Vhong Navarro on Toni Gonzaga: ‘Crush ko na talaga si Toni’

by Manila Santos | October 11, 2008 7:38 PM | Share this article

After their last movie team-up in the comedy D’Anothers in 2005, Vhong Navarro and Toni Gonzaga are finally reunited in Star Cinema’s My Only U. The reason for the delay in bringing the two together can be blamed on scheduling conflicts and nothing else. “After our first movie together, natigil na yung love team namin ni Toni,kumbaga nag-upgrade po siya to Sam (Milby) and Zanjoe (Marudo) kasi masyado daw po akong old-fashioned” (laughs), “ Vhong says in jest.

But the comedian-actor turns serious when explaining the real reason behind the delay of their much-awaited team-up. “Kasi hindi nagkakatama yung schedules naming ni Toni. At that time, nag-PBB (Pinoy Big Brother) siya, nag-Crazy for You siya, basta ang dami pa niyang pinagkaabalahan. Tapos nag-Lastikman ako kaya hindi kami nagkatugma ng schedule at ngayon lang poafter three years,” he says.

It was during their days working on the now defunct weekday news comedy show Wazzup Wazzup that Vhong said he started developing feelings for the then newly transferred talent. “Kasi nasabi na nga ni Tonina nauna daw ako [na nagustuhan niya] kaya lang, siguro hindi ko napangalagaan. Kaya siya nawala. Naks!(laughs) Si Toni kasi, mula pa nung galing siya sa kabilang ibayo, nung magkita kami, crush ko na talaga si Toni noon,” Vhong admits.

The 31-year-old actor also has his limits when it comes to courting his co-workers. “Alam naman niya ito. Siyempre mahirap rin kasi dahil una, magkatrabaho kami tapos magkakaroon kami ng something ‘di ba?Hindi ko kasi kaya yung may relasyon kayo tapos magkatrabaho kayo. Dahil sa akin, napakahirap nun dahil marami akong nasaksihan na ganun sila, tapos nagkakaproblema sa set. Ayoko yung nagkakaproblema sa set na dahil sa akin o kaya dun sa magiging kapareha ko,” he explains. Eventually Vhong started dating Desiree Del Valle, which stopped all rumors linking him to Toni. But Vhong says that there were no ill feelings between them after that. “Hindi ko po siya inayawan. Mas pinili lang po siguro naming yung trabaho kesa yun,” he stresses.

Toni also agrees with her My Only U co-star, saying that things turned out for the best. “Nararamdaman ko rin na yung factor na kapag naging boyfriend mo, kapag may relasyon kayo tapos nagtratrabaho kayo sa iisang show, ang lakas makaapekto nun. Kasi magkaibigan kami. Sa set minsan, ‘pag sobrang nagkakainisan kami ni Vhong, naaapektuhan pa rin yung set namin ‘pag namimikon si Vhong. Sa Wazzup, ang kulit niyan. One time, inasar ako ng inasar hanggang sa naiyak ako,” she recalls.

Toni also says that it was also hard to gauge Vhong’s real intentions before. “Nung mga time na yun parang biru-biruan lang sa amin ni Vhong yun so ang hirap seryosohin talaga. At saka mahirap naman na sabihin ko na pag-usapin namin yung mga ganyan, kasi baka naman sabihin todong-todong promote naman kami ng isa’t isa,” she says.