"Yes," Claudine Barretto confirms (as if she needs to), "Rico (Yan) and I are going steady."
They’ve just finished their latest movie, Star Cinema’s feel-good romance-comedy-drama Got 2 Believe (directed by Olivia Lamasan who collaborated on the screenplay with Mia Concio) which is about a wedding planner (Claudine) and a celebrity photographer (Rico) who repel each other in the beginning, only to end up in each other’s arms in the end.
With her long-running and top-rating soap (coming after Saan Ka Man Naroroon), ABS-CBN’s Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan, Claudine is ranked among the new breed of Teleserye Queens/Soap Princesses who also include Judy Ann Santos, Kristine Hermosa, Angelika dela Cruz and a few others.
"I am not title-conscious," smiles Claudine. "I don’t compete with anybody. I just work."
Soon to turn 23, Claudine saw the dark side of love and loving during her stormy relationship with Mark Anthony Fernandez, an episode in her young life marked by tattoos around her ankle (one of them the name MARK ANTHONY) which Claudine later had surgically removed (ouch!) after she broke up with Mark.
Her relationship with Rico, going strong on its fourth year, is like a serene pond, very smooth and very quiet. This time, says Claudine, "I guess I have found the ‘other half’ of me," but dismissing any possibility of her and Rico ending up at the altar soon.
With her love and career going, as they say, great guns, Claudine has nothing more to ask for (thus far). No wonder she’s walking on Cloud 9.
How long have you and Rico been going steady?
"About four years already."
Rico said in a talk show that he didn’t know how long you’ve been going steady…
"… kasi nagkamali siya sa computation. What he didn’t know was that I didn’t know na girlfriend na niya ako."
How come?
"E, that’s the fad now, isn’t it? Wala nang ligawan. Before, di ba the guy would ask you, ‘Can you be my girlfriend?’ Now, hindi na raw uso ang ganoon. It’s unfair to the girl, isn’t it?"
So you never had any formal – how do you call it – agreement?
"None. But he already told me that he loves me daw. That was a few years ago when we were shooting Dahil Mahal na Mahal Kita."
Doesn’t Rico know how to court a girl?
"He does. Just like other guys, pabigay-bigay ng gifts. Date nang date."
Don’t you have a friendship ring?
"None."
Did you tattoo Rico’s name on your leg like what you did when you went steady with Mark Anthony (Fernandez)?
"None. Mahirap tanggalin. Huwag na!" (Claudine had the Mark Anthony tattoos removed by surgery. – RFL)
What’s the good thing about being in love?
"The good thing is that whether you’re happy or sad, you have someone to share it with."
And the bad thing?
"Wala ka nang suitors."
Do other guys still try to court you even if they know that you’re already taken?
"May mga persistent, makukulit."
How does Rico feel about it?
"He’d tell me, ‘Kaya mo ’yan. You can handle it. Kapag hindi mo na kaya, just tell me.’ He’s like that; he doesn’t get affected."
Doesn’t it get in the way of your work when you’re in love?
"Sometimes, it does. Luckily, I’m the type of person na kapag may petty quarrels kami ni Rico, the harder I work to distract myself, to get my mind off my personal problems. I don’t want to just sit in one corner and sulk."
What do you usually fight about?
"Ay naku, small things. Nothing serious, nothing big."
Jealousy?
"Never!"
Not even when a bold actress revealed on national television that she had a one-night stand with Rico?
"I don’t call it jealousy. Sa akin kasi, ang selosa is when you start being suspicious when he goes out without you, ‘Baka may kasamang iba, baka nambababae.’ I’m not like that. I’m not suspicious. When I hear something like that (rumor linking Rico to a bold actress), I confront Rico; I don’t think confronting is a sign of jealousy, no? I want to get the truth from him."
In that case, did you confront Rico?
"Oh, yes, I did!"
What did he say?
"He said it wasn’t true and I believed him. I knew for a fact that at the time when (that bold actress) said she was with Rico, ang alam kong kasama ni Rico was my friend. Sumbungero ang mga friends ko, baka akala mo. When they see something fishy, they tell me at once."
Under mo daw si Rico?
"Hindi naman! It’s just that when I want something and Rico sees that it’s okay, sinusunod niya ako. I think it’s usually the girl who carries the relationship. Actually, give-and-take kaming dalawa. It’s not true that I dominate him; that I am domineering."
Four years. Si Rico ba ang longest relationship mo? What do you have in common?
"He takes care of me and I take care of him. Maasikaso siya, maasikaso rin ako."
Are you living together?
"No, we’re not. Rico is staying with his (older) brother Bobby (co-host of Alas Singko y Medya and I’m staying by myself."
Rico is your second serious relationship (after Mark Anthony). What did you learn from your previous relationship?
"That relationships can be less complicated, na puede pala kayo maging masaya na hindi magulo ang relasyon n’yo."
Was your relationship with Mark Anthony really turbulent? One time daw, you had a verbally violent fight at the lobby of the condo you’re staying in. Nagsigawan daw kayo.
"It happened only once, ’yung talagang gulo, na buong Platinum ay nabulabog. That was the fight that led to our break-up, after three years of on-and-off relationship. It happened at the time Mark was talagang heavily into drugs na. (He has since been rehabilitated.– RFL) At the same time naman, I was having problems with my own family. My brother was also into drugs. Kaya I was really, really mad at that drug."
Shabu?
"Yes. So I told Mark, ‘Pag ’yan, pinatulan mo, wala na tayo.’ It was as simple as that."
Did Mark ever force you to try, you know, taking that drug?
"No. Never. That’s the good thing about Mark. He never forced me to take it – even when he was high."
What did you learn from that relationship?
"Well, I learned how to be strong. I was 17 then. It was hard for any girl my age to survive what I went through and come out of it stronger, a better person."
Do you get advice from Gretchen and/or Marjorie, they being older than you and presumably more experienced in love and life?
"No, I don’t. When Gretch and I, or Marj and I, or the three of us see each other, we talk about good things, not about our personal lives. We hardly have time for each other, so why spend our few times together by talking about bad things and problems? I don’t confide in them, I don’t tell them about my problems. Pero sila, nagko-confide sila sa akin. Sumbungera ang mga ate ko sa akin."
Who do you tell about your problems to?
"None. Neither to my sisters nor to my Mom. Sometimes, sa brother ko. Only when my problems are about to be solved do I tell my Mom about them. I have two brothers, both older than me, at sila ang takbuhan ko when I have problems."
What will make you live with a guy without the benefit of marriage?
"Hmmmm. Siguro, kung engaged na kami. Since sigurado na kayong magpapakasal, I guess it’s better for the two of you to get to know each other very well. Di ba they’re saying that you’ll never really know a person unless you live with him or her? Malay mo, nambubugbog pala ang mapapangasawa mo hindi mo pa alam."
But Rico is not that type – nambubugbog is he?
"No, he isn’t." (Adding jokingly) "Mukhang ako pa nga ang mambubugbog sa kanya, e!"
What have you learned from living independently (since she was 17)?
"Paying the bills."
Did you do it (living alone) against your mom’s will?
"No. It was with her blessing and permission. It was even my Mom who fixed my pad; she helped me pa nga find a nice place (The old one, not the current place which she bought. – RFL)."
At 22 (turning 23 on July 20), you’ve gone through a lot. What’s your worst experience so far?
"My teenage years. I was working and I was into a turbulent relationship. Intrigues left and right. Thank God, I’m a strong person. Otherwise, I would have been shattered. Look, buo pa rin ako, at mas matatag."
Is your family a strong support?
"Very strong, very important. You know, one reason why I saw na kayang-kaya ko harapin ang lahat is my family. It’s always there for me, to support me."
Does being in love inspire you to work harder?
"I won’t say that Rico is my only inspiration because if I think that way, madi-distract ako sa trabaho ko. If I think of Rico all the time, I won’t accomplish naman anything. That’s why I said that when we have problems, mas ganado ako mag-work because work takes my mind away from problems. It’s a good thing that I love my work so I don’t have to be inspired to do it well."
What about the "title war" – you know, Teleserye Queen, Soap Princess, etc. Does it bother you when people say somebody else, Judy Ann Santos (Sa Puso Ko Iingatan Ka) or Angelika dela Cruz (Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin), and not you is the Teleserye Queen/Soap Princess?
"It doesn’t bother me. When people naman tell me that ako ’yon, I simply smile. In truth, I don’t want to be ‘titled.’ I don’t let it go to my head."
In the teleserye game, sino ang ka-level mo, or your competition/rival?
"You know, maraming magagaling ngayon. One of my favorites is Tanya Garcia (GMA’s Sana ay Ikaw na Nga). Oh, yes, I also watch other stars’ teleserye to find out what they’re doing and to see how we can improve our own... which part is weak and which part needs to be improved."
Don’t you consider Judy Ann a "competition"?
"You know, just the other night, we were talking about it, me and my friends. As far as I’m concerned, ayoko ng competition..."
...even in real life?
"Not even!"
Well, in real life you beat Judy Ann in competition. Di ba pinagsabay kayo noon ni Rico and you won?
(Blushing and joking) "O, sige na nga... nanalo na nga ako! Seriously now...I’d rather work than compete. Ayoko ng competition. Some people kasi focus too much on competing that they forget to work well. Besides, iba-iba naman kami ng style ng acting. Judy Ann is very good; Kristine (Hermosa of Pangako Sa ’yo) has her own talent; at mayroon din naman akong sariling style."
Do you watch your movies (and TV shows)?
"I do, all the time."
How would you rate yourself as an actress?
"I don’t want to rate myself. You know what, I criticize myself more than I admire myself."
What do you think are your faults as an actress?
"My voice. At ang tawa ko; parang isang klase lang. One of these days I will attend a workshop on voice and, if possible, how to vary my laughter para iba-iba naman, depending on the situation. There are all kinds of laughter, you know. May tawang masaya, may tawang nakakainis, may tawang malungkot, may tawang nanunuya, may tawang nininerbiyos."
You’re maturing as an actress, with your roles evolving. In Anak (as the rebellious daughter of Vilma Santos), you even had love scenes (one with Leandro Muñoz and another with Don Laurel).
"I wanna grow as an actress. Someday, I want to be called an actress in the category of Ate Vi (Vilma Santos) and Ate Maria (Maricel Soriano). That’s why whatever the director asks me to do, ginagawa ko. Part ’yan ng craft, di ba? If you’re not ready and willing to do anything, bakit mo pa papasukin ang pag-arte?"
Did your one-time "Bad Girl" image enhance or adversely affect your career?
(Laughs) "Sabi nila, okey lang daw. Many people say na hindi raw bagay sa akin ang ‘good girl’ image. Actually, there are good sides and bad sides to being ‘bad’ or ‘good,’ depending on how people look at it, or who are looking at it. Mas exciting daw ang buhay ng isang ‘bad girl,’ sabi nila. Tumanda na ako at ayoko na maging ‘bad girl’; ayoko na ng magulo."
‘Yung image ng boyfriends mo really rubs off on you, ‘no? When you were with Mark Anthony, you were a "bad girl." Now that you are with Rico, you’re a "good girl" na. They say that you’re smarter than the guys...
"...I don’t want to call myself ‘smart’ because it might hurt the guy’s ego. You know naman how guys are...malaki ang ego nila. The fact is, hindi talaga ako nagpapa-isa; kapag naisahan ako, iisahan ko rin sila."
In what way?
"In whatever way."
Supposing you catch Rico philandering, nangangaliwa, would you do the same – you know, a tooth for a tooth?
"Not to that extent. All I can say is that I won’t talk to him anymore." (Adding, with a laugh) "At talagang magsisisi siya buong buhay niya."
Now that you’re earning very well, do you feel obliged to help your family financially?
"Not really. My dad is 65 and he’s still working, as a director of the SBMA (Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority). Never nanghingi sa akin ang parents ko. My brothers and sisters have good jobs of their own. But I try to give my family as much quality time as I can."
In the movie (Got 2 Believe), you play a wedding planner. How do you envision your own wedding?
(Eyes lighting up) "I want it in an old church, in the morning or in the afternoon but not in the evening. I’ll ask Rajo Laurel to do my wedding gown. O kaya, sa isang island, maybe in the Bahamas. I have some friends in Canada and they were married in the Bahamas. Ang ganda-ganda daw doon! But marriage will come years from now. Just the thought of it now scares me."
What if Rico (now 27) asked that you get married now?
"I’ll tell him, ‘Let me think first.’ And I will think a hundred times before making a decision."