Coco Martin and Julia Montes would be the last ones to describe their relationship as perfect. But for the longtime reel and real-life couple, what has kept them together is something they both kept returning to during their recent endorsement launch: faith, respect, privacy and learning how to be true partners in life.
During their contract signing as Regasco brand ambassadors, Coco and Julia shared rare glimpses into their dynamics as partners and what makes them a “perfect match” on and off screen.
“For me, siguro maganda po talaga yung may center kayo, which is God… Yung talagang sa kahit anong mangyari, ups and downs in life, yung nasa sentro mo si Lord. Yun yung pinaka-blessed ako kay Coco kasi ganun siya,” Julia said during a presscon.
She said Coco’s faith has helped strengthen their relationship, especially during challenging times.
“Yung faith niya sobra talaga and nakatulong yun sa relationship namin because, of course, nobody is perfect. There’s no perfect relationship. Pero lahat ng mga pinagdadaanan, happy moments, ups and downs, parang lagi talagang siguradong matatag because meron kayong sentro,” Julia said.
Coco, for his part, said one of the reasons their relationship lasted this long was because they chose to keep it private despite years of public speculation.
“Honestly, ‘di ba dati pa ’to eh, lagi na kaming pinag-uusapan na parang sila yata ay… or ganun, kasi talagang key namin (is) private yung relasyon namin. Alam naman natin sa show business, ‘di ba, ‘pag marami nang pumapasok and maraming nakikialam sa personal mong buhay, dun minsan nagkakaroon ng (problem),” the actor-director/producer said.
Coco further said that mutual respect and support also became important foundations of their relationship.
“Yung pagmamahal kasi minsan pag bago kayo, parang bugso ng damdamin eh. But if you don’t have respect for each other, later on, it will fade,” he stressed.
“Habang tumatagal nang tumatagal yung relationship namin, mas nagma-mature kami nang nagma-mature, mas naa-appreciate namin lalo ang isa’t isa. Naging pundasyon nun yung respeto tsaka yung magsusuportahan.”
Coco also described them as “makaluma,” saying they both grew up with their grandmothers and continue to “value” old-school Filipino ideals of respect, family and mutual support.
“As partners, makaluma kami. Di ba yung parang dating sinasabi nila sa mga Pilipino yung, ito yung ideal, dapat ang pamilya ay nagtutulungan. Ang mag-asawa ang nagsusuportahan sa isa’t isa, which is yun yung nakikita ko talaga sa amin ngayon,” Coco said.
Complementary
That support, Coco said, is no longer limited to personal matters. It has also become part of how they work, make decisions and most importantly, build their future.
“Kaya nga sabi ko kung ano man minsan naiisip ni Jules, like for example, she wants to start a business, I’m here to support. Ako naman nag-business, siya naman nakasuporta sa akin,” he added.
Coco shared that Julia is often with him in his meetings, shoots and other work commitments.
“Ang feeling ko pag wala siya parang napilay (ako). Kasi ‘pag nandiyan siya, hindi ko man ma-ano, nalagay ko sa isip ko na parang nagkakaroon ako ng ekstrang lakas ng loob lalo na pag may mga tanong na mga English na,” he said, laughing. “Yung kahinaan ko, yun ang kalakasan niya.”
When asked what keeps the fire burning in their relationship, Coco said they are now in a stage where they are more focused on building their future together.
He said their conversations nowadays have also changed with maturity. For example, they still find time to enjoy the places they visit and the moments they share, but they now also talk about possible businesses and long-term plans.
“Kasi sabi ko nga, tapos na rin kami dun sa mga… ‘pag baguhan kayo di ba? Wala kayong nakikita, kundi kilig, masasayang ano,” Coco said.
“Now, every time na may pinupuntahan kami, bukod sa napag-uusapan at ina-appreciate namin ang lugar, nag-iisip kami, ‘Ano kaya yung puwede nating itayong negosyo? Ano kaya pwedeng makatulong dun sa future natin?’”
In their production ventures, Coco said their roles have also become clearer. He focuses on the creative side, while Julia handles finances.
“Katulad ngayon sa production namin, sa CCM Films, siya talaga. Ganun talaga yung key. Kaya sabi ko, ako sa creative, siya sa finances, which is lahat ng bagay talaga ngayon yun yung dynamics namin,” Coco stressed.
“Yung mahal mo sa buhay ang katuwang mo sa lahat ng aspeto na ginagawa mo ngayon, yun yung mas nagpapalalim ng pagmamahalan namin.”
Leader of the family
For Julia, on the other hand, what she appreciates is that Coco may be the leader of their family, but he also listens.
“Kaya rin siguro kami nagwo-work, kasi bilang alpha sa’min, kumbaga leader talaga namin siya sa family. But you don’t feel that hindi nga siya nag-gi-give. He’s open to any advice, any communication,” Julia said.
As his partner, Julia said she wants to help lessen whatever burden she can.
“So siguro parang ako din as babae, naa-appreciate ko kasi ang sarap din na napapakinggan ka. Tapos siyempre ang goal ko lang naman in life and as partner po niya, magabayan ko rin siya sa mga bagay-bagay na ano man yung pwede kong makabawas sa problema niya, pwedeng makabawas sa intindihin niya, makatulong man lang,” she said.
That, Julia added, is why they can call themselves a perfect match.
“Kaya namin nasasabi rin siguro, natatawag rin naming perfect because it takes two to tango, laging tulungan, laging iisipin yung isa, lagi kayong tandem talaga in life,” she said.
Coco said they now try to treat each other as equals.
“Nung araw kasi syempre bata sa akin si Jules, ako lahat nagtuturo sa kanya dati, paano mag-drive, kumuha ng driver’s license, mag-ipon, mag-bangko,” Coco said.
“Of course, now, eto na si Jules, nagma-mature na so talagang in-ano namin na pantay kami. Pero ang position ko, ako ang taga-trabaho, ako taga-isip but before ako mag-decision, ayoko dumesisyon na di ko siya kino-consider… ibinibigay ko muna sa kanya kasi ayoko magka-conflict.”
One of their small misunderstandings in the past even came from his penchant to buy them matching items or couple stuff.
“Binibili ko, ayaw niya, nahihiya siya, ‘Wag na, Tatay, wag na.’ Siempre, nagkaroon kami ng tampuhan,” Coco said.
“Pero na-realize ko, kung yung iba pabili dito, pabili dyan, siya naman napaka-tipid. Sabi ko, napakaswerte ko naman… Di siya maluhong tao.”
Avoiding conflict also means knowing when to adjust.
According to Coco, Julia is undoubtedly the “queen of their home.”
“Kaya ko sinasabi siya ang reyna ng tahanan kasi natuto ako mag-adjust,” he said.
“Kailangan na para ang bahay niyo maging masaya at maging tahimik, bilang lalaki, kailangan matuto ka rin manahimik, mag-adjust at umunawa.”
Coco said that at home, whenever something comes up, his first instinct is to ask whether Julia already knows about it.
“Di ba there’s a saying in English, happy wife, happy life. Yan ang naisip ko, kaya adjust na lang,” he said.
Career milestone
The couple appeared more open than usual about their relationship, perhaps because the event also marked a career milestone — their first joint endorsement for Regasco, an LPG company with “over 30 refilling plants, 400 showrooms and retail stores, and 2,000 active dealers nationwide.”
Coco said he’s proud to lead Regasco’s new campaign, “Kitchen’s Perfect Match” with Julia, especially after being with the brand first for three years.
In response to a question from The STAR, Coco also explained why he takes endorsement choices seriously, saying he and Julia worked hard for everything they have now.
“Kung nasaan man kami ngayon, hindi naman namin ’to nakuha sa isang pelikula. Hindi naman kami sumali sa isang reality (show) and then after that, nanalo and then nandito na kami,” he said.
“Pinaghirapan namin ito. Lalong-lalo na ako, yung nagsimula ako sa lahat. Alam naman ng karamihan sa atin yung history ko. Talagang ginapang ko from indie films, napasok ako sa telebisyon, from talent, extra, support and kontrabida.”
So the trust that comes with being endorsers also means protecting the reputation they have built through the years, he added.
“Lagi kong pinag-iisipan ang isang bagay kasi napaka-importante para sa amin na kung ano ini-endorse namin, yun kasi ang pinagkakatiwalaan ng mga tao,” Coco said.
“Kumbaga pag nasira ang produktong yun, masisira rin ang lahat ng mga pinaghirapan namin… Kaya nandito kami ngayon sa inyong harapan dahil ganun kami ka-proud.”