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Jolina Magdangal never would have thought that she’d say this almost seven years ago; it wasn’t love at first sight, after all.
Is Bebong The One? “Oo.” Jolina Magdangal never would have thought that she’d say this almost seven years ago, when Boy Abunda introduced her to Bebong Muñoz. It wasn’t love at first sight, after all. Text by Jillian Q. Gatcheco. Photos by Mitch S. Mauricio. “Ilang months na puro phone lang muna, hindi kami nagkikita, tapos finally, nagpunta siya ng ASAP. Nasa ASAP pa ako noon. Tapos nakita ko, ang tangkad! Tapos parang nailang lang ako, ‘Ay, ang tangkad pala nito!’ Tapos ayun, ligaw-ligaw, tapos parang na-turn down ko dahil feeling ko, nagkikilalanan pa lang kami, (at) nasulat na kami kay Ricky Lo (in The Philippine Star), na kami na! Hindi blind item, talagang sabi na kami na, two months na daw. Eh ingat na ingat ako nung time na ‘yun, ayokong nalalaman na mayroon akong boyfriend. Pero hindi ko pa siya boyfriend noong time na ‘yun, so parang nailang ako,” Jolina reveals. Bebong’s “ligaw style” apparently suited Jolina’s taste, because the two officially became a couple in 2001. “Hindi niya ako trinatong artista. Trinatrato niya talaga akong normal lang na nililigawan, nagkakaroon ng boyfriend, pag may mali ako, talagang sinasabi niya. ‘Yung iba, bobolahin ka, tapos itatrato kang prinsesa, kasi artista ka. Siya hindi!” She continues, “Si Bebong kasi, may times na sobrang kulit, ‘yung talagang tatawag palagi, magte-text palagi, pero biglang mawawala, so parang mamimiss mo siya. Mayroon siyang mga moments na ganoon.” But Jolina knew right from the start that her boyfriend would leave in a year to pursue further studies in New York. Long distance relationships work! “Bago ko naman siya sinagot, alam ko naman na aalis siya, eh,” Jolina admits. “Aalis siya sa susunod na taon. Pero, sabi ko, tingnan natin, baka naman okay din. Tapos noong paalis na nga siya, maraming (nagsasabi sa akin), ‘Naku, hindi magtatagal ‘yan, papakilala na lang kita sa iba!’ (May) mga ganoong tao, tapos sasabihin nila, ‘O, may kakilala ako (na long distance relationship), wala na (sila), ganyan ganyan...Wag mo sayangin buhay mo...’” Jolina was frank enough to admit that she felt scared and unsure of her future with Bebong while he was based abroad. “Sa pagitan ng long distance (relationship) namin, nagkakaroon talaga ako ng takot, at sobrang lungkot. Pero ang nakakatuwa, hindi niya ako pinapabayaan kahit napakalayo niya.” Bebong and Jolina kept in touch all throughout his stay in New York, which lasted for about four years. “Lahat! Cell phone, call, text, webcam, chat, email, lahat yata, kulang na lang, telegrama kung pupwede pa!” Jolina recalls with a laugh, when she told us about how she and Bebong kept in touch. You’d think that the two missed out on Valentine’s within those four years, but no, they also found a way! With the help of a handy webcam, they clinked wine glasses and chatted live while viewing each other’s video streaming! How sweet (and creative) is that? Bebong’s dad also personally delivered packages to Jolina every now and then. “Pinapadalhan niya ako ng flowers and teddy bears, and kung ano-ano pang gifts. Pero hello, para ‘yung dad niya, gawin ‘yun, hindi gagawin ‘yun ng parents niya na sila lang ang nag-isip para magka-okay kami. Talagang sinasabi (ni Bebong), ‘Pakibili si Jolina ng ganito.’ Opposites attract! When Jolina met Bebong, he was still a law student preparing for the BAR exams. “Naaalala ko dati, sabi ng mga kaibigan niya, paano ka nakakaaral ng nandiyan ‘yung girlfriend mo sa tabi mo?” Jolina shares. “Makulit kasi ako, gusto ko, katabi (siya lagi). Sabi ko, ‘Sorry, ang kulit kulit ko nung nagba-BAR ka.’ (But he said), ‘Wag kang mag-sorry kasi sa totoo lang dahil sayo, hindi ako nagkabalakubak!’ Jolina recalls Bebong telling her. What she means by this is Bebong was actually thanking her for taking away the pressure and stress during his review sessions. “’Yung iba daw niyang kakilala na nagba-BAR, sa sobrang aral, at sobrang concentration, binalakubak! Sa sobrang pressure, (naging) haggard na (ang itsura). Kasi ako, pag kasama ko naman siya, hindi ako ‘yung nangungulit na ‘Wag ka munang magbasa, supportive pa rin, siyempre!’ Jolina says that the two of them never had a conflict of careers, even if they belong to totally different worlds: she’s an actress at the peak of fame, while he’s a Filipino-based lawyer taking up Public Administration in Columbia University while balancing work at a strategic firm. In fact, their difference in interests and their five-year age gap (Jolina’s 28, Bebong’s 33) strengthened their bond even more. “Ang thinking niya, hindi parang happy-go-lucky na tao, (pero) masaya siyang kasama, down to earth siya, (at) alam mo na responsible. Tapos alam mo na ‘yung commitment niya sa relasyon, nandoon. Lalo na ngayon. Ngayong six years na kami, tapos may plano na kaming may family together. Talagang siya ‘yung nagi-insist na we have to talk about (these things).” She adds, “Sabi ko, unang-una, swerte na ako, dahil nakakuha ako ng tao na maganda ‘yung family, ‘yung mom and dad niya, mabait, tapos pangalawa, mahal niya ‘yung family niya, tapos pangatlo, ‘yun nga, parang mayroong drive na mapabuti ‘yung buhay.” Jolina shares that she’s the “live in the moment” type of gal, and Bebong balances it with his serious side. “So kaya siguro kami nagco-connect kasi siya 'yung tagaplano ng doon, ako, nakikiplano ako, pero ako rin ‘yung, ‘Enjoy tayo ngayon!’ Balanced. ‘Yun ‘yung sinabi niya sa akin, siguro kaya tayo nagkiclick, ako 'yung pang-long term, ikaw ‘yung short-term, pero ikaw, nakikisama ka sa pang-long term ko, at ako, nakikisama sa pang-short term mo.” It wasn’t long before they both had to discuss their future together, since they couldn’t forever be thousands of miles apart. It was during that fateful day in a Tagaytay prayer room when Bebong said the magic words: he’s staying for good. For the sake of love “Kasi nandito siya noon nung pinagusapan namin na uuwi na siya, eh. Tapos napagusapan namin, sige, game na. Siyempre, umiiyak talaga ako every time na paguusapan namin ‘yung buhay namin. Lagi akong naiiyak talaga dahil finally, sabi nga niya talaga na uuwi siya. So thankful na thankful ako na unti-unti nang naaayos. Kasi hangga't long distance, you’ll never know, eh,” Jolina shares. But in the midst of it all, she still had her doubts: “Hindi mo pa rin alam na baka sa gitna ng lahat, magbago ulit. Tapos finally, umuwi na talaga siya, may date na talagang uuwi siya!” The sweetest thing about it all is that Bebong made it clear that he was leaving his life abroad to be with Jolina. “Oo! ‘Yun talaga ang main goal niya. Sa totoo lang, ang ganda na ng trabaho niya doon, eh. Gustong-gusto niya mga tao doon.” It was at this point (just late last year) that Jolina realized she had found her soul mate. If Bebong had to make a life-altering decision in migrating here, Jolina also had to do some adjustments on her own, especially with the career path that Bebong would like to pursue: politics. “Well, kahit ayoko man, kung baga feeling ko, ang gulo na nga sa showbiz, ang gulo pa sa politics, nire-ready ko na sarili ko. Kasi kung magsu-support ka sa isang tao, hindi pwedeng may hino-hold back ka sa loob mo, eh. Dapat, all-out ‘yung support mo, and all-out ‘yung puso mo tungkol doon. Although dapat alam mo pa rin kung ano yung tama o mali. (Pero) ready na ako.” If Jolina says that she’s ready to stand by Bebong’s decision to enter politics, is she also ready to be his wife? When asked if she is officially engaged, she replied, “Pag sinabi mong engaged, may singsing na ba? Kasi hindi pa niya ako binibigyan ng singsing, pero binigyan niya ako ng bracelet na galing pa sa mom niya.” She continues, “Naniniwala pa rin ako sa singsing, pero hindi pa niya ako nabigyan ng ganoon. Pero naguusap na kami. Parang (engaged) na rin." Changing for the better “Tinuruan niya ako maging independent,” Jolina says, referring to how Bebong changed her life. As someone who’s been in showbiz for more than 15 years, she has gotten used to having people do everything for her, from scheduling activities to managing her reputation as an actress. “Naranasan ko ‘yung palaging ginagawa para sa akin, nagde-decide para sa akin, dahil nga sa showbiz, ang gulo ng mundo niyan, kaya nga parents ko, pinrotektahan ako.” “So (si Bebong), tinuruan niya akong mag-decide para sa sarili ko sa mga ibang bagay. Tinuruan niya akong tumayo para sa sarili ko. Dati noong binisita ko siya sa States, isang taon yata naming pinagtalunan ng parents ko. Pero hindi ako sinabihan ni Bebong na ‘Hindi, pilitin mo, lumaban ka!’” Instead, Bebong told her that she should prove to her parents that she can handle things on her own. Besides, how else would they allow her to go abroad alone if they weren’t even sure that she can manage her life here? “Sabi niya, ‘Ikaw, hindi kita pinipilit na dumalaw dito, naiintindihan ko kung hindi kaya dahil may trabaho ka, o kung ano, pero kailangan mo i-prove sa parents mo na kaya mo. At hindi agad-agad yan,’ sabi niya. ‘Wag kang magmamadali.’” So Jolina waited for an entire year and ultimately proved to her folks that she can very well manage all her showbiz activities, expenses, and conflicts on her own. “Ako lang nagske-schedule ng mga (activities) ko, tapos talagang pinapakita ko na kaya ko mag-isa. Halimbawa, doon sa isang taon na ‘yun, mayroon kaming provincial tour, kinukuha ko ‘yung mga ticket, ako nagche-check in, ako lahat! Para alam nila na kaya ko. And hindi ko ginagawa ‘yun dahil gusto kong umalis. Ginagawa ko yun dahil para na rin sa sarili ko. After a year, pumayag man sila o hindi, at least alam ko mag-(asikaso) sa sarili ko.” True enough, her parents finally allowed her to visit Bebong after a year. “Siguro ten days ako dun. Mag-isa akong nag-travel! Pero takot na takot ako noon! Pero sabi ko, ‘Okay ‘to, ha!’ Experience siya talaga. At hindi lang siya parang Cebu lang! Hello! Kung baga, foreign land siya,” says Jolina. Before, Jolina and Bebong had to travel for thousands of miles to be together, but this time, distance is no longer a problem. “Noong talagang nag-decide na kami na igi-give up niya ‘yung (work niya) doon at titira siya dito. Sabi ko, ‘Ito na ito.’ Kasi para iwanan ‘yung ganoon, tapos lalaki ka pa, di ba? Babae, pwede pang gawin ‘yung mga ganoon, eh pero lalaki na alam mo na may ego sila na kailangan. Nagawa niya yun. Unselfish eh. Kung baga, selfless love, at saka hindi niya tinitimbang na ‘Ako, mas malaki binigay.’” She repeats with a smile, “Para sa akin, ito na (talaga).” Feel the fun with Jolina! Text JOLINA to 4627 for all telcos.