille and VJ tell YES! that
they were very grateful that their
sons Nathan and Ice get along
despite the boys four-year gap. In an
Instagram post, Camille talks more
about her sons: The little grooms.
Yes we are a blended family.
There is nothing Vj and I ever hoped
for but for our 2 boys to get along.
Ever since they met they instantly
clicked, always looking for one
another, playing and taking care of
each other. They found a brother in
each other. God is truly amazing.
#YambaosTakeVows.

The bride
had a special
dance with two of
the most important
men in her life: her
husband and her
father. Camille
admits to YES! that
there was a time
her parents really
didnt like VJ. But
when they got to
spend time with
him during a family
holiday in the
U.S., her parents
softened towards
the guy. Her dad
was the one who
told her mom that
VJ wanted to marry
Camille.

Wedding
Suppliers
Coordinator: Christine Ong Te Events
Photos & Videos: Nice Print
Florist & Event Styling: Gideon Hermosa
Makeup: Ting Duque
Hair: Chris Rodil
Bridal Gown: Patricia Santos
Grooms suit: Carina Canlas
Bridesmaids and Groomsmen ensemble: Kat
Corpus
Gowns of Secondary Sponsors & Maids of
Honor: Celline Bautista
Entourange and Bridal Robes: Niya Gabriella
Bridal and Grooms Entourages shoes:
Converse.
Catering: Juan Carlo The Caterer
Lights: LST Mobile
Sounds: Ignite Pro
Invitation Design: PaperCat
Invitation Printing: Print Divas
Cake: Bethany Dream Cakes
Souvenirs for principal sponsors: Print Divas &
VMV Hypoallergenics

wedding camille & VJ

The Prenup Shoot

DATE
AUGUST 2016
VENUE
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

Camille, on why she fell for VJ:

Very maalaga din kasi
siya, e, very maasikaso.
Tapos, he really made sure
na he took care of everything
for me. Don ko talaga nakita
na napaka-sincere niya, saka
yong intentions niya, okey.

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wedding camille & VJ

Camille and VJ are both into basketball. Specifically,

they are fans of LeBron James, a player for the
Cleveland Cavaliers, a team in the National Basketball
Association (NBA), the U.S. professional basketball league.
Camille and VJs love for the sport (and the sportsman)
was one of the reasons they clicked so much in their online
conversations. And VJ actually invited Camille to the U.S. by
suggesting that they watch a LeBron game live.

This photo was taken at the Los Angeles County

Museum of Art (LACMA), which is known for its
Urban Light art installation. Lit up in 2008, Urban Light is
composed of 202 antique street lamps from the early 20th
century. The popular installation was featured in the 2011
Hollywood film No Strings Attached, which stars Natalie
Portman and Ashton Kutcher.

The beautiful
Santa Monica
beach served as one
of the locations for
Camille and VJs
California prenup
shoot. California
is the state where
VJ used to live, and
where he met up
with Camille after
they reconnected.
During Camilles
first visit, VJ would
drive 60 miles
from his home in
Anaheim to Granada
Hills, a suburban
community in Los
Angeles, where
Camille was staying.
The actress
recalls those days:
Dulo-dulo talaga,
medyo malayo.
Tapos, uuwi si VJ
ng one a.m. Seven
a.m., nasa bahay na
siya ulit. Walang joke
yan, a!
If that isnt
dedication, we dont
know what is!

The couplehere at Griffith Observatory in LAadmit to YES! that even

after four years of dating, they are still OA (overacting) around each
other.
But what exactly do they mean by OA?
Kailangan, lagi kaming magkasama, VJ says. We make up [for lost
time].
Since VJ was based in the U.S., his relationship with Camille started out as
a long-distance thing. After three months, he went home to the Philippines for
a year to spend time with the actress. But even that didnt seem enough.
Camille explains: We really try to make the most of the time that we are
together. Kasi, practically four years that we are together, parang kalahati non
hindi kami magkasama. So, OA talaga kami.
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wedding camille & VJ

Camille explains that she

was drawn to VJ when
they saw each other
again because they were
childhood friends:
Its important for
me that I somehow know
who you are, where you
came from, who your
friends are, yong ganon?
So nong nalaman ko na
kaklase ko siya, parang
feeling ko, yon yong plus
point niya. Kasi, feeling
ko, I know him from way
back. Yon yong parang
kinakapitan ko.

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