LIST: Local celebrity couples we admire in their low-key era
Celebrity love stories, from the ones always making headlines to those kept out of the limelight, have their own ways of making people kilig. But, let's admit, there's just some magic in the secrecy and confidentiality that some stars put into their romance.
Although lowkey, these local celebrity couples never fail to radiate love in their own ways—and amid their ever-growing popularity. These couples show that not only do they avoid unsolicited comments about them, but they also get to experience and enjoy love in its most raw ways.
This is, of course, in addition to being able to shrug off the pressure of meeting standards or being influenced by public opinion.
In this list, we show you the local celebrity couples who are currently winning in their love lives by keeping their status off the radar.
Catriona Gray and Sam Milby
Catriona and Sam are perfecting the saying, “Keep it private, but not secret.” The two first confirmed their relationship in May 2020 through Sam’s Instagram post with a sweet Polaroid picture of them and the caption, “Worth every second of the wait. Most special birthday yet."
While the beauty queen and her actor-singer beau are keeping it lowkey, their occasional Instagram posts prove that they both love traveling. In a recent interview, Sam, 38, shared that he and Catriona, 29, are already talking about marriage. “I mean, we’ve discussed it pero hanggang doon lang muna. You guys will know naman if it happens. Hindi naming itatago," Sam said.
Megan Young and Mikael Daez
The hilarious and sweet social media posts of Miss World 2013 Megan Young and actor Mikael Daez would definitely make you say, “Sana all!”
The two were together for almost ten years before getting married, and unlike other celebrities who make sure to keep the public updated about their relationship, Megan and Mikael chose to keep their personal happenings private.
In fact, in one of their interviews, the two shared that they were engaged for five years and kept it from the public. They opted to keep their little secret to themselves for a year before telling their family.
The long-time couple finally tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in 2020 and continues to keep the fun going with their fur babies, Soba and Chia.
Maris Racal and Rico Blanco
In May 2021, Maris Racal and Rico Blanco surprised the public when they first confirmed that they were dating. Both musically inclined, the two make good partners in music and love despite their 24-year age gap.
Although Maris, 25, and Rico, 49, have worked together prior to their relationship, the former Rivermaya frontman clarified that he did not have feelings for her at that time. “I take pride kasi in my professionalism in the studio and no matter if I think the person that I’m working with is attractive or not, or even on the set when I’m doing acting, I take pride in my professionalism,” he said in the press con on their limited series, The Goodbye Girl.
What made her fall for Maris? Rico says it’s her positive vibe. He said, "So I think [her] vibe brings out the best in me. 'Yung positive side ko nalalabas kasi nakakalimutan ko din na I’m playful pala. There’s a bit of childlike fun in every person and then she brings that out."
Saab Magalona and Jim Bacarro
Saab Magalona and Jim Bacarro started off as members of the local indie rock band Cheats. Since tying the know in 2015, the musicians have been keeping the flame alive, albeit lowkey, with their adorable sons Pancho and Vito.
Currently, Saab and Jim are hosting a podcast, Wake Up with Jim and Saab, where they talk about politics, relationships, and current events, among others.
Cherry Pie Picache and Edu Manzano
Although veteran actors Edu Manzano and Cherry Pie Picache just went public about their relationship last November 2021, the couple was already an item two decades ago for almost a year.
In an interview with Edu’s son Luis on his YouTube channel, the 67-year-old actor said that he and Cherry Pie, 52, remained friends after that and continued to have feelings for each other in secret.
“After the 20 years, lagi kaming nanatiling magkaibigan. We never drifted apart. We’d always see each other sa iba’t ibang okasyon and sa iba’t ibang mga gatherings,” Edu recounted. “We would always be talking, sincerely ha. We knew that we still like each other.”
