Balik-bansa ngayon si Gab Valenciano upang makasamang mag-perform ang kanyang ama na si Gary Valenciano sa nalalapit nitong 30th anniversary concert na may titulong Arise. Gaganapin ang concert sa Smart-Araneta Coliseum sa April 11 and 12.
Kinumusta PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) at ng iba pang miyembro ng press si Gab Sa presscon ng concert na ginanap kahapon, April 4, sa ELJ Communications Center sa Quezon City.
Last year, nagdesisyon si Gab na manirahan na sa States at doon tapusin ang kursong Bachelor of Science in Recording Arts sa Full Sail University—isang kilalang art, music, and film school sa buong mundo.
“I think I needed to go to the States to be alone, I needed to learn,” ani Gab.
“Kasi, alam nyo naman 'to, I’ve always had a girlfriend and I would always talk about her kung sino man yun.
“But I think I needed this whole year kasi sobrang na-depress talaga ako.”
Hindi naging madali para kay Gab ang manirahan sa U.S. at madalas daw itong ma-depress lalo't hindi niya kasama ang kanyang pamilya at malalapit na kaibigan.
Aniya, “I feel like I hit rock bottom sa States, e.
“Mag-isa lang talaga ako, I was very depressed, hindi ako masaya sa ginagawa ko.
“Yung school lang talaga and yung family na nagpu-push sa akin.
“But I needed to be alone to be able to love myself, to learn how to love myself, and to learn how to be on my own.
“Before, I learned to be with somebody else, kasi ganun naman talaga, e.
“How can you find yourself when you're trying to find each other?
Sa ngayon, buo na ang desisyon ni Gab na mamuhay na sa U.S. ngunit babalik-balik pa rin daw siya ng Pilipinas para magbakasyon at para sa ilang proyekto.
“I plan to continue in the United States, but I’ll come back for projects like this. I came back for this.
“Pero I’ll be based in the States na.”
NEWFOUND LOVE. Hindi naman itinanggi ni Gab na meron na siyang bagong napupusuan ngayon at ito ay ang blogger-host na si Tricia Centenera.
Sa Instagram account ni Gab, madalas itong mag-post ng picture nilang dalawa, kaya naman umikot ang bali-balitang sila na nga. Hindi naman nagdalawang-isip si Gab na kumpirmahin ang bagay na ito.
Kuwento ni Gab, matagal na raw silang magkaibigan ngunit naging mas malapit pa raw sila sa isa’t isa sa tulong ng digital technology.
“Sobrang magkaibigan lang kami, and then something happened in her life na medyo seryoso,” bahagi ni Gab.
“And I was there and it exposed us to each other kung ano talaga yung pagkatao namin.
“And this was all digitally, ha, as in FaceTime," banggit pa ni Gab sa popular na iPhone video call app.
"Pero kilala ko na talaga siya, pero hindi ganun ka-personal."
“And then yun, one day I saw her.”
Muli silang nagkita sa Los Angeles, California, at dito na nagsimulang ma-develop ang relasyon sa pagitan nina Gab at Tricia.
Kuwento ni Gab, “She passed by L.A. and nasa L.A. din ako for a couple of days lang.
“And I got to know her and I realized this girl is amazing.
“And I think now I am emotionally and mentally ready for a real relationship.”
Dalawang buwan nang magkarelasyon sina Gab at Tricia. Ayon kay Gab, wala na raw dahilan para itago pa ang ganitong klase ng bagay sa mga tao lalo na’t sa U.S. na siya nakabase.
Aniya, “You know in showbiz, mahirap maging honest na, ‘Ah hindi we’re friends lang.’
“I think I’ve gone to a point in my life, especially, since I’m based in the States, I shouldn’t worry about that anymore.
“I’ll be very honest with people about my relationship and my personal life.
“Only because there’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
Diin pa niya, “It’s true, I post on Instagram and I’m really open about it.”
MARRIAGE PLANS. Matapos magpakasal ng kanyang kapatid na si Paolo Valenciano kay Sam Godinez last year, inusisa na rin ng press kung kelan balak magpakasal ni Gab.
Tugon ng 25-year-old performer, “Honestly, maybe in a year and a half.”
Si Tricia na nga kaya ang babaeng pakakasalan niya?
Sagot ni Gab, “I know, I’ve said… I’ve talked about it and I always told the press, ‘I think she’s the one…’
“I’m not gonna get into that mode.
“All I can say is, number one, she’s the most different girlfriend I’ve ever had.
“Sobra kaming magkaiba talaga, because she grew up in Australia and I grew up here.”
Hindi naman niya itinangging umaasa siyang si Tricia na nga ang kanyang papakasalan balang araw.
Aniya, “I won’t say that… If you ask me if she’s the one? I hope so.
“I would want her to be the one.
“I don’t know if I’m going to marry her one day, but this is the first time in a relationship na sobrang close siya sa mommy ko.
“And she is the one I can say is most alike my mom.”
Isa sa mga ikinatuwa ni Gab ay malapit daw na magkaibigan si sina Tricia at Kim Jones, na malapit nang ikasal sa matalik niyang kaibigan na si Jericho Rosales.
Kuwento ni Gab, “Nakakatawa nga kasi sobrang close niya kay Kim Jones. Sobrang close nila.”
“And Echo [Jericho Rosales], as you know, is one of my closest friends.
“Sabi ni Echo, ‘Bro, baka she’s the one.’
“Sabi ko, ‘Maybe.’”