‘Okay sana, ‘di ko s’ya nabiktima eh’: Gerald Anderson on courting Arci Munoz

MANILA, Philippines — Last year, at the height of the Gerald Anderson-Bea Alonzo breakup scandal, internet users circulated a meme made from shampoo advertisement photos of girls linked to Gerald: Sarah Geronimo, Maja Salvador, Kim Chiu, and the one alleged to be the cause of the split between him and Bea, Julia Barretto.

One love team partner not in the meme is Arci Munoz, whose first starring movie was with Gerald, “Always Be My Maybe” (2016).

Arci and Gerald again joined forces in the 2017 romantic comedy “Can We Still Be Friends?”

This year, despite the lockdown, Gerald and Arci reunited again for the mini movie “Hook-Up,” which will play back-to-back with Julia and Joshua Garcia’s “E-numan” as part of the special “Love Unlock” that will exclusively premiere on Kapamilya Online Live on YouTube and Facebook this Saturday (August 15), 7:30 p.m.

In “Hook-Up,” Gerald and Arci will play lovers who will try to spice things up by attempting to make love online. But as they continue to explore more about online lovemaking, they will discover new things about each other that will change the course of their relationship.

“It’s always easy working with Arci kasi napaka-love ko ‘to… Napakahirap i-shoot ‘to, kami rin ang ilaw, kami rin ang audio man, you know, working with Arci is always light, magaan lang, kahit sa ibang projects na ginawa namin,” Gerald told Philstar.com and other media during a recent teleconference for the mini-movie.

“Masaya po ako na si Gerald po nakasama ko rito kasi actually, si Gerald po ‘yung nakasama ko sa pinakaunang pelikulang nagawa ko na ako ‘yung starring. Kaya nung na-reunite with Ge during the lockdown, para sa’kin, plus na rin para makapagkamustahan na rin sa kanya… So glad na s’ya nakasama ko dito sa series na ‘to,” seconded Arci.

According to her, she never had problems working with Gerald.

“Wala po akong problema. Sobrang kumportable po ako kay Ge. Actually, sa lahat nang naging partner ko, comfortable ako. Siguro dahil hindi ko hinahaluan ng malice… Kahit nu’ng first time ko palang nakatrabaho si Ge, very comfortable ako sa kanya.”

If they are very comfortable with each other, have Arci and Gerald thought about bringing their friendship to the next level?

“Si Ge? Sinabi ko po sa sarili ko before na as much as possible, ayaw ko talaga magka-boyfriend na nasa industry kasi ayaw ko ng awkwardness, yung mga naoobserve ko sa kapaligiran ko. Ewan ko, di ko pa na tra-try eh. Try mo nga, Ge!” Arci quipped when asked by Philstar.com if she would give Gerald a chance should he court her.

“Lahat kasi ng mga nakapartner ko, feeling nila one of the boys ako… So parang feeling ko po. Di ko pa na-tratry so hindi ko rin alam. Hirap ngayon, LDR, ‘wag, ‘wag muna! ‘Pagkatapos na lang nang lahat ng ‘to!”

“Okay sana, ‘di ko s’ya nabiktima eh,” Gerald joked back.

According to him, during the lockdown, he unlocked some things about love that he would like to apply to his next relationship.

“You know, just being in show business, ‘pag pumasok ka sa isang relasyon, hindi na lang sarili mo ang iniisip mo. May partner ka na. Provider, more than anything, maramdaman n’ya na nakakapag-provide ka sa kanya. ‘Pag kasama ka n’ya lagi n’yang nararamdaman na ligtas s’ya,” he said on the qualities he would like to develop as a lover to his next partner.

Arci, on the other hand, learned the value of self-love more because she has been alone most of the time during the lockdown. 

“Whenever I’m in a relationship, I give it my all. Sometimes, I forget about me,” she mused. 

“In my past relationships ko, ubos talaga, parang ako yung lalaki. So ito ngayon na may tao ako alone, I find myself single. Ito yata ‘yung pinakamatagal na single ako ng dalawang taon, freedom! Wow, gagamitin ko ‘tong time na ;to na para sa’kin lang para pag dumating na ‘yung tamang panahon at nandyan na ‘yung para sa’kin, alam ko na kung paano ‘yung ibibigay ko lang sa taong ‘yun.”

She is also not entertaining suitors to make the most out of her single life during the pandemic.

“It’s my choice to stay single right down. Kahit nu’ng may mga nagpaparamdam before nito, sabi ko, i-enjoy ko muna by myself. I wanna travel nang walang iniintindi. Imaginary boyfriend na lang muna!”

RELATED: Gerald Anderson still mum on real score with Julia Barretto