Piolo Pascual celebrated his 30th birthday at Club O, Quezon City, last January 12. The handsome and talented actor is currently working on two projects: a teleserye with Claudine Barretto and a movie with Regine Velasquez.
With a promising year ahead, Piolo puts his past behind by clarifying issues and controversies left over from 2006.
Unresolved tension. The past year reunited Piolo and Judy Ann Santos in two projects: the romantic movie Don't Give Up on Us Baby and the teleserye Sa Piling Mo. When Piolo did these two projects with Juday, Juday was already involved with Philippine Idol host Ryan Agoncillo. There followed buzzing in showbiz that the Piolo-Juday on-screen pairing was affecting the Ryan-Juday off-screen romance.
In a press conference, Piolo was quoted saying that he hoped he was not causing any misunderstanding between Juday and Ryan.
Ryan wrote an e-mail answering Piolo's comment: "1. Walang tunay na lalake ang magsasalita o makikialam sa relasyon ng iba.
"2. Whatever happens between me and Juday is between us, and we are OK. And for Piolo to talk about my girlfriend outside work is rather ungentlemanly.
"3. I learned that in a recent The Buzz interview with Piolo & Juday, Juday was caught by the camera saying "Echosero" referring to Piolo—after she repeatedly brushed off Piolo's advances as soon as the camera lights went on. I just have this today. Next time I see him, I'll put him in his place."
Weeks turned into months. The spat has yet to be resolved.
Ryan said in an interview that he hasn't had the chance to talk to Piolo, and that he is willing to fix things in due time. He also said that he does not want to force a reconciliation.
"May point naman si Ryan e," seconded Piolo in an interview with The Buzz last Sunday, January 14.
"'Yon nga sabi ko, I'll really apologize. Personally speaking, alam ko may nagawa din akong di maganda. Gusto ko ring makapag-usap kami. Ma-explain din ‘yong side ko. Makapaghingi ng paumanhin," he continued.
"Noong nag-taping kami for Sharon, I was backstage. Judy Ann and Ryan were singing. Sabi ko, ‘Lord, kung ito na ‘yong time, ‘yong chance, then, you know, so be it.' Gusto ko na rin ma-settle. At least, you know, kahit papaano, naghi-heal na ‘yong sugat. Ayoko na magkaroon ng ganoon. Ready na po ako nung time na ‘yon, kaso hindi pa rin [nangyari]. Pero there will come a time..." Piolo added.
Unrequited love? During the taping of Sa Piling Mo, rumors surfaced that Piolo was courting co-star Rica Peralejo. Even after the teleserye ended, the two were said to still be going out on dates. What's the status of their relationship now?
"Naku, mahirap pong magsalita because ang dami kasing hindi magagandang nasulat about us, di ba? ‘Tapos nahusgahan, ‘tapos nasabi pang hindi ako nanliligaw, so saan ako lulugar ngayon, di ba?" Piolo explained.
"I expressed my intention. It was pretty clear, pero you don't wanna force it. Tumigil naman talaga ako sa panliligaw, pero naging maganda ‘yong outcome po e. Mas mahirap na pilitan mo ang isang bagay na in the long run magkakasakitan lang kayo," he said with some seriousness.
"Wala kaming kailangang ipaliwanag kasi nga malinis. Magkaibigan po talaga kami. Sa ngayon, nandoon pa lang po kami."
Kapamilya Rivalry? Along with several acting projects, Piolo is also boosting his singing career. He will be performing in a concert called Heartthrobs with Sam Milby on February 2 and 3 at the Music Museum.
"Sold out na nga po e. Pinag-uusapan na ‘yong repeat. Masaya, kasi si Mr. M po ang magdidirek, parang celebration na rin," said Piolo excitedly. Johnny Manahan—or Mr. M to Kapamilya artists—is a TV director and the head of Star Magic, ABS-CBN's talent center.
Unavoidably, as two of the network's most bankable male leads, Piolo Pascual and Sam Milby are being compared: in acting, in singing, in camp following, and in the noisier issue of gender orientation. The two have been called "the closet queens" of showbiz.
Piolo takes this cooly. "Kung wala kaming tamang pag-iisip at wala kaming tamang relationship sa Itaas, siguro naapektuhan na kami. Siguro nagkaroon na kami ng... Sign na parang, ‘O pare, pag ganyan hiwalay na lang tayo para wala rin silang pag-isipan about it.'"
He adds, "Bakit ‘yong kay Yul, di ba? Tapos ganoon pa rin ‘yong mga tao mag-isip," he added. Yul Servo, an actor, was once linked to Piolo.
Paternal love. With all the tittle-tattle about the people he dates, his stable career, and his wholesome image, Piolo is only concerned about one person getting affected by all this buzz—his son, Iñigo.
"I know in due time, I know in God's time, mauunawaan niya ‘yong trabaho ko. Maiintindihan niya ‘yong relationship namin. And lumaki lang siya nang maayos at magkaroon siya ng magandang kinabukasan," said the well-liked ASAP co-host.