WALA sigurong maniniwala na pang-teleserye ang buhay ng mag-asawang Gary Valenciano at Angeli Pangilinan-Valenciano laluna nung simula pa lamang ng kanilang relasyon.

Gary was 18 at 24 naman si Angeli nung una silang magkakilala. Gary was just starting his singing career as a solo artist (coming from De la Salle – Greenhills Kundirana) habang si Angeli naman ay part noon ng Music & Magic group kung saan si Kuh Ledesma ang lead vocalist. Kasama rin sa grupo noon sina Fe de los Reyes, Eva Caparas, Jet Montelibano, Toto Gentica, Butch Elizalde, Bobby Taylo, Nonoy Mendoza at iba pa.

At that time, Angeli was helping out talent manager Sandra Chavez in forming a company, Classified Entertainment that will discover new talents to manage. Nagkataon namang napanood ni Angeli si Gary sa isang show and she was so impressed with him and how he performs. She immediately recommended Gary to Sandra who auditioned during Music & Magic rehearsals and the talent manager was likewise so impressed with him (Gary).

Since Angeli had a boyfriend then and she’s a few years older than Gary, she pushed Gary to her younger sister na si Felichi Pangilinan who was also a songwriter then at naging magkasintahan ang dalawa for two months.

Wala umanong kaalam-alam si Angeli that Gary had a crush on her and he pursued her nung wala na sila ng kanyang dating boyfriend. Nakipag-break din si Gary sa sister ni Angeli na si Felichi who was definitely hurt. Very close ang magkapatid na Angeli at Felichi kaya maging ang relasyon ng dalawa ay naapektuhan. Naging controversial ang relasyon nina Gary at Angeli at lumabas pa sa mga balita noon na sinulot umano ni Angeli si Gary sa kanyang kapatid.

Apart from her being a part ng sikat noong grupo, ang Music & Magic, she was already a known personality. She did some TV commercials at ang pinaka-prominent ay ang kanyang Camay beauty soap commercial. The late movie king, Fernando Poe, Jr. wanted her to be his leading lady sa pelikulang “Roman Rapido”. The contract was prepared including the huge talent fee pero bago pa man nagsimula ang shooting ng movie ay nag-back out siya sa proyekto dahil ayaw umano niyang mag-showbiz. Her businessman father wanted her to help run the business kesa mag-showbiz siya. She thought sandali lang din siya sa Music & Magic pero umabot din ito ng taon. Nang ma-disband ang grupo dahil sa pagsu-solo ni Kuh (Ledesma) at sumunod na ang iba, ito rin ang naging reason ni Angeli na harapin ang kanilang family business. Pero iba ang nangyari nang dumating sa kanyang buhay si Gary. Instead na sumunod siya sa kagustuhan ng kanyang ama, mas pinili niya ang kanyang pagmamahal kay Gary na nasunugan noon ng kanilang bahay. She lived in with Gary at ang kanilang kwarto ay walang gamit including curtains and bed. Ang kanilang bintana ay tinakpan lamang nila ng classified ads section ng isang newspaper habang natutulog naman sila sa papag. Meron silang isang mumurahing bed foam at kapok na kanilang higaan.

Dahil nagalit kay Angeli ang kanyang ama, binawi sa kanya ang kanyang car kaya napilitan sila ni Gary na sumakay sa taxi nung umpisa. Natuto rin noon si Gary sumakay ng public transport.

Angeli was pregnant with Paolo (panganay nila ni Gary) nang sila’y magpakasal sa isang civil wedding in Canlubang, Laguna. Ayaw nilang isilang ang bata na hindi sila kasal. On November 12, 1985 ay ikinasal naman sila sa Villa Escudero in Tiaong, Quezon kung saan si Paolo na mismo ang tumayong ring bearer.

Paolo being the first grandchild ng mga Pangilinan paved the way na maging okey si Angeli sa kanyang ama at sa kanyang pamilya.

Since wala na si Angeli sa Music & Magic, she focused on being a wife to Gary and mother to their children na sina Paolo, Gabriel and Kiana. Eventually, siya rin ang tumayong manager ng kanyang husband at dito nila itinatag ang Manila Genesis Entertainment & Management, Inc. with Angeli running the business. Bukod kay Gary, the company also managed other named artists at kasama na rito ang kanilang tatlong mga anak na si Paolo, Gabriel and Kiana.

Sa simula pa lamang ng relasyon nina Gary at Angeli ay alam na ng huli na may type-1 diabetes si Gary which could be fatal kung hindi close na mamo-monitor at maa-address nang tama. Ang ginawa ni Angeli ay inaral niya ang nasabing sakit ni Gary, sought professional medical advise sa kung ano ang nararapat gawin sakaling umatake.

Madalas magkaroon ng seizure si Gary at maraming beses na ring nalagay sa bingit ito ng kamatayan. But the couple’s strong faith sa Diyos keeps Gary alive.

There was also a time when Gary and ASAP’s group were in Pasadena, California for an “ASAP” show nang magka-seizure si Gary at tinawag ang 911 who revived him and eventually was rushed to the emergency room ng isang nearby hospital. This was witnessed ng “ASAP” group.

Nung April 2018 when Gary was celebrating his 35th anniversary sa “ASAP” nang makaramdam siya ng pananakit ng dibdib. Alam niyang hindi siya okey but he went on with the production number and waited for another thirty minutes for another number with Zsa Zsa. Being so professional with his job, tinapos ni Gary ang programa at pagdating ng bahay ay saka niya tinawagan ang kanyang cardiologist doctor friend who happened to be out of the country but arriving the next day. He immediately checked on Gary and found out na kailangan itong sumailalim ng heart bypass surgery dahil barado ang left anterior descending artery ng kanyang puso.

When Gary was starting to heal sa kanyang bypass operation, he was diagnosed of having cancer sa kanyang kidney and another surgery followed.

Kung mahina-hina lamang ang loob ni Gary at ng kanyang wife na si Angeli, matagal na siguro itong namaalam. When he’s on stage, walang mag-aakala na siya’y may pinagdadaanang personal health issues. Ayaw niyang i-deceive ang audience and he always wanted to give them his best.

Wala ring alam ang audience kung ano ang kanyang pinagdadaanan bago siya sumalang for a performance. He looks so healthy and energetic on stage when he performs but beyond that façade, Gary has health issues.

Gary credits his wife for her patience on him.

Aminado rin si Angeli na maraming beses din sila nagkakaroon ng argument ni Gary just like any other couples but at the end of the day ay nananaig pa rin ang kanilang pagmamahal sa Diyos, sa isa’t isa, sa kanilang mga anak at sa kanilang mga apo.

“We surrendered everything to Him,” pahayag ng mag-asawang Gary at Angeli na hanggang ngayon ay patuloy na humaharap sa maraming hamon sa kanilang buhay.

Aminado rin ang mag-asawa that they were not always around for their children on their growing up stage dahil parating busy si Gary sa kanyang mga shows and concerts here and abroad and Angeli has to be with her husband most of the time dahil sa kanyang health issues.

Tulad ni Angeli, sanay na rin ang kanilang production staff sa mga kailangan ni Gary when he travels and whenever he prepares for a show, program or concert habang ang wife ni Gary ay 24/7 ready sa anu’t anumang mangyari sa kanyang mister. She’s not only a wife and mother to their three children, his manager and above all, his 24/7 special nurse ang caregiver.

Gary and Angeli are both looking forward to another 40 years of their journey as a couple.

While Gary is celebrating his 40th year in the entertainment business, sabay din nilang sini-celebrate ng wife niyang si Angeli ang kanilang 40th anniversary bilang mag-asawa.

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Aster Amoyo