MANILA, Philippines - Toni Gonzaga and Paul Soriano admitted they are now engaged.
The couple admitted the engagement together on ABS-CBN’s showbiz talk show “The Buzz” on Sunday.
This came more than a week after speculations came out that the two are already engaged. This is after Toni’s “Home Sweetie Home” co-star Sandy Andalong described the singer-actress as a fiancé in an Instagram post.
“It’s been seven and a half years, right? And, you know, she been such a great part of my life. A big blessing I’ve ever received. And I want to spend the rest of my life with her,” Paul said on “The Buzz.”
He added, “And, you know, we’re engaged. We’re engaged.”
Paul said he proposed “right after her birthday.” Toni celebrated her 31st birthday on January 20.
“It was like 12:30 am on January 21. We had just come from a birthday dinner. I had the ring in my pocket and I just wanted to wait for the right, private moment. And it happened in her home, just very simple,” he added.
The director and movie producer proposed to Toni in the presence of her parents Carlito and Crisanta and sister Alex.
“It was quite an emotional moment,” Paul said, adding he asked for the blessing of Toni’s parents right before proposing to the ABS-CBN artist.
“I just told her family, basically... I said, ‘I’m not gonna take her away from you guys. I’m actually here to join you guys if that’s possible,” he further shared. “This was one of those moments wherein you just have to cry. And I did. I got down on my knee and asked her if she’d marry me. She said yes. Halfway to the question nag-yes na siya.”
Toni and Paul said they are planning to get married this year.
However, Toni added she is still slated to do a movie with Coco Martin this year--her last romantic comedy as a single woman.
The couple, who met during a concert of Gary Valenciano in 2006, have been together for more than seven years. “Sobrang tagal (ng hinintay ni Paul),” Toni said, referring to the engagement.
“For the past seven years, lagi kong sinasabi kay Paul, ‘I know I haven’t been the best girlfriend for you. Hindi talaga ako yung best na girlfriend sa iyo kasi ang daming (bawal),” she said.
Toni noted, for instance, that she and Paul are not allowed to travel out of town or out of the country on their own. She added that her parents remained strict towards her and her relationship with Paul despite being an adult.
“There were a lot of disagreement with (Toni’s parents). But I really believe, at the end of the day, if you love someone with all your heart and it’s true love, you also obey their parents and their family,” Paul added.
“If she has to be home at 12 midnight, I’ll pick her up earlier,” he quipped.
Toni thanked her family and her fans now that she’s set to tie the knot.
To Paul, she said: “I remember there were times when you would ask me, ‘For the past seven years, I was never a priority to your life. It has always been God, your family, your work and me. And I’ve accepted that.’ Kaya I always pray to God. Sabi ko, ‘Lord, kung darating na yung time na mapagod na si Paul kasi hindi na niya kaya maghintay, kayo na ang bahala.’ But he really stayed and proved to me that true love waits. And he really waited for me.”
“Kaya sabi ko, if I become his wife, hindi na siya number three priority. I will make sure that he will be my only priority and everything else is secondary na lang,” Toni further said.
“I’m really so blessed that you said yes,” Paul said. “You talked about me being patient. But it’s all worth it. We now have the rest of our lives to do the things we couldn’t do (now). And we have the rest of our lives to look forward to that.”