IKINUWENTO ng singer, actress and entrepreneur na si Ara Mina na kahit kailan ay hindi umano siya nawalan ng pag-asa na darating ang kanyang `Mr. Right’.

It was in 2018 nang unang magkakilala sina Ara at ang kanyang husband na ngayon na si Dave Almarinez, a successful businessman, politician and president-CEO ng state-owned company, ang Philippine International Trading Corporation. He holds the rank of an undersecretary sa Philippine government.

Ara has never been married before samantalang si Dave ay hiwalay na rin sa kanyang ex-wife na si Erish with whom he has a teen-age daughter na si Kirsten (16) at step-daughter-turned adopted daughter na si Klane (22). Meron din siyang four-year-old son sa kanyang dating partner na si Rina Navarro na si Dave Theodore, Jr.

Dave maintains a good relationship with his ex-wife na si Erish na naka-base na sa Amerika with her new family and their kids. Kirsten and Klane were able to attend the wedding of their dad and Ara nung nakaraang June 30 na ginanap sa Baguio City. But Dave’s ex-wife failed to make it to the wedding dahil bago itong panganak sa kanyang new baby with her new husband pero nagpadala naman ito ng regalo sa bagong mag-asawa.

Ara’s 6-year-old daughter na si Amanda is very close to Dave’s two daughters and so happy that she has now her two `Ates’.

Ara has a house in Quezon City, and the couple will maintain it as their half-way home abd they will settle in San Pedro, Laguna together with Mandy sa bahay ni Dave.

Unang nagkakilala sina Ara at Dave in 2018 nang maimbitahan si Ara sa isang event in Laguna. Dahil sa sobrang traffic, late na nakarating ang singer-actress sa nasabing event but it paved the way ng kanilang pagkakakilala. Nag-sorry si Ara kay Dave pero sumunod na rito ang palitan ng text messages at tawagan hanggang maging sila.

Dave surprised Ara with a marriage proposal sa isang open balcony ng city hall ng Laguna.

Since it was a Tuesday, marami ang naka-witness sa nangyaring proposal. Wala roon ang family ni Ara kaya sinabi niya kay Dave na ipaalam sa kanila not her knowing na naghihintay na pala ang mga ito and some of her close friends sa isang engagement reception in Manila. Kinunan pa ni Ara ang “Will you marry me” display and sent it to her family pero wala umanong nag-reply sa mga ito. It was only Ara’s daughter na si Mandy ang naka-witness sa engagement ng kanyang mommy at Tito Dave. Dave even also proposed to Mandy and gave her a bracelet.

After their engagement on January 12, 2021, the couple had a grand wedding (despite the pandemic) held at the Alphaland Baguio Mountain Lodges Chapel in Baguio City.

Dave’s first wedding to his ex-wife was held in civil rites kaya first time siyang nakaranas ng isang church wedding attended by their respective families and close friends.

“It was surreal,” he exclaimed. “Ibang-iba ang pakiramdam at naging experience ko kaya hindi ko rin napigilan ang maluha.

“Si Hazel (Ara’s real name) ang babaeng gusto kong makasama for the rest of my life,” pangako pa niya.

Ang isa pang ikinagulat ng marami ay nang dumating sa kasal nina Ara at Dave ang ex-boyfriend ni Ara at ama ng kanyang anak na si Amanda na si Patrick Meneses kasama ang current girlfriend nito ngayon.

“We both invited him (Patrick),” pag-amin pa ni Dave.

Ara introduced Dave and Patrick even before their wedding kaya magkakilala na ang dalawa.

Wala na ang parents ni Dave at dalawa lamang sila ng kanyang elder sister who is a doctor at naka-base sa Amerika habang si Ara ay nagmula sa isang malaking pamilya. She has half-siblings both sa kanyang mom at sa kanyang biological father, ang dating politician na si Chuck Mathay at half-brother niya si Macky Mathay, ang present boyfriend ng singer-actress na si Sunshine Cruz.

Nagmula man sina Ara at Dave sa ilang failed relationships in the past, they both vowed to stay together for the rest of their lives.

“Pinagtagpo kami ng Diyos at the right time,” deklara pa ng mister ni Ara.

Samantala, nangako si Dave na hindi umano niya pipigilan si Ara sa kanyang trabaho bilang singer, actress at entrepreneur.

“Diyan ko siya nakilala. Hindi ko puwedeng alisin sa kanya ang mga bagay na ini-enjoy niyang gawin,” ani Dave.

“Wala rin akong puwedeng baguhin sa kanya,” diin pa niya.

The couple had their honeymoon sa isang very private resort and they’re both praying na sana’y mabiyayaan sila ng sarili nilang anak kahit isa lang.

First movie on digiral platform

FRESH from the success ng kanilang pelikulang “Ang Babaeng Walang Pakiramdam” mula sa panulat at direksiyon ni Darryl Yap and was shown in various digital platforms including Vivamax last June, ang magkasintahang Kim Molina at Jerald Napoles ay muling nagbabalik sa bago nilang movie, ang “Ikaw at Ako at ang Ending” na dinirek ni Irene Villamor at nakatakdang mapanood sa Vivamax simula ngayong August 13.

Si Direk Irene ang nasa likod sa mga successful movies tulad ng “Camp Sawi,” “Meet Me in St. Gallen,” “Sid & Aya: Not A Love Story,” “Ulan,” “On Vodka, Beers and Regrets” at iba pa.

Ang pelikulang “Ikaw at Ako at ang Ending” ay first movie ni Direk Irene na maipapalabas on Vivamax and other digital platforms.

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Aster Amoyo