Have Gwen, David changed their minds?

Late last year, 2011 Miss World first runner-up Gwendoline Ruais and San Beda Red Lions player David Semerad appeared on TV, proudly showing the ring they were each wearing as they announced their engagement.

When The STAR interviewed David and his twin brother Anthony last March for their TV5 show Celebrity Dance Battle which they co-host with Lucy Torres, David admitted that he and Gwen were indeed engaged and, asked when they were getting married, said that it had to be 10 years later when Gwen turns 33 and David (and Anthony) 32 (their birthday is April 25, 1991).

Yesterday when he and Anthony met the movie press as endorsers for Cosmo Cee (“a non-acidic vitamin C supplement which gives them just the right amount of boost they need day in and day out”), David clarified that the engagement story was “a mistake,” while Gwen was quoted in an interview (not with The STAR) saying that what they gave each other were “promise rings.” The twins are 6’5” tall and Gwen is 5’11”.

So, have the sweethearts changed their minds so soon?

Anthony had to clarify posts on his Instagram/Twitter account, insinuating that he didn’t like Gwen whom he described with an unflattering adjective (not fit to be quoted here).

“I respect whatever my brother’s decision or choice is,” Anthony explained, neither confirming nor denying his unsavory posts about Gwen.

The brothers used to live together in an apartment (or condo unit) in San Juan City and have since stayed apart, David somewhere in nearby Greenhills and Anthony remaining at their old place. Gwen lives at her own place in Alabang.

Did the brothers have a misunderstanding because of Gwen?

“No,” the twin’s manager Arnold Vegafria denied in a phone interview yesterday afternoon. “Although similar in some ways, the brothers are somewhat different. Anthony is very organized while David is not. Besides, their parents realized that, even if they are twins, they should not always be together para naman matuto sila na mamuhay ng mag-isa. But they see each other as often as they can.”

Arnold also said that, contrary to reports, David and Gwen are not living-in, but David often visits Gwen at her place…for sleepovers?

“You know,” added Arnold, “the Semerad parents are Catholic and they won’t allow either of the brothers to live with any girl without the benefit of marriage.”

While David is still going steady with Gwen, Anthony is fancy-free although he’s “friendly” with a non-showbiz girl. Incidentally, before he started going steady with Gwen, David was the boyfriend of 2014 Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Mary Jean “MJ” Lastimosa for two months. That was before MJ won the binibini crown. Doesn‘t that make David a “beauty-queen killer?”

Anyway, the twins easily won the hearts of the movie press with their being well-mannered, always smiling even when they were confronted with personal questions about their bodily parts (very common in free-wheeling movie presscons).

Asked if Cosmo Cee could enhance their, ehem, sexual prowess, the twins nodded.

Ricky, Jackie living separate lives

Separated showbiz couples can learn a thing or two from Ricky Davao and Jackie Lou Blanco about keeping a healthy/harmonious relationship even while living apart. In this un-couple’s case, only two streets separate their homes, Ricky has remained by his lonesome at their conjugal home in the Scout Area and Jackie with their children a stone’s throw away.

“So the children can be with her or with me anytime they want to,” said Ricky.

The eldest child, Kenneth, 25, has just made Ricky a grandfather. Kenneth is separated from his girlfriend to whom he was not married. Rikki Mae, 21, has just graduated from La Salle this year and Ara, 17, is studying at Poveda.

So far, Ricky has been busy with directorial jobs in TV, doing mostly dramas for the Kapuso network, the last one having been Adarna.

But he’s going back to acting soon…rather, now! He should now be busy shooting two indies for Cinemalaya.

“Directing is tiresome, talagang nakakapagod,” admitted Ricky. “I have been sleep-deprived pero okay lang dahil I am satisfied with the result.”

The good thing is that Ricky and Jackie are nice to each other not just for the sake of the children but because they really, truly are.

If only other separated couples could be like them!

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