(From left) Jak Roberto, Barbie Forteza, David Licauco. Images: Instagram/@jakroberto, Instagram/@barbaraforteza, Instagram/@davidlicauco
Barbie Forteza appeared to be getting tired of questions about how her boyfriend Jak Roberto is taking her love team-up with David Licauco.
Interviewed on the sidelines of the mediacon for “Maging Sino Ka Man” starring Forteza and Licauco, the actress appeared exasperated when she was asked yet again if Roberto would get jealous of her pairing with Licauco. She responded by saying that she hoped such questions would be put to rest, especially as this has been answered already a number of times.
Roberto, in a separate interview recently with veteran host Boy Abunda, claimed that he’s not jealous of the BarDa love team although he’s “disappointed” at certain fans who take their onscreen partnership seriously.
“Sorry, kasi ever since nag-pick up [at] sumikat ang BarDa, it has always been the question kung nagseselos ba si Jak. Hindi nga! So can we stop? Parang nakakapagod nang sumagot,” she said.
(I’m sorry, but ever since ‘BarDa’ picked up, that has always been the question, if Jak gets jealous. I told you no! So can we stop? This question is becoming tiresome.)
“Hindi ko alam paano i-ibahin ‘yung wording. Laging ‘yun ang tanong. Wala nga, at all. Siguro, ‘yung assurance na tinatanong niya sa’kin sa set is kung nakakain na ba ako, kung hindi ba ako natutuyan ng pawis—‘yung care. ‘Yung selos, wala talaga. Jusko. Parehas na kaming aktor, alam na namin ‘yan.”
(I don’t know how to change the wording since this is a question that’s been asked for a long time. None at all. Perhaps, the assurance that he’s looking for is if I’m eating well or if I don’t break a sweat — his care. No jealousy at all. We’re both actors, we know that already.)
‘HINDI NGA!’
WATCH: Barbie Forteza hopes that questions about her boyfriend Jak Roberto being “jealous” of her onscreen partner David Licauco be put to rest, saying that she’s getting tired of answering questions about the topic. | @HMallorcaINQ pic.twitter.com/jAWvTZiT1A
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) September 3, 2023
The Kapuso star then stressed that she doesn’t need anyone to tell her what kind of career path she must choose, saying that she and Roberto have always been aware of their respective images as artists.
“Naging magka-relasyon kami nang may parehas may pinangangalagaang image and reputation. So naging malinaw sa’min na pagdating sa karera, walang pakialamanan. I know what I want, I know anong career path ang gusto ko. Alam ko kung ano ang dapat gawin. Hindi ko kailangan ng boyfriend para magsabi sa’kin kung anong dapat kong gawin,” she said.
(When we got together, it’s clear that we both have images and reputations to maintain. This is why it’s clear for us to not meddle in the other’s career. I know what I want, I know what career path I want. I know what to do. I don’t need a boyfriend to tell me what to do.)
During the interview, the “Maging Sino Ka Man” star pointed out that the insecurity of someone towards “another” reflects how that person acts towards other people. “Kung hindi insecure si Jak, it means assured siya na wala akong ginagawa,” she said.
“It only speaks volumes of how I am as a woman, how I treat my work, how serious I am with my work, and kung hanggang saan lang talaga (where my limits are),” she added.
Touching on the topic of Roberto’s “anti-silos” memes, Forteza said she’s thankful that her partner takes it lightly, while noting his carefree attitude towards her loveteam with Licauco.
“Talagang makikita mo ‘yung maturity from Jak kasi gan’un niya tinake ‘yung trend at hindi niya sineryoso. In fact, ginamit niya ‘yun to promote his show which I think is a very good strategy coming from him. Ang saya lang kasi ‘yung timing ng lahat,” she said.
(You would see how mature Jak is because that’s how he took the trend. He didn’t take it too seriously. In fact, he used it to promote his show which I think is a very good strategy coming from him. The timing of it all makes me happy.)
Forteza also confidently pointed out that it’s possible for women to be happily in love while staying focused in their careers, for as long as their partners are supportive of their endeavors.
“Dapat ‘yung partner niyo ay tinutulungan kayong mag-grow to a better person. Dapat ‘yung partner niyo ang mag-serve as an inspiration than a distraction. Mas pinapasaya ka kaysa ini-stress ka, and mas tinutulungan kang i-improve ang sarili mo,” she said.
(Your partner should help you grow to be a better person. Your partner should serve as your inspiration instead of a distraction. He makes you happy, instead of stressing you out, and helps you to improve.)
“Hindi ka niya kinakahon or hindi ka pinipigilan na gawin ang gusto mo kasi tayong mga babae, sa panahon ngayon, ayaw nating kino-control tayo. Ayaw natin ng sinasabihan ano ang dapat gawin. Alam na natin ‘yun. I think napakalaking bagay na supportive kami sa isa’t isa,” she continued.
(He’s not putting you in a box or he’s not controlling you from what you want to do. In this day and age, women do not want to be controlled. We know what we want. I think that us being supportive of one another is a big thing.)
‘TAYONG MGA BABAE, AYAW NATIN ANG KINAKAHON TAYO’
WATCH: While touching on the topic of Jak Roberto, Barbie Forteza said having a “supportive partner” is important when it comes to staying in a long-term relationship despite being very career-minded. | @HMallorcaINQ pic.twitter.com/MQsduYvd7I
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) September 3, 2023
‘Our personal lives are off-limits’
On the other hand, Forteza said during the press conference that while she’s grateful for the support towards her onscreen partnership with Licauco, she stressed the importance of “personal boundaries” as their personal lives are off-limits.
“For the fans, as grateful as we are for the support na binibigay nila sa amin na kahit hindi namin hiningi, ibinigay nila sa amin nang buong puso, siyempre, sabi nga po ni Ms. Lea Salonga, we have to set our personal boundaries because at the end of the day, tao po kami,” she said, referring to Salonga’s Broadway dressing room fiasco last July.
(For the fans, grateful as we are for the support that we received—even if we didn’t ask them to—they still wholeheartedly support us. Just as Lea Salonga said, we have to set our personal boundaries because at the end of the day, we’re humans.)
“I guess, David will agree with me, ‘yung personal lives namin outside this partnership and this love team, are off-limits. The people that make us happy, the people that love us — our family and loved ones — off-limits po ‘yun. Opo. Hindi po ‘yun kasama sa trabaho,” she further added.
(I guess David will agree with me. Our personal lives outside this partnership and this love team are off-limits. The people that make us happy, the people that love us—our family and loved ones—it’s off-limits. It’s not part of our job.)
Nonetheless, Forteza expressed gratitude to Licauco for being a friend who has her back, while praising his “hard work and dedication” to make their love team work.
“I like to share the success, of course, with David dahil grabe din talaga ‘yung hard work and dedication niya to make us and this partnership work na parehas kaming nag-gain ng friendship sa isa’t isa,” she said. “Sa industriyang ito, napakalaking bagay kung makahanap ka ng kaibigan sa isang katrabahong matagal mong makakasama kasi it’s kind of a cruel world. It’s not easy being in our shoes. Ang saya lang kasi we got each other’s backs.”
(I like to share the success, of course, with David because of his untiring hard work and dedication to make our partnership work. We both gained a friend in each other. In this industry, it’s hard to find a friend in a longtime colleague because it’s kind of a cruel world. It’s not easy being in our shoes. It makes me happy because we have each other’s backs.) EDV