The first time Marian Rivera met her husband Dingdong Dantes, she wasn’t head over heels at all. Celebrity hairstylist-turned-YouTuber Celeste Tuviera even recalled her saying, “Ate, di ko bet. Basta ako trabaho lang,” when they were being teased back then. Fast forward to today, they’re known as one of showbiz’s power couples, a classic epitome of a fairy tale romance born on set.
In Celeste’s vlog, Marian opened up more about their relationship, revealing the story of how Dingdong pursued her. She mentions three special moments. “Una, mahilig ako sa tsokolate. Sa Hello Kitty pouch, punong-puno ng chocolates. Yun pala bigay nya.”
The second one was a bit of a embarrassing moment for the actress, who candidly talks about her humble beginnings. “Sabi niya, ‘Wala ka bang load? Text ako nang text sayo [pero] di ka nagrereply, siguro wala ka load noh,' she recalls Dingdong telling her. “Eh na-hurt talaga ako kasi nung time na yun na Dyesebel, naka-prepaid lang ako. 300 300 lang niloload ko nun so sabi nya ganun, so ako na-hurt ako nun, na parang, ang yabang naman nito porket lahat sila naka-line,” she recalls with a laugh.
And as for the pivotal third moment, it’s the one wherein there was a mishap on set and she almost drowned while shooting a scene, but thankfully, she was saved by Dingdong. “Dun na nagsimula. Parang dun ko nakita na, ‘Ah, mabuting tao siya,’” she says, stressing that Dingdong could’ve done it for anyone in the same situation, not just her.
Instagram/marianrivera
Further talking about her beau’s panliligaw style, she says, “Hindi sya yung old-fashioned na ite-text ka, ‘Pwede ba kitang ligawan?’. Walang ganon. Pero sa action niya, the way ka niya alagaan, the way ka niya i-pamper nung araw na nandun kame, sabi ko, ‘Ah, eto siguro yun.’”
Marian, known to her dearest friends as a prayerful woman, held on to her faith when it comes to her love life with Dong. She was mindful of signs, citing a particular instance when she wondered if “this was it”.
“Ama, eto na ba ung sign mo? Kasi kung eto na yung sign mo, aalagaan ko.”
Teary eyed, she shares, “Kasi pangarap ko talaga na buong magkarelasyon, kasi ayoko na ng relasyon na long-term tapos hindi naman. Kasi isa to sa mga pangarap ko kay Papa God. Gusto ko talaga ng asawa na mamahalin ako, na magiging buo kami. Kasi broken family ako.”
“Nakita ko kasi si Mama kung pano sya nahirapan, tapos si Papa din, nung wala si Mama, nagpupunta ako sa Spain, alam ko din kung pano sya nahirapan. So bilang anak, parang ayoko yun sa mga anak ko, kasi gusto ko buo pamilya ko para sa mga anak ko.”
“So, binigay ni Papa God sakin, kaya lagi ko sinasabi na si Dong yung sagot sa panalangin ko sa Panginoon.”
This story originally appeared on Cosmo.ph.
* Minor edits have been made by the Female Network editors.
