Avoiding temptation, Gretchen-Robi-style

ROBI Domingo and Gretchen Ho

Although already of age, athlete-turned-TV host Gretchen Ho said she would never travel abroad alone with her boyfriend Robi Domingo.

“That’s temptation! Our parents don’t allow us to travel [alone],” Gretchen disclosed at a recent media gathering for her latest talk show, “Modern Girls.”

“We agree with them because we don’t want other people to think that we’re doing something [immoral],” she explained. “We don’t want to put ourselves at risk.”

She further said that being public figures, they want to be responsible role models.

“Robi and I still follow a curfew,” she added. “[Robi has a] self-imposed curfew. Often, he wants to go home early because he would need to wake up early for several projects the following day. I sleep early now that I have a morning show.”

Asked by Inquirer what type of girlfriend she is, Gretchen described herself as “a balance of both traditional and modern.”

The 26-year-old said she is a conservative Catholic Christian who believes in a long courtship.

“I’m modern in the sense that I value having a career of my own alongside my partner,” Gretchen said. “It’s important for us to have two separate worlds, that’s why we don’t always work together.”

She and Robi used to fight about the lack of quality time together. “Maybe because during the past years, we were on different life stages. We’re both so driven. We’re on our third year now. I feel like we’re getting to know each other better and are understanding each other more,” she said.

Gretchen said they’re now able to spend more time together. “We’re always here (at the ABS-CBN compound). Also, a lot of the things that were conflict points are now things that we can talk about. We compromise.”

She and Robi, who is also an ABS-CBN talent, were “investing more into the relationship … we’re also planning for the future.” The former member of the Ateneo Lady Eagles volleyball team said she has adjusted to working in show business, although “there are some things that still shock me.”

Gretchen cohosts “Modern Girls” with Denise Laurel and Sam Oh. It airs on Lifestyle every Saturday at 9 p.m.