Heaven Peralejo and Marco Gallo’s balancing act

Heaven Peralejo (left) and Marco Gallo—VIVA FILMS

When lovers are coworkers, does love work or do they have to work harder on their love? Such is the premise of Viva Films’ “Men are from QC, Women are from Alabang,” which opens in cinemas on May 1.

Headlined by Heaven Peralejo and Marco Gallo under the helm of Gino Santos, the film is based on the best-selling book of the same title by Stanley Chi. It’s about a couple who are workmates and their struggles with growth, assurance and the distance between their homes in Quezon City and Alabang.

Call that LDR (long-distance relationship), Manila-style. Blame it on the traffic. Will absence make the heart grow fonder for an “insignificant other?”

Here are quotes from Heaven (H), Marco (M) and Gino (G):

H: I value my “me time,” so I don’t mind being apart from someone I care for. Giving each other space is healthy for the relationship.

M: Distance does not matter when you love someone. No matter how far away she lives, you will go the extra mile for her, literally and figuratively speaking.

G: I love how collaborative Marco and Heaven are. They give their 100 percent to make the characters they portray real and interesting.

H: Based on the trailer, it seems like our movie is light, but it really has depth. It’s not a cutesy love story. It tackles the ambitions of a couple as individuals and how that could clash. It also shows that even when a couple lives together, there can still be distance between them.

M: Among all the projects I’ve done, this movie is the most real. Many couples will be able to relate to the story. It hit me hard.

G: LDR does not work for everyone. It depends on your needs in a relationship. But as long as you keep your communication open, love can stand the test of distance and time.

H: Marco and I are halfway there. We still have a lot to learn about each other. Our love-hate relationship helps us become better persons. We learn how to lower our pride and adjust to each other. It’s good in building our future.

M: Working with Heaven is a “sweet-hate” thing. We are the best of friends. Sometimes, you feel like you’re falling, other days you feel like hating. It feels like a marriage without a ring.

G: Our movie tackles the conflict between love and career. Not everyone is lucky to have the best of both worlds. It’s quite a balancing act.

Robin Padilla —ROBIN PADILLA INSTAGRAM

Robin and Rocco at the Senate

Robin Padilla and Rocco Nacino recently joined forces at the Basic Citizen Military Course in the Senate. Rocco was the guest speaker. He is a second lieutenant in the nurse corps of the AFP Reserve Command’s Civil Military Affair Brigade.

The Kapuso actor started training in 2016 to prepare for his role in the adaptation of the Korean series, “Descendants of the Sun.” Robin said we need more AFP nurse corps like Rocco to respond to calamities since we don’t have the capabilities against missiles yet. For the actor-turned-senator, saving lives is a priority. So, he hopes that the bill for a mandatory Reserve Officer Training Corps will gain ground.

As for saving the soured relationship of his nephew, Daniel Padilla, and Kathryn Bernardo, Robin said he would if only he could.