Carla Abellana and Tom Rodriguez say living together helped them as a couple

For some couples, living together before marriage is not something they are in favor of because it opposes traditional Filipino values.

However, for the newly-engaged couple Carla Abellana and Tom Rodriguez, it was a game-changer because it helped them so much in learning about each other and also prepared them before officially settling down.

Speaking to GMANetwork.com, Carla shared, "It's sharing the most basic, definitely, sharing household responsibilities, taking over stuff that you do better than your partner lalo na if it's something na mas sanay ka o mas magaling ka in doing."

Carla feels lucky to spend most of the time with Tom during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The actor moved into her place right before the lockdown. According to her, it was like a test for them which, she said, they passed.

She continued, "Marami akong natutunan about Tom during the lockdown but, thankfully ,we both step up.

"He shared in the work, partnership talaga kami, and nakaya niya.

"Kayang-kaya ni Tom and because of the anxiety, lahat naman tayo naging anxious during the lockdown, we had a lot of arguments but we pulled through, we managed.

"Inayos namin and we learned more about each other even about ourselves.

"At the end of the day, we have to resolve issues kasi we only have each other and, yeah, thankfully, we passed the test.

"Okay naman so malaking sign 'yung test sa relationship namin.

"At least now we know how to work around circumstances like that, then we are confident to say that we can face anything and everything na from now on."

For Tom, living with Carla has helped him value his commitment to her even more.

He said, "There are good days and bad days. Sometimes, it's a tunnel vision na you're in that state, kunwari, life is a spectrum e. It's a rollercoaster ride, it's not all highs, it's not all lows.

"Sometimes, at one point of the ride, that's all that you can think about so it's really keeping things in perspective and honoring that commitment to each other and prioritizing it na hindi 'yun forever.

"If you guys, are going through a problem or hindi pagkakaintindihan, you guys have to work it out para ma-experience n'yo 'yung buong ride."

Tom honoring Carla's family

In the seven years of being together, Tom has developed a huge respect for Carla as well as for her family.

For him, popping the question in front of the actress' family is the best setup and right time to formally ask her hand in marriage.

Tom recalled, "Even pre-pandemic, I already had intentions to propose and it was always cut short.

"I have my fears and anxieties on what's going on in the world if I was ready financially [or if I was ready to build] a family that's why we didn't announce the proposal yet because of the pandemic.

"But now, since there is a resurgence again [in cases], we decided na wala pala [dapat ikatakot].

"The lesson was if you try to wait for the right time lagi, it may never come because [when] is the right time if it's not something you feel inherently.

"Your intuition talaga will tell you and I honestly said during the time of pandemic and all sabi ko, I would never propose even if Carla said she wanted a pandemic wedding when we talked about it as a joke.

"Pero I just woke up one day and boom, I knew. I knew it was the right time.

"There was no fear involved siguro it was the most lucid moment I've ever had.

"I couldn't have chosen a better setup than her mom's house with her family.

"There's no pretensions, we're not trying to put something on."

Carla and Tom announced their engagement on March 21, 2021, five months after it actually happened.

They became an official couple in 2014, when they were paired in their second TV series titled My Destiny.

Now that they are set to exchange "I Dos" soon, here is "TomCar's" relationship timeline to refresh your memory to where it all started.