The love story of a long-distance relationship between a Dubai-based OFW and her highschool classmate-turned-suitor from the Philippines was recently featured in the Philippines’ longest-running anthology ‘Maalaala Mo Kaya’ (MMK)
Dubai-based OFW Vagelyn Tumbaga, 2015 The Filipino Times Awards Hotel Professional of the Year and an HR director at a luxury hotel in the emirate, and Janwell Pacio, a city councilor in La Union, was played by Angel Aquino and Adrian Alandy respectively in the MMK episode titled ‘Singsing’ – and here’s their love story:
Vagelyn realized that after a decade of taking care of her children and focusing on her career in Dubai, there had been a part in her that longed for an authentic kind of relationship with a significant other.
One day, she stumbled upon the Facebook profile of Janwell Pacio, who she remembered as a classmate who constantly bullied her in high school. Tumbaga shared that when she hit the ‘add friend’ button on Facebook, she could no longer take it back as Pacio had already accepted her friend request.
“I mistakenly pressed the add friend button then inaccept naman ako agad di ko na nabawi,” said Vagelyn in an interview with The Filipino Times.
Janwell then chatted Vagelyn and there, the two had begun a fruitful conversation that would eventually lead Vagelyn to say ‘yes’ to be in a relationship with Janwell.
Capturing her heart
Vagelyn initially thought that the encounter between her and Janwell was just a ‘joke’ especially when she invited Janwell to come to Dubai to find out her answer in person.
However, Janwell did show up and came to Dubai on a Visit Visa with a bouquet of flowers in tow. That’s when Vagelyn learned that Janwell was serious about getting into a relationship
However, this didn’t sit well with Vagelyn’s children – who feared that their mother had entered in a relationship too fast.
“Upset sila kasi never kong nabanggit sa kanila about him dahil ang akala ko joke lahat ang sa amin ni Janwell hanggang chat lang dahil nasa Pinas siya pero pinuntahan talaga ako sa Dubai para patunayan na seryoso siya,” said Vagelyn.
Janwell then persisted and proved to Vagelyn’s kids that he was worthy of their mother’s love. He took care of Vagelyn’s mom when she got sick in the Philippines and made surprise visits to Vagelyn and the kids in Dubai.
“Hindi lang isang beses (siya bumibisita) but every month, then twice a month na noong tumatagal natigil lang noong pandemic na. Natanggap na din nila habang tumatagal dahil nakita naman nila yung sincerity niya sa akin at sa kanila,” shared Vagelyn.
It was then that Janwell popped the question to ask for Vagelyn’s hand to get engaged, and she gave her sweetest ‘yes’ to what she now considers as one of the happiest moments of her life.
Love’s challenges
Everything was already similar to a fairy tale come to life for Vagelyn, except when she learned about several suspicious messages on Janwell’s phone from a woman who called Janwell her ‘sweetheart’.
Vagelyn recalled that she felt as if her entire world came crashing down upon the realization that she might not be the only woman in Janwell’s life.
“Nanlumo talaga ako at nanginig buong katawan ko at di ako makapagsalita sa galit at sama ng loob. Ayaw ko na siyang kausapin at ilang araw din kaming di nag usap pero di siya tumigil para suyuin ako,” recalled Vagelyn.
Janwell confessed that he courted many women before Vagelyn came to his life and that when they began their relationship, he stopped courting other women and focused all of his time outside work to devoting his love for her.
“Inamin din niyang madami siyang niligawan noong wala na sila ng dating partner niya dahil naghahanap talaga siya ng makakasama niya. Pero mula noong naging kami na ay tinigil na niya at ako na lang ang babae sa buhay niya. I have given him the chance to prove himself and di naman niya ako binigo,” said Vagelyn.
Fulfillment of a dream
Vagelyn then still sought the advice of her mother, who stated that it’s only by taking a risk with Janwell that she will find out if he’s truly ‘the one’.
She then searched for Janwell only to find him at a vacant lot with the engagement ring on his hand. There, they reconciled with Janwell vowing to Vagelyn that he would never break her trust.
Vagelyn was surprised when Janwell revealed that the vacant lot they were on would be the place where they would build Vagelyn’s very own hotel in the province – just so they wouldn’t have to be separated any longer.
“I was so surprised dahil pangarap ko talaga ang magkaroon ng sarili kong hotel at resort and now it’s a dream come true. He is a truly man of words and action, which made me love him more and more. He always deliver what he promised,” said Vagelyn.
Vagelyn hopes that other fellow Filipinas, even single moms who are still searching for ‘the one’ would eventually find their significant other along the way.
“Love will always find a way, we don’t need to look for it. You must always open your heart to love again because the beauty of love is that, you can fall into it with the most unexpected person at the most unexpected time,” shared Vagelyn.
“Life is a matter of choice and we chose to be happy together. Madaming pagsubok until now but as time goes by, we became better and stronger. I trust him more now and we always understand each other. No matter what happens, we chose to be together and settle all issues before sleeping. Di kami matutulog hanggang di namin napapagusapan at nalulutas ang mga pagsubok,” she added.
