How she found the 'sunshine' of her life

She was free and so was he. No, it wasn’t love at first sight. In fact, they started out like a kitten and a puppy, forever bumping heads, but they turned out to be the “right one” for each other. They met late last year and last March 20, they became husband and wife at exclusive civil rites held at the clubhouse of Valle Verde VI in Pasig City.

This is the first time Sunshine Dizon, 26, and John Timothy Ong Tan (whom she calls Timo), 25, a pilot (who graduated cum laude from Airlinks) from a landed family in Guagua, Pampanga, are facing the media together. Throughout the hour-long exclusive interview at the condo unit bought by Sunshine and where they are staying, the newly-weds held hands, teased each other, and, yes, exchanged loving glances and tender kisses.

“We met in November last year,” recalled Sunshine who might start infanticipating soon — hopefully! “My friends and I went to Pampanga to sell tickets for an event we were mounting. Sabi nila, bentahan daw namin si Timo who happened to be there. My friends wanted to introduce me to Timo’s cousin who didn’t show up. I was impressed with Timo. Tall at hindi naman siya pangit. Then I learned that he’s a pilot pala. He was with some girls and I thought, ‘Baka babaero ito!’ Then, he joined us at our table. ‘May dating siya,’ I told myself. We hardly talked. After that, he would go with us kapag may lakad ang grupo namin, even when he wasn’t invited.”

It was a whirlwind thing.

“Alam mo ‘yung how to lose a guy in 10 days? I’ve done it many times,” continued Sunshine who has been romantically linked to, among others, Dingdong Dantes (super-secret daw), the late Mico Sotto, Polo Ravales, and two non-showbiz guys, Ronald Singson (Lovi Poe’s current “special friend”) and Jojo Manlongat (barkada of some actors).

In the case of Timothy (who is a deadringer for Dr. Hayden Kho with chinky eyes), not only did Sunshine not lose him in 10 days, she fell hard for him in only a little more than 10 days — with the quick approval of her over-protective mom Dorothy Laforteza who never liked any of the, in fact, all the other guys linked to Sunshine. (“I know that Tim will take good care of Shine,” said Dorothy.) “How did Timo court me?” asked Sunshine. “Ewan ko; basta na lang nangyari. Hahahahaha! He was persistent and patient. Sometimes when I was in Pampanga, he would drive me home, pero hindi ko siya kinakausap on the way.”

Timothy is shy and soft-spoken, the opposite of Sunshine who is outgoing and out-spoken.

“Sometimes, we would argue,” Timothy finally opened up. “Hindi siya nagpapatalo kaya natsa-challenge ako.”

Asked how many girlfriends he had before he married Sunshine, Timothy blushed, “Mahirap magbilang.” (One of his ex-girlfriends gave birth eight months ago; that was before he met Sunshine.). “I know about his past and he knows about my past,” swore Sunshine. “We don’t hide anything from each other. When Timo asked my mom’s permission to marry me, he said, ‘Mommy, marami talaga akong inibig pero isa lang ang pakakasalan ko’.”

Dorothy said she loves Timothy as dearly as Sunshine loves him, while Sunshine has been embraced by Timothy’s family like its own. He’s an only child while Sunshine has four siblings.

Did they get married so suddenly because, according to the grapevine, she’s pregnant?

“No,” said Sunshine. “Sana nga very soon! We want to have babies na, twin boys if possible!”

Sunshine used to suffer from migraine, often so severe that she would be confined in the hospital.

“Magmula nang dumating si Timo sa buhay ko,” said Sunshine, “parang biglang nawala ang migraine ko.” And then she laughed.

Their civil wedding was officiated by a Catholic priest but the couple plan to get married in church next year.

“My dad, who is based in L.A., will come for the wedding. Timo is the first and only guy na na-involved sa akin na na-meet ng dad ko.”

Still on the honeymoon stage, the couple sing to each other upon waking up in the morning, with “I love you!” to each other as their “alarm” clock.

“We don’t need pillows to sleep soundly,” volunteered Sunshine. “Timo would fall asleep resting his head on my chest; kailangan yakap-yakap niya ako. We even have a morning song. I would sing, ‘Ikaw ang mahal ko, ikaw ang mahal ko,’ and then bigla siyang makikipag-duet sa akin, ‘Tunay na tunay.’ We have another song, ‘yung, ‘Kung tayo’y matanda na, sana di tayo magbago...kahit maputi na ang buhok ko.’ Song ni Sharon Cuneta ‘yon (Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok Ko).”

Timothy has been “co-piloting” as part of his training. He plans to be a full-time commercial pilot. It will be showbiz as usual for Sunshine.

“I won’t stop her from doing what she loves to do,” said Timothy.

That is, even if he can make her live like a princess without working for a minute.

(Note: For more on Sunshine and Timothy, tune in to this afternoon’s edition of Startalk, 2:30 to 5 p.m. after Eat, Bulaga! on GMA.)

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