Heart Evangelista on marriage with Chiz Escudero: ‘Definitely, it is at its strongest’

MANILA, Philippines — Heart Evangelista exchanged “I dos” anew with Sen. Chiz Escudero nine years after they first wed in Balesin Island on Feb. 15, 2015.

According to a report from GMA, her home network, the actress and style maven wore an “ethereal” couture gown by Lebanese fashion designer Elie Saab, while the senator was clad in an all-white suit and pants set. Heart’s stunning second look was a Michael Leyva gown fully beaded in Swarovski crystals and featuring a cape, as seen on the designer’s Instagram.

Based on her own Instagram stories, Heart was walked down the aisle by her mom, Cecilia Ongpauco, to the touching lines from the Gary Valenciano song I Will Be Here. Among the godparents were business tycoon Ramon Ang and celebrity beauty doctor, Dr. Aivee Aguilar.

In an exclusive chat with The STAR earlier, Heart spoke about the renewal of vows as the most exciting thing that she’s looking forward to this month of February, aside from her 39th birthday on Valentine’s Day. 

“I’m getting married again. It’s the same, it will be in Balesin but it’s a smaller group,” Heart shared with this paper on the sidelines of her launch as the newest endorser of the financial super app, GCash.

“Siguro, it’s a realization of love,” she further said when asked why they decided to renew their vows in their ninth year of marriage.

“I thought I knew what love was but now I know how love should be and only a married person, or married people, would understand. And I feel like it’s just very timely for us to get rid of the number nine and make it 10 years kasi number nine. So parang binaliktad ko parang pasabogan natin (laughs).

“And also there’s just so many wonderful things that are going to be happening this year.”

While Heart didn’t specify the wonderful things set to unfold this year, she expressed that she’s now ready for motherhood.

During the GCash “Spotlight: interview with King of Talk Boy Abunda at the event proper, she was asked for whom she will throw a lavish party, and she said, “If I had a baby,” before turning emotional.

“I used to question myself a lot before why I didn’t (have a baby). And it’s so hard when you question yourself and a lot of people say things,” she said. 

“But when I look back at my life, you know, the people, the experiences that I’ve had, all the hardships of being alone, it makes sense now.

“I feel like if there’s any moment that I should be blessed with a baby, it should be now because I feel like I’m ready as a person and I would be able to give more because I’ll be able to tell (the baby) more and share more wisdom.”

Heart also offered an intimate glimpse into her relationship nowadays with Chiz.

When asked by Boy, “When do you guys know when to listen and when to speak?”, Heart admitted, “I used to be very mute before because I trust him a lot.”

“Before I would just listen to him until I kinda grew up as well. I was 30 when I married him. But we’re ever changing. We’re ever evolving,” she added.

She confessed that their relationship reached a point where “we kind of clashed” in the past.

“I saw this thing on Instagram and it says, ‘Why do people scream at each other? It’s because even if they’re so close to each other, they can’t hear each other.’... So, I think there was a time, it was like that.”

Heart said she eventually “found” her voice, but “I think I went over and beyond a little bit.”

But right now, however, she further reflected that “there are a lot of things that happen in a marriage that when he needs to speak, I listen. And when I need to speak, he listens.

“There’s no more debate because he’s a lawyer. Hindi ka talaga mananalo,” she quipped.

“Before, walkout talaga ako. Now, he listens. And I love it because we understand each other.”

In the one-on-one with The STAR, Heart pointed out that being involved in each other’s worlds, passions or interests is a way of understanding one another.

For one, the senator has been spotted accompanying his wife to some of her Fashion Week events. And whenever he has the chance to join her, Heart said Sen. Chiz is very hands-on.

“Super. Sometimes, (‘pag wala yung iba) siya na nagtatahi kung hindi talaga kaya. But he doesn’t join the whole time. He’ll bring me there or sometimes, he’ll pick me up because he has work also.

“But he makes sure of the scheduling, coordination, even making sure that our walkie talkies are charged for the driver, photographer, ganyan. Logistics, siya, budgeting, per diem, lahat siya.”

Like a supervisor? “Yes, micro-manager,” Heart quipped.

Even with the food, the Kapuso star said that Chiz would ensure that she always has food to eat, stacked and placed in marked bottles. 

“So ‘pag umalis siya kasi pagod kami and hindi kami mahilig magluto, iinitin nalang namin ang food.”

Asked by this paper when Sen. Chiz became more involved in this part of her life, she said, “Basically, when my life turned upside down (laughs),” adding, “I have trust issues with people.”

“But no, that’s when he also realized which made the marriage really perfect because you can’t have individual journeys. Like you always have to go into the world of the other one and you need to know what’s going on to fully understand (each other).”

Can she say that her marriage with Sen. Chiz is now at its strongest? Heart replied with a resounding yes: “Definitely, it’s at its strongest.”