MANILA, Philippines – It might’ve taken a lot of coaxing by “The Buzz” host Charlene Gonzales to get the truth out of John Prats, but in the end she managed to do it: Prats and former beauty queen Bianca Manalo are officially together.
Prats may have been reluctant to answer when the question was first thrown at him during the live studio interview on Sunday, but his smiles and indirect answers such as, “Basta ang alam ko, mahal na mahal ko ‘yung taong ‘yon” and “Kasi actually nag-promise talaga ‘ko na, you know, between the two of us, we want to keep it private,” were telling enough.
But finally, the actor-dancer said, “Siguro naman ‘di ba, kami na talaga. Siguro naman dahil hindi ko naman talaga mamahalin ng sobra-sobra kung hindi ko alam na gano’n na [‘yung] pinapakita niya sa ‘kin.”
However, Prats begged off to answer Gonzales question on the date of their anniversary, only opting to say, “Matagal pa.”
Prats and Manalo first met in early 2011 through the now-defunct noontime show, “Happy Yipee Yehey,” where they were both co-hosts. Despite Prats being in a relationship with singer Rachelle Ann Go at the time, it didn’t stop their co-hosts and the public from teasing and linking the two.
In the taped interview with Manalo aired right before Prats', she recalled at length, “Naaalala ko parang one week pa lang ang ‘Happy’ [‘Happy Yipee Yehey’] noon, nag-bonding kami. Parang party-party. Nagkatabi kami. Parang d’un ko lang… parang nu’ng kinakausap ko siya, parang d’un ko na-feel na, ‘Ah itong taong ‘to, mapagkakatiwalaan ko.’
“Hindi ko alam kung pa’no nagsimula ‘yung sweetness, pero sa pagkakatanda ko, ‘yung writer namin sa ‘HYY,’ ‘yung spiels namin, ‘Kayong dalawa ni Praty, gusto ko ‘yung banter niyo ‘yung parang Pinky Webb and Tedd Failon – ‘yung nag-aasaran.’ So gano’n nag-start. Ta’s hindi ko alam [kung paano] nag-end up, kami na ‘yung iniinis sa isa’t isa,” Manalo said.
Aware of Prats and Go’s relationship, Manalo was obviously hesitant.
“… Alam naman namin nu’ng mga panahon na ‘yon na may girlfriend siya, ‘di ba? At ayoko namang ma-tag ako na… hindi, hindi gano’n ang reputasyon ko ‘no,” she said.
The beauty queen-host was appreciative of the other’s efforts to apologize to her because of the trouble their pairing has brought. One time, the other had even littered her car’s interior with flower petals and a bouquet of flowers as a form of apology.
“Alam mo in fairness to him, parati siyang tumatawag. Pinupuntahan niya ‘ko sa studio. ‘Yung parang pinapakita niya sa ‘kin ’yung way na, ‘Sorry, pasensya ka na nadamay ka. Alam naman nating hindi totoo,’” she shared.
Prats and Go eventually broke up, for which Manalo denied accusations of her involvement.
On when she started noticing that Prats likes her, she said, “Pa-girl lang ako eh. Dinadamdam ko lang, kayo naman. Pero sobrang thankful [ako] kasi parang kung iisipin mo sa lahat ng gestures na ginagawa niya, parang, totoo ba ‘yan? Pero in fairness naman sa kanya, consistent siya.”
The beauty queen is thankful and happy for “kung anong meron kami ngayon, [‘yung] samahan namin together.”
Meanwhile, Prats shared what’s so special about his ladylove.
“Kung ano ‘yung nakikita niyo sa kanya sa ‘HYY’ – kung paano siya mag-host, kung paano siya magtititili, magsisisigaw, magsalita [at] umarte – gano’n talaga siya. ‘Yun ‘yung maganda kasi ilang beses na rin naman ako nadapa sa mga relationships.
“And ngayon I’m hoping na sana ito na kasi nakakapagod din naman na bago na naman, manliligaw ka na naman, pakilala mo na naman.
“But you know, ‘yung special sa kanya, kasi sobra siyang totoo. ‘Yun ang importante talaga na… Hindi na ‘ko nasu-surprise na meron pala siyang ganitong ugali, o meron pala siyang bad side. Talagang nilabas niya agad,” he said.
Right before his interview ended, Prats told Gonzales, “At totoo nga pala ‘yung sinabi ni Tito Aga [na] ‘yung mga beauty queens talaga masarap magmahal ha.”
Gonzales, wife of actor Aga Muhlach, is a former beauty queen as well.
source: mb.com.ph
