Inamin ni Jenny Syquia, 59, na may mga pagkakataong nagparamdam at nagpadala ng messages sa kanya ang ex-husband na si Gabby Concepcion, 61.
Alam naman ni Jenny na hindi malayong magkrus muli ang landas nila ni Gabby, lalo pa't nasa Pilipinas na siya ngayon at nagbabalak na bumalik sa showbiz.
Sumikat ang Filipino-American model, host, at actress sa Pilipinas noong early ‘90s.
Hindi man siya nagtagal sa showbiz, nag-iwan ng marka si Jenny dahil sa whirlwind romance nila ni Gabby, na at that time ay nali-link pa sa sikat nitong ex-wife, ang megastar na si Sharon Cuneta.
Tatlong linggo matapos magkakilala, ikinasal sina Gabby at Jenny noong 1993.
Pero matapos ang tinatayang dalawang taon, naghiwalay sila.
Mayroon silang anak: si Cloie Syquia.
Read:
Jenny Syquia touched KC Concepcion took time to be at half-sister Cloie's wedding in Sweden
JENNY RECOUNTS HOW SHE MET GABBY
Si Jenny ay isinilang at lumaki sa U.S.
Siya ay 25 years old noong dumating sa Pilipinas.
Nagtatrabaho siya noon ng Vogue Paris, pero in-encourage siya ng kanyang tiya na magtrabaho bilang modelo sa Pilipinas.
Hinanapan daw siya ng agent at nagpunta sa apat na advertising agencies.
“And I got every single commercial,” kuwento ni Jenny sa YouTube interview ni Karen Davila.
Mas nagkaroon ng kumpiyansa si Jenny na maaari siyang magkaroon ng career sa Pilipinas.
Hindi nagtagal ay pinasok niya ang showbiz.
Pagbabahagi ni Jenny, isang kamag-anak niya ay may tatay na aktor at kasama ito sa pelikula ni Gabby.
Niyaya raw si Jenny na sumama sa set at doon sila nagkakilala ng dating matinee idol.
Sa loob lamang ng isang linggo mula nang dumating sa Pilipinas, nakilala rin niya ang dalawa pang sikat na matinee idols: sina Richard Gomez at Aga Muhlach.
Pero si Gabby raw ang madalas niyang nakasama.
“It was very whirlwind. We met, hit it off, got together with my cousins a few times. And then he just proposed to me,” pagbabalik-tanaw ni Jenny.
At that time, walang idea raw si Jenny kung gaano kalaking artista si Gabby until napadaan siya sa isang magazine stand, at puro larawan daw ni Gabby ang nasa magazine covers.
Idinetalye ni Jenny kung paano nangyari ang proposal sa kanya ni Gabby.
Kasama nila ang yumaong si Lolit Solis, na noon ay manager ni Gabby.
Noong nagkaroon daw ng pagkakataong silang dalawa lamang ni Gabby ang magkasama, dahil “Lolit was in the other room,” nangyari ang proposal.
“He asked me to marry him. And I hadn’t even kissed him at that point.”
Pag-amin ni Jenny, “It was like very, kinda like otherworldly. And then we flew to Las Vegas, and then we married.”
June 1993 nang ikasal sina Jenny at Gabby.
UNDENIABLE ATTRACTION
Bakit niya tinanggap ang proposal ni Gabby kahit tatlong linggo pa lang sila magkakilala?
Bukod sa bata pa lamang siya noon, hindi raw maitatanggi ang attraction nila ni Gabby sa isa’t isa.
“But we had this attraction to each other. That’s what happens, right?” natatawang kuwento ni Jenny.
At kung babalikan daw niya ang pangyayaring iyon, sana raw ay kinilala muna nila ang isa’t isa.
“I would hope that I would maybe handle it differently,” pag-amin niya.
“But I think I was swept away and I think he was, too, because he proposed. And then we married, and then we married again in church here [Philippines].”
Read:
Cloie Skarne, daughter of Jenny Syquia and Gabby Concepcion, marries Fredrik Hill in Sweden
Get to know Concepcion Sisters KC, Garie, Cloie, Sam, and Savannah
MARRIED LIFE WITH A MOVIE STAR
Kasabay ng pagpapakasal, itinuloy ni Jenny ang career sa Pilipinas.
Gumawa siya ng mga pelikula, naging bahagi ng Eat Bulaga!, at itinayo ang magazine na Bride Philippines.
Nagkaroon daw ng malaking pagbabago ang buhay niya nang ikasal sa isang sikat aktor.
“It was huge. He was a huge movie star—so respected, so incredibly talented.
“Everyone in the country knows his name. So, suddenly, everybody knew my name also. My life completely changed."
Naunawaan daw niya kung bakit biglang naging interesado ang publiko sa kanya.
“I was fine with it. I mean, I knew he was a big star.”
Tinanong ni Karen si Jenny kung naging mahirap ba na isang bigating artista ang napangasawa niya?
Sagot ni Jenny, “There’s so much privilege that’s attached to it that I never really see it that way.”
THE BREAKUP
Less than three years ang naging pagsasama nila ni Gabby.
Bakit nauwi ang relasyon nila sa hiwalayan?
Sabi ni Jenny, may katotohanan daw ang kasabihang, “When you have a big fire, it burns out quickly.”
Lahad niya, hindi raw kasi nagkaroon ng foundation ang pagsasama nila ng former matinee idol.
“There was so much he didn’t know about me. There’s so much I didn’t know about him.
“And I think after, when you get into day to day, those differences come out,” saad ni Jenny.
Giit niya, “It wasn’t the lack of attraction. We had an incredible attraction to each other.
“I just think that we were fundamentally too different, unfortunately. We should have, for sure, known each other more.”
Mahihinuha sa tinuran ni Jenny na malaking parte ng differences ay ang kultura.
Lumaki raw kasi si Jenny sa U.S. at hindi siya namulat sa kulturang Pilipino.
“I didn’t know the culture as much. There were too many clashes, unfortunately.”
Sa puntong iyon, ipinakita ni Jenny ang suot niyang classic watch mula kay Gabby.
“I do still wear it. It was a beautiful gift he gave me after we married.”
Isa itong gold Cartier Colisee watch.
Ayon sa sa ebay, ang presyo nito ay nasa PHP700,000 pataas.
Read: Gabby Concepcion reacts to Sharon Cuneta wearing a ring from him
GABBY SENT JENNY MESSAGES
Sinabi rin ni Jenny na hindi sila nag-co-parenting ni Gabby sa pagpapalaki sa anak nilang si Cloie.
Sa kabila nito, hindi mababakas sa tono ni Jenny na masama ang loob niya kay Gabby.
“I wish him all the best. From what I hear, he is happy in his situation. So, I just want all the best for him."
Tungkol naman sa relasyon nila ni Gabby ngayon, aniya, “We’re not enemies, we’re not friends. Our lives have gone in different directions.”
Pero may mga mensaheng ipinadala raw sa kanya si Gabby.
“But I’m happy that… he’s actually sent some reach-out messages to me. Which [I’ve] been open to receiving…"
Mula nang magkahiwalay, hindi pa raw nagkukrus ang kanilang mga landas.
“Our paths haven’t crossed, but the messages that have gotten to me, those were nice… to get those messages…
“Maybe one day, our paths will cross. I’d welcome that because it was a very special time in life. Magical time.
"Gabby completely changed my whole life in more wonderful ways than bad ways.
“We didn’t have a great split, but the rest of the time with him was very beautiful. So I’m happy that I have that.”
Marami rin daw siyang natutunan sa pagsasama nila kahit hindi ito nagtagal.
Sabi ni Jenny, “It takes a while to get to know someone. I also think… I hope I’m a lot more mature now.”
Sa mga panahong iyon ay nasa early 20s lang si Jenny.
At ang naging takeaway niya tungkol sa buhay at pag-ibig: Ito ay marathon at hindi sprint.
Ibig niyang sabihin, hindi ito dapat minamadali.
Aniya, “I think I was in a big hurry to get to some place before. That just coincided my time with Gabby.”
Muling ikinasal si Jenny sa Sweden noong 1997.
Tumagal ng 28 years ang pagsasama nila ng Swedish husband niyang si Filip Skarne. Nag-divorce sila noong 2022.
Mayroon silang isang anak na babae na nasa huling taon na ngayon ng high school sa Sweden.
Inusisa si Jenny kung nagkita na ba sila ni Sharon Cuneta, na naunang naging asawa ni Gabby?
“Yes, I have. I love Sharon. I really love her,” ani Jenny.
“A long time ago [we met]. You know, I was here before. And then we’ve been in touch since then. And I admire her a lot.”
WHAT’S NEXT FOR JENNY?
Single ngayon si Jenny at hindi raw niya isinasarado ang pinto sa panibagong pag-ibig.
Bukod pa rito ay may mga negosyo siyang binuksan sa Pilipinas tulad ng jewelry line at service agency na kinabibilangan ng photographers, make-up artists, at hairstylists.
Lumalabas ding hindi sarado si Jenny sa posibilidad na muling pasukin ang pag-arte.
May tinanggihan daw siyang movie offer dahil required siyang magsalita ng malalim na Tagalog at maraming crying scenes.
Pero may kausap daw siya ngayon for a TV series.
