MANILA, Philippines — What’s wrong with this guy? How come he’s not making any move? Bading ba siya?”
Model-turned-actress Valerie Bariou contemplated to herself about this guy who had been calling her and hanging out with her at every opportunity but has not made any move or even said anything about possibly courting her. The guy was actor-turned-businessman Juan Miguel “Onemig” Bondoc.
Sometime in 2005, the two met during a shooting stint for an advertisement for a spa owned by their common friend. That same friend even proposed that the three of them should establish a perfume business, but it was shelved for some reason. Although the business didn’t push through, the friendship continued. Onemig and Valerie became constant companions.
That time, Onemig had already decided to quit the entertainment industry and concentrated instead on investing his earnings in real estate, as well as in his family’s business. That time, he was already managing the Benedictine International School of Quezon City.
But of course, even if the former matinee idol had retired from showbiz, many people still remember him from his “TGIS” days and can recognize him whenever he would go out.
“When I met him, I didn’t know he was a big star here. During the shoot, I saw people asking for his autograph but I thought it was just normal. As a model, I get some requests like that. I thought that those people who were calling him were his friends. He would never admit that they were not his friends, but fans. One time, we went to a mall and people started shouting his name, even mobbing him. I got scared,” Valerie recounts in between giggles.
She adds: “But then we became friends. He was sensitive and caring.” With this, Onemig shot her a disbelieving look but Valerie just laughed and insisted, “Totoo naman ah!”
At first, Valerie admitted that she wasn’t attracted to him. Yes, she found him good-looking and charming but Valerie wasn’t that convinced.
But when the two began to hang out and do activities that they both like scuba diving and traveling, she got to know him as Juan Miguel the person and not as Onemig the actor. He would often visit her, call her as often as possible and ask her to watch a movie or try some new restaurants. “Our friendship was going well. We didn’t have to pretend we were this person,” says Valerie.
But sometimes, too much getting to know each other would keep the girl guessing. Valerie started to wonder whether Onemig had any plans for them. “He was not making any move. He was not saying anything. But he was calling me and asking me out. He’s so kind and sensitive,” shares Valerie.
Maybe, it was his tactic: typically ignoring her beauty to get her full attention. But perhaps, somehow, it backfired a bit.
“Onemig was used to girls courting him. They would literally throw themselves at him. Maybe, he was challenged because I was different. I wasn’t trying to please him. I was just being myself. I’m very flexible and independent. I didn’t give him any pressure,” enthuses Valerie, to which Onemig agrees, saying: “She’s just a simple person who wants simple things. She is not maarte.”
Their love story is not the typical, conventional courtship. In fact, the two admitted that there was no courtship that happened at all. Through time and constant company, they just found themselves falling in love with each other.
But like any relationships in its early stage, they had to face challenges, like jealousy and some trust issues.
“Whenever we were not together, he would call me every five minutes. At first, I found it sweet, but later it was somewhat irritating. It was like, you just called up and now you’re calling me again. Then, sometimes, he would send his driver Mang Joel to the set to pick me up,” shares Valerie, then looks at Onemig and teasingly adds: “Maybe, he was doing that to check up on me. To know where I was and who I was with.”
But Valerie understands where Onemig was coming from. “The way I see it, he has some trust issues because of what he had experienced in his past relationships. Probably, his past relationships revolved around some lies. That was why he acted that way. He was, in a way, very jealous and insecure. But I told him that it should not be that way.”
Somehow, Onemig got over the “jelly” (being jealous) stage. Perhaps, he saw how trustworthy Valerie is. The “Bourne Legacy” stand-in never got tired of showing Onemig that he had chosen well.
After three months of being together, the couple knew in their hearts that they were meant to be together. “It felt like God put that someone in your life. The more I got to know him, the more I knew he was the one. He is not a womanizer. He is respectful. And most especially, he is God-driven,” says Valerie.
Onemig adds: “During those three months, my perception has changed. I know she is someone I could trust, and that she would make a good mother. We share plans in life and we are both heading in the same direction.”
And so the unconventional courtship leads to unconventional proposal. How did Valerie become Mrs. Bondoc? He asked her, “Would you like to have a baby?”
“I was expecting ‘Would you marry me?’ but all I got was ‘Would you like to have a baby?’ It was an unconventional proposal, but it was a proposal I said yes to. I didn’t hesitate because I know we would be good parents, and we were ready for that,” shares Valerie.
“I didn’t tell anyone about my pregnancy. We only told our parents the last minute. I was already five months pregnant when I told my mom. I had to hold the phone away because she was screaming,” Valerie laughingly reminisces.
While they didn’t follow the rules and didn’t have the conventional set-up, they both flourished with their decision. “Even our parents agreed with our decision. They told us to take the time. We wanted to be sure. It would be harder if we got married instantly and later realized we were not meant to be together,” shares Onemig.
But soon, after the emotional struggles of having a baby, of giving birth, hormones and baby blues, they felt that they have adjusted well to the new chapter in their lives. After much thought, they were ready to fulfill two tasks of being parents and being partners, so the two decided to get married a year after Valerie gave birth to Armelle.
ON BEING PARENTS:
He said: I’m a very protective father, probably because she’s still a baby. I’m also very hands-on. I gave her a bath, changed her nappies and prepared her milk. Sometimes, I would bring her to my office. The biggest challenge when you got married is standing up on your own. I have to earn on my own to support them. I want to bring up a responsible daughter who is not dependent and can stand on her own. Valerie is the disciplinarian. But sometimes I discipline her. But we’re different. Like for me, it’s okay for Armelle to eat candies and chocolates, but Valerie doesn’t like it.
She said: When she was born, her eyes were wide open. It was as if she was already observing the things around her. And she is an intelligent child. When she does something wrong, I would explain it to her and she would understand. She would not repeat it again. It is helpful to me because I do not have much patience with kids. I can never be a teacher. We teach her the basics. We teach her how to be polite. We don’t want her to become a spoiled brat. As parents, you have to learn how to say no to your children. In the long run, it is for their own good.
ON ARGUMENTS AND PATCHING UP:
He said: We talk. We patch things up. We don’t fight a lot now, not like before. We matured. I matured. As a couple, you have to understand each other. But it is better when you’re not arguing.
She said: Onemig used to be so hot-headed. He would shout and pick fights. I would keep quiet, and let him be. Maybe, hindi siya sanay. In his past relationships, there were a lot of shouting and fighting. But I wasn’t like that. So, he got frustrated because I would not answer back. He mellowed. But when he did, ako naman ‘yung ganun. But now I know when he’s annoyed. He knows when I am annoyed. We meet halfway. We find ways to compromise.
MANILA, Philippines — What’s wrong with this guy? How come he’s not making any move? Bading ba siya?”
Model-turned-actress Valerie Bariou contemplated to herself about this guy who had been calling her and hanging out with her at every opportunity but has not made any move or even said anything about possibly courting her. The guy was actor-turned-businessman Juan Miguel “Onemig” Bondoc.
Sometime in 2005, the two met during a shooting stint for an advertisement for a spa owned by their common friend. That same friend even proposed that the three of them should establish a perfume business, but it was shelved for some reason. Although the business didn’t push through, the friendship continued. Onemig and Valerie became constant companions.
That time, Onemig had already decided to quit the entertainment industry and concentrated instead on investing his earnings in real estate, as well as in his family’s business. That time, he was already managing the Benedictine International School of Quezon City.
But of course, even if the former matinee idol had retired from showbiz, many people still remember him from his “TGIS” days and can recognize him whenever he would go out.
“When I met him, I didn’t know he was a big star here. During the shoot, I saw people asking for his autograph but I thought it was just normal. As a model, I get some requests like that. I thought that those people who were calling him were his friends. He would never admit that they were not his friends, but fans. One time, we went to a mall and people started shouting his name, even mobbing him. I got scared,” Valerie recounts in between giggles.
She adds: “But then we became friends. He was sensitive and caring.” With this, Onemig shot her a disbelieving look but Valerie just laughed and insisted, “Totoo naman ah!”
At first, Valerie admitted that she wasn’t attracted to him. Yes, she found him good-looking and charming but Valerie wasn’t that convinced.
But when the two began to hang out and do activities that they both like scuba diving and traveling, she got to know him as Juan Miguel the person and not as Onemig the actor. He would often visit her, call her as often as possible and ask her to watch a movie or try some new restaurants. “Our friendship was going well. We didn’t have to pretend we were this person,” says Valerie.
But sometimes, too much getting to know each other would keep the girl guessing. Valerie started to wonder whether Onemig had any plans for them. “He was not making any move. He was not saying anything. But he was calling me and asking me out. He’s so kind and sensitive,” shares Valerie.
Maybe, it was his tactic: typically ignoring her beauty to get her full attention. But perhaps, somehow, it backfired a bit.
“Onemig was used to girls courting him. They would literally throw themselves at him. Maybe, he was challenged because I was different. I wasn’t trying to please him. I was just being myself. I’m very flexible and independent. I didn’t give him any pressure,” enthuses Valerie, to which Onemig agrees, saying: “She’s just a simple person who wants simple things. She is not maarte.”
Their love story is not the typical, conventional courtship. In fact, the two admitted that there was no courtship that happened at all. Through time and constant company, they just found themselves falling in love with each other.
But like any relationships in its early stage, they had to face challenges, like jealousy and some trust issues.
“Whenever we were not together, he would call me every five minutes. At first, I found it sweet, but later it was somewhat irritating. It was like, you just called up and now you’re calling me again. Then, sometimes, he would send his driver Mang Joel to the set to pick me up,” shares Valerie, then looks at Onemig and teasingly adds: “Maybe, he was doing that to check up on me. To know where I was and who I was with.”
But Valerie understands where Onemig was coming from. “The way I see it, he has some trust issues because of what he had experienced in his past relationships. Probably, his past relationships revolved around some lies. That was why he acted that way. He was, in a way, very jealous and insecure. But I told him that it should not be that way.”
Somehow, Onemig got over the “jelly” (being jealous) stage. Perhaps, he saw how trustworthy Valerie is. The “Bourne Legacy” stand-in never got tired of showing Onemig that he had chosen well.
After three months of being together, the couple knew in their hearts that they were meant to be together. “It felt like God put that someone in your life. The more I got to know him, the more I knew he was the one. He is not a womanizer. He is respectful. And most especially, he is God-driven,” says Valerie.
Onemig adds: “During those three months, my perception has changed. I know she is someone I could trust, and that she would make a good mother. We share plans in life and we are both heading in the same direction.”
And so the unconventional courtship leads to unconventional proposal. How did Valerie become Mrs. Bondoc? He asked her, “Would you like to have a baby?”
“I was expecting ‘Would you marry me?’ but all I got was ‘Would you like to have a baby?’ It was an unconventional proposal, but it was a proposal I said yes to. I didn’t hesitate because I know we would be good parents, and we were ready for that,” shares Valerie.
“I didn’t tell anyone about my pregnancy. We only told our parents the last minute. I was already five months pregnant when I told my mom. I had to hold the phone away because she was screaming,” Valerie laughingly reminisces.
While they didn’t follow the rules and didn’t have the conventional set-up, they both flourished with their decision. “Even our parents agreed with our decision. They told us to take the time. We wanted to be sure. It would be harder if we got married instantly and later realized we were not meant to be together,” shares Onemig.
But soon, after the emotional struggles of having a baby, of giving birth, hormones and baby blues, they felt that they have adjusted well to the new chapter in their lives. After much thought, they were ready to fulfill two tasks of being parents and being partners, so the two decided to get married a year after Valerie gave birth to Armelle.
ON BEING PARENTS:
He said: I’m a very protective father, probably because she’s still a baby. I’m also very hands-on. I gave her a bath, changed her nappies and prepared her milk. Sometimes, I would bring her to my office. The biggest challenge when you got married is standing up on your own. I have to earn on my own to support them. I want to bring up a responsible daughter who is not dependent and can stand on her own. Valerie is the disciplinarian. But sometimes I discipline her. But we’re different. Like for me, it’s okay for Armelle to eat candies and chocolates, but Valerie doesn’t like it.
She said: When she was born, her eyes were wide open. It was as if she was already observing the things around her. And she is an intelligent child. When she does something wrong, I would explain it to her and she would understand. She would not repeat it again. It is helpful to me because I do not have much patience with kids. I can never be a teacher. We teach her the basics. We teach her how to be polite. We don’t want her to become a spoiled brat. As parents, you have to learn how to say no to your children. In the long run, it is for their own good.
ON ARGUMENTS AND PATCHING UP:
He said: We talk. We patch things up. We don’t fight a lot now, not like before. We matured. I matured. As a couple, you have to understand each other. But it is better when you’re not arguing.
She said: Onemig used to be so hot-headed. He would shout and pick fights. I would keep quiet, and let him be. Maybe, hindi siya sanay. In his past relationships, there were a lot of shouting and fighting. But I wasn’t like that. So, he got frustrated because I would not answer back. He mellowed. But when he did, ako naman ‘yung ganun. But now I know when he’s annoyed. He knows when I am annoyed. We meet halfway. We find ways to compromise.
ON CAREER:
He said: We respect each other. When we have to make a big decision, we consult each other. And lately, when I made a big decision, I consulted her. She has her doubts, but she supports me. I’m preparing for the next election. I decided to run as vice-governor in my hometown of Bataan. Before, many people were already telling me to run, but I didn’t. I felt then that I wasn’t ready for that. But now, I feel it is the right time. Our family loves to help people. But I thought it wasn’t enough. I have to be in the service to be able to help as many people as I can.
She said: I’m the person who wants to try everything. I tried being a voice-over talent, VJ, modeling. I dabbled into jewelry and perfume businesses. When I decided to become an actress and enter showbiz, he didn’t like it. He told me he had been there and he knew how things go. We negotiate. We argue. We compromise. I wasn’t planning to become a super mega star. I just want to try it. I want to see my limits, what I can and can’t do.
He said: We respect each other. When we have to make a big decision, we consult each other. And lately, when I made a big decision, I consulted her. She has her doubts, but she supports me. I’m preparing for the next election. I decided to run as vice-governor in my hometown of Bataan. Before, many people were already telling me to run, but I didn’t. I felt then that I wasn’t ready for that. But now, I feel it is the right time. Our family loves to help people. But I thought it wasn’t enough. I have to be in the service to be able to help as many people as I can.
She said: I’m the person who wants to try everything. I tried being a voice-over talent, VJ, modeling. I dabbled into jewelry and perfume businesses. When I decided to become an actress and enter showbiz, he didn’t like it. He told me he had been there and he knew how things go. We negotiate. We argue. We compromise. I wasn’t planning to become a super mega star. I just want to try it. I want to see my limits, what I can and can’t do.
source: mb.com.ph
