Barbie Forteza and Jak Roberto. Image: Instagram/@barbaraforteza
Despite being in a relationship with Jak Roberto for over five years, Barbie Forteza admitted that she had been through heartbreak — which taught her how to deal with love in a healthier way.
Forteza opened up about her experiences with love, as well as her romance with Roberto in an interview with broadcast journalist Karen Davila, as seen on the latter’s YouTube channel on Thursday, March 2.
“Have you ever been heartbroken? And what did you learn?” Davila asked Forteza.
“Opo. Opo naman,” the Kapuso actress replied. “Wag ibigay lahat agad, lalo na kapag nasa getting-to-know-you stage pa lang kayo. Parang kasi noong time na ‘yun, bata pa ako noong nagsimula akong mag-artista, kapag na-fall ako sa isang lalaki, binibigay ko lahat — atensyon, oras. Tapos nalilimutan kong magtira para sa sarili ko.”
(Yes. Of course. I realized to not give everything at once, especially if you’re just in the getting-to-know-you stage with someone. At that time, I was young when I became an actress. When I fall for a man, I give everything — attention and time. Then I forget to leave room for myself.)
The “Maria Clara at Ibarra” star also revealed that she’s the type of person who easily forgives someone she loves, saying she’s “not proud” of it.
“Kung may kasalanan sila, parang pinagbibigyan ko kasi mahal ko eh. Medyo hindi ako proud sa love life, or choices ko before.” she said, as she admitted that she’s fond of the “bad boy” types.
(If he makes a mistake, I just let him be because I love him. Actually, I’m not proud of that time in my love life or my choices before.)
During the interview, Davila also asked the 25-year-old actress if she sees herself getting married anytime soon.
“Hindi po,” she responded. “Ngayon, na-realize ko na marami pang dapat mangyari sa career ko parang gusto ko siyang i-maximize (No. Now, I realized that a lot of things can happen with my career and I want to maximize them). But I’m really, really, really happy with my relationship with Jak right now.”
Forteza then shared that Roberto courted her parents first, instead of trying to ask her out for a date immediately.
“Ang una talaga niyang niligawan ay ‘yung mga magulang ko. Lagi niyang kasabay mag-lunch sa taping ang tatay ko, tapos ka-message pala niya ang nanay ko. Ang galing,” she said.
“So, ‘yung time na niyaya niya akong lumabas, walang pagda-dalawang isip. Oo agad ang mga magulang ko. Kaya naging smooth talaga ang [relationship] namin,” she further added.
(Jak courted my parents first. He always eats lunch with my father during tapings, then he and my mother message each other. It’s great. So, the time when he asked me out, my parents didn’t have any second thoughts. They said ‘yes’ right away. This is why our relationship turned out to be really smooth.)
On David Licauco
Even if the actress is currently teamed up with “Maria Clara at Ibarra” co-star David Licauco, she remained firm that the popular “FiLay” or Fidel and Klay loveteam is only meant for the cameras.
“I’ve had so many leading men before. Pero itong team-up ko with David Licauco sa ‘Maria Clara at Ibarra,’ I would say is one of the most successful loveteams,” she said. “Hindi naman po nagseselos [si Jak] kasi magkaibigan din sila ni David. And kami ni David, malinaw sa aming dalawa na this is a business partnership.”
(I’ve had so many leading men before. But my team-up with David Licauco in “Maria Clara at Ibarra” is one of my most successful loveteams. Jak doesn’t get jealous of us since he’s friends with David in real life. And it’s clear for David and I that this is just a business partnership.)
The Kapuso star also expressed her gratitude to her supporters who acknowledge her relationship with Roberto, despite her popular team-up with Licauco.
“Nakakatuwa kasi pati ‘yung mga supporters namin, very mature mag-isip, matatalino. Wala silang ine-expect from David and I to be more than friends kasi alam nila na we’re really good friends, really good partners onscreen. Okay na sila d’un,” she said.
(It makes me happy that our supporters are very mature and smart about this. They don’t expect David and I to be more than friends because they know that we’ll only remain as good friends and really good partners onscreen. They are okay with that.)
Forteza earlier revealed in an interview with a lifestyle publication that Roberto is “supportive” of her relationship with Licauco, and noted that her boyfriend would even encourage her to carry on with their promotions.
The celebrity couple, who met on the set of the GMA teleserye “Meant To Be” in 2017, celebrated their fifth-year anniversary in May 2022. The Kapuso hunk previously declared in a 2021 Inquirer interview that Forteza is “the one.” EDV