The best love stories are founded on friendship, and Iya Villania and Drew Arellano know this to be true. The two Kapuso hosts, in fact, began as friends way back in 2003, when they were first paired as a “love team” in the GMA youth-oriented show “Click.”
But, unknown to many, Drew wasn’t supposed to be the guy for Iya. The plan was for Drew to act as a bridge between Iya and their mutual friend who liked the then-17-year-old Filipino-Australian beauty.
“Meron kaming kaibigan, tapos dapat si Drew yung magiging tulay,” Iya tells Pia Arcangel, host of Tunay na Buhay. “Tapos siguro dun na lang na-realize ni Drew na, teka lang, type ko rin pala si Iya.”
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ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWIya herself had already been fond of Drew. “Noon pa lang nakikita ko that he’s a family guy, how close he is to his Papa, to his siblings,” she said. And it turned out to be true — Drew, now a dad of two, says he doesn't go on 'gimmicks' with friends anymore because he needs to be home by 7 PM every day.
Since then, Iya and Drew had been inseparable, even as they each pursued their own ambitions. “Ang nakakatuwa lang, all the more I came to love him as he got older because naging atleta pa siya, and that’s like super-type ko.”
The couple were together for eight years before they finally tied the knot in February 2014.
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CONTINUE READING BELOWwatch nowDrew proposed to Iya in 2012 while on a European trip, and Iya reveals she thought the whole thing was a joke. Iya said she didn’t even shed tears “because ‘yung una niyang nilabas, yung pang-key ring,” she said, instead of an engagement ring. When Drew finally brought out the real ring and popped the question, of course Iya said yes!
Since then, the Arellanos have been blessed with two sons: Primo, 3 years old, and Leon, 1.
