Beauty queen and actress Bianca Manalo is unbothered at persistent questions about her marriage plans with Senator Sherwin Gatchalian.
In a recent interview at the GMA Gala 2023, Bianca held her ground and didn't hold back from spilling the tea on dealing with the pressure of settling down.
"It takes a long time to wait," Bianca told Cosmopolitan Philippines, frustrated by the constant prodding from online followers. "Why do I have to pressure myself, ourselves? Kasi pag nagkaroon ka ng expectations, lalo ka lang na disappointed. So huwag na lang kasi you're creating a problem that's not there. Wala naman kaming problema, eh."
And she couldn't be more right. The barrage of questions about getting married or having children can often lead to unnecessary stress and tensions in a relationship.
"When you pressure, nag-aaway tuloy kami," Bianca revealed candidly. "Sometimes, people have to stop asking these questions. Ba't di ka pa nagpapakasal? Ba't di ka pa nagkakaanak? You don't know what women are going through, diba?"
She also shut down setting timelines with her boyfriend of five years.
“Hindi kami nagmamadali," she declared proudly. While others may be sprinting down the aisle, the duo is gracefully waltzing their way to happiness.
“As long as we're happy. Ang daming kinasal, 3 months naghiwalay. Kinasal, 2 years naghiwalay. Hindi kami ganun, eh.
“Hindi namin pinipilit, kasi iba parang, hindi ko alam kung naging fad na lang sa iba na, oh, I love her, I will propose, get married, then hiwalay. Hindi kami ganun,” said Bianca.
For his part, Gatchalian said he has plans to marry Bianca, whom he described as his source of happiness.
“The woman makes a man. So it's the partner that makes a man. I'm happy and we're a good complement to each other,” said Gatchalian.
So, the next time you find yourself on the receiving end of those pesky "When are you getting married?" or "Where are the babies?" interrogations, take a page from Bianca's book and stand your ground. You do you, ladies!
