Sunday, February 26, 2012

10 Things You Should Know About Kim Henares

Kim Henares: The tax woman cometh
“In all my time in government no one has offered to give me five centavos,” says BIR Commissioner Kim Henares.
We all pay taxes. (Or rather, we should all be paying taxes.) It is a pain to pay our monthly VAT and EWHT, and more so our annual tax every April. It is now one woman’s job to be on top of making sure we all file and pay the correct taxes, as well as go after tax evaders and grafters. She is only the third woman to head the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and it is her job to meet the P1.066 trillion collection target this year. We all saw her as the calm, collected, sharp commissioner on the witness stand at the impeachment trial of the Chief Justice. But her life is much more colorful, and cooler, than just numbers. Here are 10 things you should know about BIR Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares.

1. She was a topnotcher in the qualifying exam for accountancy, second honors upon completion of her law degree, and was a B student in Georgetown.

“I was just an average student, a B student,” she humbly says of her Masters in Law in Georgetown. She took up accounting in De La Salle University, then law in Ateneo, before going to Georgetown. She attributes her being good with numbers to the advanced math classes she had in Chinese school growing up, and her interest in law to her high school days when “in our history and political science classes we had debates, and I liked debating.”

She wasn’t always fond of studying though, and in fact had a hard time with her classes until fourth grade. “I had very good teachers who inspired me. If the teacher inspired me, I would do well in those classes. When I didn’t really like the teacher, I didn’t do so well.” She was toying with the idea of taking up medicine or engineering for college, and is actually open to taking up medicine even at this point in her life.

2. A big factor of being an achiever is her growing up in a very conservative family, where she rarely heard praise for achievements. “Sometimes you feel you’re never good enough.”

She agrees with this kind or upbringing, saying that her parents raised her and her three siblings (she is the eldest) to be very humble. “At the end of the day, I think that if you’re really good, somebody else should be the one to say that you are, and not you yourself,” she shares. As a family, she says they are just very conservative, not involved in politics or social events, but instead focused on business. She may have rarely heard compliments from her parents growing up, but she delightfully shares, “We will hear it from somebody else that our parents pala said these praises about us.”

3. On bribery: “In all my time in government, no one has even offered to give me five centavos.”

Commissioner Kim even chuckles while saying that no one has tried to bribe her, considering the common perception that the BIR is one of the most corrupt offices in the government. She explains it the way her husband an Ateneo law graduate, Daniel “Danby” Henares does: “Syempre they will first weigh if there is a possibility that you will accept (a bribe) or not, and if they know you won’t accept it, they won’t even try.” What if someone tries to bribe her? “I’ll file a complaint against him or her,” she states simply. So far there have been no death threats or threats of any kind, and she doesn’t seem surprised because she says that she’s just doing her job. “There’s nothing personal, I’m just making sure the country collects the right taxes so it can spend for its needs.”

She was the deputy commissioner for Commissioner Parayno in 2003, but she resigned four months after he resigned along with the Hyatt 10, when she didn’t see eye to eye with his replacement, Commissioner Bunyag. In 2009, she was helping Senator Noynoy Aquino with his presidential campaign, and upon his election, when he asked her to come on board, she said yes. “What made me agree to work with the President and Sec. Purisima is that we all have a very clear sense of what is right and what is wrong. And we all have a very clear sense of why we are into public service.” She says that it was not hard to say yes to the position, and in fact it would be harder to say no.

4. Comm. Kim in numbers:

100-plus: Number of forms she signs a day.

3: Number of dogs she has. Muncher the Chow-Chow, Cooper the Teacup Pomeranian, and Beamer the Golden Retriever and azkal mix.

6: Number of cars, three of which are convertibles. “My husband’s rule is all cars should be drivable. We use all six — well, he uses all six, not me”

2-plus: Number of years she worked with the World Bank as a senior private sector development specialist, during which she was already helping the BIR on a reform project concerning our $US11 million loan.

11,000: Number of pesos take-home pay per week. She doesn’t need an accountant since she’s a compensation income earner, but she is the accountant of her husband.

5. On how we should deal with corrupt government officials: “I cannot understand why 90-plus million people cannot control 1.3 million people.”

“You know there are only 1.3 million public and civic officers? We are 97 million Filipinos. That’s still 90-plus million left,” she explains. She believes that one official who might want to do something corrupt should not be able to stand a chance against millions of citizens.

When I ask her thoughts on the mentality of some people being reluctant to pay the correct taxes since it might just go straight to the pockets of corrupt officials anyway, she says: “As a citizen, we have two obligations. One, to pay the right taxes. Two, to make sure those taxes go to the right place.” She explains that it is our obligation to make sure that whoever we place in office performs their duties and spends our money correctly. And despite cases of corruption, we must still pay taxes because two wrongs to do not make a right. She also emphasizes the importance of one vote: “You should make your vote count by voting the right person into office.” She strongly believes that the power of the country really rests in all of us.

6. She believes the first-ever impeachment of a Chief Justice is important because “there is a need for the judiciary to reform.”

She says that all three sectors of government should “walk in step.” She shares that they are undertaking reforms in the Executive; that with the presence of younger officials with newer ideas in the Legislative, there is also reform; and that the Judiciary must also reform to complete the whole “reform picture.” “You cannot do reform with just two branches,” she notes. When she went into law, she already knew that she did not want to be a litigation lawyer. She believes in structuring and advising to prevent further mistakes, and that she’d “rather be preventive, than curative.” Her frustration? “Sometimes, it’s not a battle of legal rights. It’s a matter of who you know and how much you can pay, and you keep postponing and postponing. Justice delayed is justice denied.”

7. Her husband Daniel Henares was her first and last boyfriend, and they were good friends for 20 years before they got married.

“All of these things are sometimes destiny,” Commissioner Kim says with a smile. She is introverted, he is extremely extroverted. She shies away from social gatherings, he loves them. But they became the best of friends after they met. They were in the same graduation rites at DLSU but they never met there, and instead, met in Ateneo. How did it cross over from friends to lovers? “My husband is so friendly, you cannot presume that he’s interested! He’s so playboy like all Henareses!” she exclaims laughing. He tells her that he was interested in her the day he met her, but to this day, she shyly dismisses it as pambobola. They lived together for a while, and she says that when he was at the lowest point of his life, she was there for him. “Eventually we realized that we’re for each other,” she says of their wedding in 2001. (Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is actually their wedding godmother.)

Weekends are her time to unwind with her businessman husband, and they like driving out of town to places like Tagaytay. “My husband always wants to accompany me when I have out–of-country conferences, that’s also our bonding time,” she happily shares. They do not have children but they also have no regrets. She believes that what she is doing is also very relevant, making a better future not just for one person, but hopefully for an entire country.

8. Commissioner Kim enjoys activities people think are only for boys: target shooting, and plumbing and carpentry work at home.

She was appointed BIR Commissioner in July 2010 and was given security detail. In February 2011, she took up target shooting. “When I was assigned, the President told me, ‘O, don’t make their life more difficult than it is already,’” she shares. She says she wanted to take up firing because her guards have guns, and in case something happens, she wants to know how to shoot a gun so that she’s not a liability.” She shares that she has all calibers of guns — 9, 40, 45 and even long guns, which are all kept at home in a locked cabinet. Who has the key? “Only me,” she smiles.

One of her law professors once told her that Leos have the tendency to be very technical and mechanical and she agrees. Commissioner Kim enjoys doing handy work at home, and even says “Why should I call a plumber when it’s so easy to do it myself?” The most difficult do-it-yourself job she did that she is most proud of was a cabinet she made from scratch. “This is not the type you assemble, walang guide, I measured, sawed the plywood, painted it, put it up,” she shares.

9. Commissioner Kim’s top tips on handling your money:

1) Have a proper recording of what you earn and what you spend.

2) Make sure to pay taxes diligently. Pay your legal obligations outright so that whatever is left is for you to spend on anything you want.

3) Invest in something that you know about, not in something someone you know just said. Be suspicious of investments that promise too good a return.

10. Though the length of her term will be decided by the President, whether P-Noy or the next, her wish is to not stay for the whole six years.

“My immediate plan is to finish the reform that needs to be done by 2013, so that we’ll know whether it’s working even with me not here,” she explains. She wants to turn it over to somebody else so that there are still a few years to make the necessary adjustments. She plans to create electronic, interactive forms for the BIR this year. Her goal is to make everyone realize how important it is to pay the correct taxes. She wants to strengthen the system in the bureau “so that it is not personality-led, instead it is institution-led reform.”

* * *

During the course of the interview, she mentioned many times how things happen in our life “when they are meant to.” It was always her dream to study abroad but she followed her parents’ wishes to study college and law here in the Philippines. But sure enough, she was able to take her master’s abroad. She shared that time and circumstance made her and husband Daniel realize that they were meant to be together. And now, after being exposed to her family business and the books while growing up, after having taken up Accountancy and Law, after having worked at the BIR and the World Bank, she says, “Everything that happened in my life really prepared me to take on the BIR position.” She shares that all those experiences seem like parts of a jigsaw puzzle, unknowingly preparing her for what life has had in store for her. “If something is really for you, you just have to be patient. It will come.”

Sunday, February 19, 2012

10 Things You Should Know About Richard Gomez

Richard Gomez: Tall, dark, handsome...
 When you think of the ideal “tall, dark and handsome” Filipino man, Richard Gomez immediately comes to mind. He has been tagged as the “Adonis of Philippine Cinema,” and has played leading man to Dawn Zulueta, Sharon Cuneta, Maricel Soriano, Lorna Tolentino and many more premiere actresses. He’s had his fair share of controversies in the industry but has emerged from it all unscathed and, in fact, wiser and happier. Married to a gorgeous woman inside and out and father to a beautiful and talented daughter, his life seems to be just like that in the movies. Here are 10 things you should know about Richard Gomez.

1. Richard first realized he was “good looking” in third grade, when his classmate gave him a love card.

“Nothing happened, but she would just be very nice to me,” he says about the girl who gave him a card. He actually kept the card for some time and since then realized, “ganito pala ‘to.” He never really thought of himself as good looking, except when he would hear his friends and friends of his parents say “Ay, ang guapong bata naman nito.” He felt he also got such reactions because his mother, Stella Suarez, was an actress.

It wasn’t until second year high school that he got his first girlfriend, and he recalls never really having courted her. He just remembers that he liked her, and that one time when they were watching a movie, they held hands and kissed. “Aba, okay ‘to ah!”

Was there ever a time he wished he weren’t as good looking or as famous? “No! There are more benefits than disadvantages,” he says about fame.

2. The very first acting role he bagged was as the leading man of Maricel Soriano. And he didn’t have to audition for it.

It was his late manager Douglas Quijano who persuaded him to get into acting. “He always asked me bakit di daw ako mag-artista. I always said ayaw ko, ang yabang ko pa. Gusto ko modeling lang.” One time, Douglas asked him how much money he had in his wallet. Richard took it out and they both saw only P20. Douglas told him, “mag-artista ka na, tama na yang modeling-modeling na yan.” A week after, Richard recalls, Douglas came to him with a check worth P25,000. He was told he would be starring in a movie with Maricel Soriano and William Martinez, Inday Bote. He shares that the role was originally offered to Gabby Concepcion, and when he declined, Mother Lily Monteverde of Regal Films was looking for another leading man.

On Richard’s first shooting day, he was late. His call time was at 12 noon and he got to the set before 2 p.m. Maricel tells him, “Hoy, Richard, sa trabaho natin, di ka pwedeng late. Sa trabaho natin, di ka pwedeng masyadong mabait.” That being his first-ever time on set, he couldn’t help but wonder what kind of advice that was! Maricel went on to say, “Katulad ko mataray ako pero marami akong kaibigan, at ikaw mukha kang mataray, kaibigan na kita.” For some reason, he says, they clicked instantly. That was the movie that really launched his career.

3. He was raised by his grandmother and though he was often matigas ang ulo, he never answered her back.

“The one time I answered back my lola I got slapped in the face, and I never did it again,” Richard reveals. His parents moved to the States and he was left in the care of his aunt. Realizing at an early age that it was not a good environment for him, he called up his lola (Mrs. Lydia Kelly Gomez whom he called “Mama”) to take him in. That very night, his Mama picked him up, and from fourth grade until when Richard became an actor, he was raised by his Mama. The biggest impact she had in his life was discipline. He says she made sure to tell him that he was going to be treated like a son, and not spoiled like a grandson. He had a lot of petty fistfights back in school which he felt disappointed his Mama, but Richard said it was probably the girlfriends he had that she didn’t like that upset her more. “Pag hindi niya gusto, hindi niya masyadong pinapansin,” Richard recalls. He also adds, “Lucy was her favorite.”

4. Richard actually gave his wife Lucy two engagement rings.

“I remember, prior to meeting Lucy, I already bought an engagement ring. Just in case I find the right girl and decide to get married,” Richard reveals. The ironic thing was, he was in a relationship when he bought that ring (and had flings on the side too!) but never intended to give it to that particular girlfriend. “I was not afraid of commitment,” he says about those who believe that men with many girlfriends are commitment-phobic. Richard explains that when you are young, you have the chance to do crazy things, and you have to do it. So that when you grow old, you have no regrets and you don’t end up messing up when you already have a family. When he and Lucy got married almost 14 years ago, he told her about the engagement ring story. “I don’t know what to call this ring but I just want to give it to you,” he told her.

I asked about how he knew Lucy was “the one,” and mentioned that many people say, “You just know it.” Richard says: “That’s exactly the feeling.” He strongly believes this and in fact tells his friends that if you want to get married, you have to make sure that you don’t have a single doubt in your heart and in your mind. And his trait that upsets Lucy the most? “Siguro ‘pag matigas ulo ko.”

5. He did all kinds of crazy things growing up but he always made sure of two things: “First, na hindi ako makulong, and second, na hindi ako ma-ospital.”

He’s tried most every sport he’s wanted to, except one: snowboarding. He says he has gone skiing but never snowboarding, and that he thinks he’ll be able to handle it because he used to skateboard a lot. He has never encountered any major accident in all his adventures, but shares that his worst injury was probably when he was in the sixth grade: while roller skating in Fiesta Carnival in Cubao, he hit his head and got that scar across his eyebrow.

Fencing is his favorite sport because of the “mind game” aspect that comes with it. “Unlike track and field where you can run fast and learn the technique, in fencing, you play with different people with different styles and techniques.” Aside from fencing, he was once also with the national team for dragon boat and shotgun shooting.

6. On his fate in politics: “I think my opponents are scared of me which is why, if they can have me disqualified, they will do it.”

Richard has had a number of attempts to run for office and when he was disqualified on grounds of residency during the last elections, it was his wife Lucy who ended up running and winning as Congresswoman in the 4th District of Leyte. “I work so well that they know they’ll have a difficult time running against me,” he shares. Though not an elected official, he helps Lucy with work in their district, flying to Ormoc twice a month alternately, so that one of them is there almost every weekend. “In a year and a half we were able to turn our district into the best performing district in Region 8,” he proudly shares. On the possibility of him running for office again, he says that nothing is certain in politics. He does reveal, however, “Lucy will be running for reelection.”

7. Richard Gomez in numbers:

1989: Year that his famous Bench rowing TV commercial came out

40-plus: Number of movies he has made, both big and small productions

16: Number of years on the national fencing team

3: Number of hours per volleyball session he plays, his current main exercise. “More than going to the gym, I like actual playing.”

74: Height in inches (6’2”)

When asked how many girlfriends he had before getting married, he laughs and says, “Serious ones? A couple. I’ve had more flings than girlfriends.”

8. On moving back to ABS-CBN: “I wanted to do something substantial. I wanted people to notice again how I act.”

He recalls that there was a situation in ABS that prompted him to move to another network back then. It may have taken 10 years for him to come back, but he’s very happy now. During the negotiations, the ABS executives told Richard that they had a project they wanted him to explore, which was Walang Hanggan. He loved the concept, because it is an adaptation of his film Hihintayin Kita Sa Langit, plus a reunion project with his ex-girlfriend and now good friend Dawn Zulueta. He shares that he is also friends with Dawn’s husband, Rep. Anton Lagdameo, and Lucy is likewise friends with Dawn. “Me and Dawn, we just have wonderful chemistry onscreen,” he says.

Has he ever had a fear of getting laos? He believes it’s in how you manage your career. “I’m not a matinee idol anymore. But I really think that if you choose your projects well, di ka malalaos kasi at every age, there’s a specific project for you.”

9. Most memorable awards won: Hihintayin Kita Sa Langit: “That was very memorable because it was my first acting award. After eight nominations, I finally won it. In fact I cried in my speech when I received that award. After that, tuluy-tuloy na.”

Dahas: “It was supposed to be a grand slam. I should’ve won all the awards but I lost it, and I lost it pa sa Urian. I remember, every year I would win the Urian, and Dahas would’ve been my fourth year of winning that award. It was painful kasi pang-grand slam ko yun.”

He says about the roles he takes: “I’m so good when I do bad roles and I’m shying away from those kind of roles already.” He may have scored his first acting job out of luck, but since then, he has been taking acting workshops that honed his craft. On the possibility of him doing a movie again, he says, “I wanna do a big one again. One day I will.”

10. His advice to daughter Juliana: “Don’t have a boyfriend like Dad. But if you have to marry, marry someone like Dad.”

Juliana is now 11 years old and in the fifth grade. Richard says that whatever her dream is, he and Lucy will support her. She seems to be interested in the arts, being very much into drawing and photography. She once asked her dad: “Can I be a director?” When asked why, she said, “Because there’s little math!”

Though boys are his biggest worry, he says that he is confident since Juliana is very active. Just the week prior to this interview, she competed in her first biggest fencing competition. Though she won the bronze medal, she cried when she lost. Richard just told her daughter, “Play harder next time and just enjoy the sport.” Juliana was happy when she got her medal.

* * *

Having this chat with the Richard Gomez was quite a dream come true. I could’ve sworn that when he ran his fingers through his hair while talking, it all happened in slow motion with a faint light floating around him. Really the stuff movies are made of! We Filipinos love movies. And a lot of us admire leading men because they are good looking, they have a bit of bad in them, they get into trouble but get out of it so easily and with so much charm, are bad when they need to be and good when its called for, plus, they end up with the leading lady (read: Lucy Torres) who sees him as her dream man. Richard Gomez is the perfect Pinoy leading man in every sense of the word.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

10 Things You Should Know About Eddie & Annabelle

Love, laughter & intrigues with Eddie & Annabelle
Annabelle Rama on Eddie Gutierrez: “70 na siya, mag-60 na ako, until now, hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na yung idol ko, pinakasalan ako.”
He was one of the top matinee idols in the ‘60s and ‘70s, being the leading man of the biggest movie stars like Susan Roces, Amalia Fuentes and Pilita Corrales. She was a loud, opinionated young lady from a political family in Cebu whose biggest wish was to meet her idol. After numerous scandals, court cases filed, getaways and escapades, separations and reunions, and 35 years of marriage, they now enjoy a life filled with love, laughter and intrigues, along with their six children and two grandchildren. Here are 10 things you should know about Eddie Gutierrez and Annabelle Rama.

1. Annabelle on how she met her idol, Eddie Gutierrez: “Basta kung saan siya pumunta, sinusundan ko siya. Naging stalker nga ako for a while eh.”

She claims to be a huge fan of the Eddie-Susan love team, and even cut class just to watch their movies. “Naku, may araw ka din sa akin Eddie Gutierrez ka, makikilala din kita,” she swore to herself. One time, Eddie was set to do a show in Cebu, and Annabelle talked to every promoter and did everything just to meet him. They did meet, and Annabelle then took the chance to ask him out. She invited him to a resort for their first date. (“Virgin pa ako nun, di ko alam, at di din uso ang motel nuong araw.”) She recalls being so starstruck that night that she couldn’t even speak, and she was just staring at him. She shares how huge the language barrier was, and even recalls Eddie telling her to sit down and “sandal ka, sandal ka,” to which she looked at her feet and replied, “hindi ako naka-sandals!” Take note that the night didn’t end badly: there was no sex, she said, but they did kiss.

Eddie left her his telephone number (there were only landlines back then) and Annabelle escaped Cebu and lived with her friend in Manila to look for Eddie. She kept calling his number, but being a “fan,” the phone was always hung up on her. She followed him at premiere nights and shooting locations in hopes of meeting him again. “Humanda ka sa akin Eddie Gutierrez ka, kailangan maging boyfriend kita, at ma-jugjug (get knocked up) lang ako, okay na ako!” She laughs bashfully, and so does Eddie.

They finally met again through common friends, and they went on dates around once a month while Eddie was dating other girls. She read every newspaper and magazine and knew everything about him, preparing herself to be able to handle his many girls, should they get into a relationship. “Biro mo, Eddie Gutierrez, parang nanalo ako sa lotto!”

The time they dated was a very colorful period. “Lahat ng na-involve kay Eddie talagang sinusugod ko, ine-eskandalo ko talaga sila,” Annabelle shares. She recalls a time she called Channel 9 and asked to be connected to Amalia Fuentes, who was then dating Eddie. “Hoy, ang pangit pangit mo, iwanan mo si Eddie Gutierrez!” She also remembers Eddie having a very rich girlfriend from high society who she claims he was supposed to marry. (To which Eddie gives a puzzled look saying, “Alam mo storya ng buhay ko ha?” And Annabelle answers, “Wag ka magsinungaling darling, syempre tagahanga, alam ko lahat no.”) Annabelle remembers going to their house in Forbes Park and telling the girl’s mom, “I’m Annabelle Rama from Cebu, I’m Eddie’s girlfriend and I’m pregnant.” Although not true, Annabelle says she was successful because the alleged wedding did not push through. She also recalls another beauty queen girlfriend who Eddie was supposed to travel with to Spain, and she also created some kind of scandal, and the trip did not push through. But she says that the number one woman who got jealous of her was an ex-girlfriend and former leading lady of Eddie who was a big star. “Di siya ang pinakasalan kaya hanggang ngayon, mainit ang dugo nun sa akin.” She won’t give out her name, but says that if that person happens to read this, she’ll know it’s her.

Annabelle ends by saying she really did everything to get Eddie. “Pati gayuma, mangkukulam, lahat. Pero ngayon lang tumalab. Ngayon, siya na ang habol ng habol sa akin. Pero noon, ako ang habol ng habol sa kanya. Umamin ka, Eduardo.”

2. The fearless Annabelle also once backed down and flew to the United States to find peace.

“Trespassing, physical injuries, oral defamation, lahat ng klase ng demanda natikman ko,” she recalls. She said she got tired of the scandals and being in the headlines, so she decided to move to Los Angeles. “Di ko na kaya, surrender na beauty ko ‘day.”

She reveals that got herself pregnant on purpose (this was Ruffa, their eldest) just so she could make Eddie commit to her. And she even did it a second time (Rocky), in hopes that Eddie would decide to settle down. “Advice ko sa mga bagets, maski mabuntis ka, kung ayaw talaga niya pakasalan, wala din. Kailangan mahal ka talaga nung lalaki.”

3. Eddie proposed marriage to Annabelle long distance, during a phone call.

“I had a car accident in 1978. I came from a party and I was driving home, there was a stalled truck, tuluy tuloy ako dun,” Eddie recalls. He was brought to the hospital with a broken nose, ruptured intestines, and had to undergo a colostomy. It was Annabelle who invited him to join her in the States so she could take care of him. They were already separated for one year at that time, and both Ruffa and Rocky were living with Eddie in the Philippines. “Tingnan ko lang kung di ka mahirapan sa dalawang bata,” Annabelle remembers thinking to herself. So Eddie and Ruffa followed in L.A., but it took time for them to develop their relationship again. Annabelle shares that it was Ruffa who actually kept telling her dad to marry her mom.

One night, while Eddie was on a business trip in Michigan, he called to tell Annabelle that he had good news. “Pakakasalan na kita,” he said. “Wag ka magbiro Eduardo, lasing ka ba diyan,” she said. She recalls: “Sabi niya na-realize niya na ako talaga magiging asawa niya, masipag ako sa trabaho, at siguro kasi pamilya na kami. Ikaw magsabi darling,” she prods him to answer. He jokes, “eh di mo ako pinagbibigyang magsalita eh,” and they both break out laughing. At their wedding, Ruffa was the flower girl and Elvis was the ring bearer. After the wedding, Annabelle got pregnant right away with Elvis, and shortly after, was pregnant with their twins Richard and Raymond.

4. Eddie admits to being babaero in his younger years when he had “no direction” in life. All that changed when he had his family.

“Hindi ka pwedeng parang nasa high school ka all your life, kailangan mag-move on ka,” he opens up. He shares that there is so much temptation in showbiz, and back then, he didn’t care. “Sikat ka, marami kang pera, di ko iniisip ang future ko. Sige lang nang sige.” When he had his family, he decided it was time to stop and put it behind him.

On how Annabelle has stayed strong through all the women in Eddie’s life: “Pakapalan na lang ng mukha, kung sino mananalo sa amin.” There was a time she would go to his house every day, even if Eddie hated her being there. During one instance, she says he sang to her, “Please release me let me go...” To which she said, “Kahit kantahan mo ako araw araw hindi ako aalis!” Eddie disagreed with that version of the story; he said what he sang was “I want you, I need you, I love you...” (imitating his idol, Elvis Presley).

5. When they were starting their life in L.A., they applied to work as a driver, maid, security guard, apartment manager, but were never accepted for any of those jobs.

Annabelle recalls a time she was interviewed by the wife of Bob Hope to be a personal assistant. That time, she hated covered-up clothes so she always dressed in mini skirts and plunging necklines. “Sabi niya, ‘Are you sure? I don’t want her?’” and the comedian got somebody not-so-attractive for the job instead. It was when they were offered to be agents to sell kitchenware for Belcraft that they really started to earn money and live comfortably. Eddie would demonstrate how to use the cookware, Annabelle would close the deal, and Ruffa would be the safekeeper of the contracts.

6. Eddie and Annabelle in numbers:

15: Age when she met Eddie.

24: Age when he met Annabelle.

9: Number of years they lived in the US.

50-plus: Number of times they separated after having big fights.

3: Number of days, the longest they went without talking to each other.

2: Number of times a year they are in L.A. “’Pag may Pacquaio fight pumupunta kami kasi binibigyan kami ni Manny ng ticket. Yung hotel naman care of kay Gov. Chavit Singson gift niya sa amin, at plane ticket namin libre din, sa miles,” Annabelle says.

7. The most important value they teach their children is “bigayan. Kung sinong meron, tutulong.”

They know of friends who have children who fight and sue each other over money, and they don’t want it to be that way in their family. “Wag kayo mag-away sa pera,” they taught their children. “Ngayon, nakikita namin na talagang bigayan sila at nagmamahalan sila,” she shares. When Ruffa was a working teenager, she would help pay for the tuition of her siblings since she was the one making a lot of money. And now, they say it is Richard who spoils his siblings. What Richard sees they need or could use, from TVs to cell phones, he gives without their asking. “Bawal din dito yung walang trabaho, dapat sila magbayad sa pangangailangan nila para matuto sila.” Annabelle shares.

8. The Gutierrez children:

Most malambing: Elvis and Richard. “Si Richard, laging tumatawag para i-check lang ako,” Annabelle says.

Most quiet: Ritchie Paul and Rocky. “Magsasalita yan pag hihingi ng allowance,” Annabelle jokes.

Most prayerful: Ruffa and Richard.

Most pasaway: “Wala eh, si Ruffa lang alam ko,” Annabelle says.

The one that makes them laugh the most: Raymond.

Who came home with the best grades: Raymond. “Yan lang ang anak kong hindi nagpa-tutor,” Annabelle says. “Si Richard yung pinakamadami kaming tawag sa principal,” Eddie shares.

Most generous: Richard. Eddie shares that during his last birthday, Richard wanted to give him a car. He told his son that more than a car, he would rather have a share in Ayala Alabang Country Club where his friends play golf. “That was P1.1 million. Binili niya yun para sa akin. Sabi ko, kapag matanda na ako at di na ako makakapaglaro, ibabalik ko to sa iyo.”

They both say that they want Ruffa to rest her heart for now, and instead focus on her kids and her work. If ever she does decide to get married again, they wish for that man to be God-fearing, hardworking, and they want him to love her and her kids Lorin and Venice forever.

Annabelle warns Richard of women that may just be using him for his fame and money, but she says she has so far liked every girlfriend he’s had.Richard names Anne Curtis, Georgina Wilson and Jewel Mische as those who Annabelle was fond of, saying it’s Annabelle who becomes sad when Richard and his girlfriends break up. She goes on to say he’s still young and has a lot of time to find the right one. “Minsan, di ko pa name-memorize yung isa, may bago nanaman. Sanay na ako.”

They also share that Richard and Raymond are their “lucky twins.” “Nung pinanganak sila, yung tenga nila nakatupi. Swerte daw yun kasi sasahod ng pera,” Annabelle shares. (She also recalls taping their ears with scotch tape while they slept, to flatten their “Mickey Mouse” ears.) When the twins were born, they share that luck poured in with career and money.

9. Annabelle is known to be extremely selosa to the point of causing a scandal. But Eddie is seloso too.

Annabelle admits that there was a time she would spend a whole day looking for Eddie in motels and hotels to try and catch him red-handed. She also shared that it was an incident in Greenhills when she confronted him and had a scream fest and sabunutan match with a girl that was the craziest thing she did out of jealousy. “Ewan ko kung anong nangyari sa akin nuong araw, parang tanga na nanunugod at naninigaw maski wala sa lugar,” she admits. “Naging eskandalosa lang naman ako darling dahil sa iyo diba, sa totoong buhay di ako eskandalosa diba,” she says. “Hindi, napakabait mo,” Eddie quips, and they both laugh.

“Oo, nagseselos din ako,” Eddie reveals. “Minsan, kapag close siya sa mga kausap niya, nakikipagkwentuhan pero may hampas hampas pa sa braso, sinasabihan ko lang siya na di ko gusto yun,” he says shyly. Annabelle says it’s as if the world turned upside down, and now it’s Eddie who pursues her and gets more jealous. Does she like it? “Syempre naman ‘day, ngayon ko nare-realize na mahal niya talaga ako.”

10. On the key to a long-lasting relationship: “Give and take,” Eddie says.

“Kung galit, wag mong salubungin, kailangan talaga bigayan,” Annabelle says. They share that in their earlier years as a couple, they really used to fight a lot about the littlest things. When they fought, they would spend time apart to cool down, then they would fix things. “It’s really giving and taking, but it’s she who has always made the move to bring us back together,” Eddie says as he looks at Annabelle.

She shares a realization. When she was a housewife with lots of time on her hands, she used to get jealous over everything. When she got preoccupied with work, they fought less. “Busy people are happy people,” Eddie says.

They enjoy quality time together over dinners out, movies or shows. They enjoy being a foursome along with their grandchildren Lorin and Venice. They cherish Sunday nights at home with the whole family, over takeout food, wine and good conversation.

* * *

Theirs is not your ordinary love story. They are not your ordinary couple. I, too, admit to being one of those who wondered how these two very different people could get along, but talking with them and seeing how they are with each other, you see that love doesn’t get any more real than that. Annabelle says: “70 na siya, mag-60 na ako, until now, hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na yung idol ko, pinakasalan ako.” Eddie says: “Kapag kausap niya yung mga maids at nagsisisigaw, hindi ko gusto. Pero kapag nag-iisa naman ako, nami-miss ko yung bunganga niya.”

And those in search of love can only hope to find a love that lasts, and continues to grow, like the love of Eddie and Annabelle.