ACTOR, TV host and politician Edu Manzano confirmed that he is in a relationship with actress Cherry Pie PIcache. Prior to the admission, there was a lot of speculation from netizens and showbiz insiders when photos surfaced of the two while on a recent trip to the U.S.
In an article in Inquirer.net, Edu confirmed to broadcaster Cheryl Cosim that he is romantically linked with the award-winning actress in a text conversation.
“How true?” was the question Cosim posed in a text message to Manzano with a newcast script romantically linking them.
“You’re the funniest! Yes, my dear,” was the actor’s answer, seemingly confirming the news. According to the article, Edu was asked twice by Cheryl to confirm the relationship and the former answered affirmatively both times.
In a separate story, Edu’s son, TV host and actor Luis Manzano, also confirmed that his dad is, indeed, dating Cherry Pie.
It took him by surprise, Luis admitted, while on a podcast alongside wife Jessy Mendiola with screenwriter G3 San Diego.
“We were really caught off guard. No one saw it coming. I don’t even think Dad and Tita Pie saw it coming,” Luis was quoted as saying, to which wife Jessy added that she was “really shocked” over her father-in-law confirming the news.
Luis added in the podcast that his dad looks very happy with how things are going with his new relationship as he talked about relationship advice he has received from his father.
“It would boil down to the same thing, how he respects his partner. That’s one thing I see in Daddy. I can see how happy he is with Tita Pie,” Luis said.
Edu and Cherry Pie are currently working on a TV series for ABS-CBN (“Marry Me, Marry You”) where they play an estranged couple. The series is topbilled by Paulo Avelino and Janine Gutierrez.
Manzano was formerly married to Star for All Seasons Vilma Santos and Diamond Star Maricel Soriano, while Picache separated from her former parner Gary Tria in 2006.
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Singer-songwriter Ogie Alcasid has composed a song inspired by and for front-liners called “Bayaning Tunay.”
The song has been recorded by a host of Original Pilipino Music (OPM) artists, including Bamboo, Rico Blanco, Ely Buendia, Lani Misalucha, Christian Bautista as well as other ASAP and Kapuso artists, according to an article in PEP.ph.
“The reason why I wrote this song, ‘Bayaning Tunay,’ is because there was a time na yung ating front-liners talagang…napabayaan, ‘no? I felt… I felt that since the pandemic is… I can’t say it’s coming to an end, but it feels like, ahhh, things are getting better, I think,” Alcasid was quoted as saying.
“Parang huwag natin silang kalimutan na pasalamatan sa mga nagawa nila,” he added.
Alcasid revealed that he will not forget the dedication and hard work of front-liners, especially since he saw it when his father got sick and eventually passed away.
He recounted how hard it was for him to find anyone who could help him when his dad was in the hospital and he was trying to communicate with his dad, who had a hard time taking control of his phone.
“So I had to look for a nurse. And during that time, ang taas-taas ng kaso ng COVID. Walang umooo sa akin. And there was this guy… parang sabi niya, ‘Sige, Sir, gagawin ko po ‘yan. His name is William Gonzaga, hindi makakalimutan yung pangalan niya,” Ogie related.
Ogie said that Gonzaga served as his dad’s angel by taking care of his dad, bathing him and taking videos, and serving as the go-between for him and his dad. Gonzaga was there to the very end, up to the time when his dad was cremated, Alcasid said.
“Sabi ko, ‘Grabe ‘tong taong ‘to! Grabe yung dedication niya, kaya hindi ko siya makakalimutan. That’s why itong mga panahong ito na feeling ko, hindi natin puwedeng kalimutan ang mga front-liners. That’s why I wrote that song,” Ogie stated.
Alcasid, who says the song will be out soon, is thankful that it was easy to call on other OPM artists to record the song.
“Ako kasi, I did personally call them. Like, iisipin mo – Bamboo, Rico Blanco, Ely – parang ang hirap pagsamahin ang mga yun, ‘di ba? But magugulat ka. Bamboo, I think is in the middle of a tour in the States. Si Ely is in the middle of so many… doing so many things also,” the award-winning singer said.
“Pero wala, nag-submit sila. Hihintayin mo nga lang, hihintayin mo kung kalian sila puwede. But I’m really, really thankful,” he added.
