Vi & Ralph: Going strong after 20 years
She was clueless, so Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos set an appointment with another group for last Tuesday, Dec. 11, which happened to be her and her husband Sen. Ralph Recto’s 20th church wedding anniversary. Since Vilma couldn’t cancel it, Ralph had no choice but to reset to tomorrow night the dinner that he had planned to surprise her with.
As we all know, they are partners not only at home but in politics. Vilma conceded that Ralph has been her mentor and adviser in her rise from mayor of Lipa City to governor of the province.
As a nod to the couple’s wedding solemnized at the Lipa City Cathedral, Funfare asked Vilma and Ralph in separate interviews to enumerate the 20 reasons that keep their love for each other deeper, what they find specially lovable about each other.
Vilma’s list:
He’s a loving son
Caring husband
Ideal father
Considerate boss
Religious and God-fearing
Forgiving and soft-hearted
Down-to-earth
Thoughtful
Generous
Intelligent
Good leader
Man of integrity
Optimistic
Statesman
Witty and funny
Adventurous
Friendly
Good-looking and mestizo
Good dresser and a pianist
Nice feet
* * *
And Ralph’s list:
• Family and values
Her genuine devotion to God
Her being a caring mother, a loving wife, devoted daughter and understanding sister
Her grace under pressure during family crises
Her being thoughtful and a disciplinarian to me and to the kids
Her unwavering faith in the capacity of people to change
• Public service
Her commitment to serving the people
Her advocacy for the women, youth and the elderly
Her palabra de honor
Her perseverance to make Batangas a model province
Her being passionate on issues affecting the province and the country
Her principled leadership-style
• Craft
Her devotion to her craft and professionalism
Her being an inspiration to her peers and upcoming stars
Her being down-to-earth and humble despite her stature as a movie icon
Her not being afraid to try out new and challenging roles
• Funny/personal
Her being both a superhero (Darna) and a nun (Sister Stella L)
Her being my mentor in life and love
Her being stingy and simple that balance my upscale
Her patience in keeping up with me through the years
HER UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
To the couple, happy 20th anniversary and, as the Chinese would say, may you have 100 more blissful years together!
(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)
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