This time last year

Last Dec. 30, 2014, the event dubbed as The Royal Wedding marked a new beginning in the lives of Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera. 

In 2007, they first worked together on GMA Network’s Filipino adaptation of the Mexican telenovela Marimar, which was warmly received by the viewers. Their onscreen chemistry would later on transform into an off-screen romance that Filipinos all over the world followed until that eventful December day exactly a year ago. 

As 2015 began to unfold, many took notice of the life of Philippine showbiz’s royal couple. The constant question was whether they would start a family or continue pursuing what they did best, which is acting.

In March, after a short Valentine’s break, Dong returned as Fr. Jericho “Kokoy” Evangelista in the primetime soap Pari ’Koy. Fresh on the heels of the Pope Francis’ visit, the series instantly took the hearts of Kapuso viewers, with its plot twists and turns, revolving around the lead character.

Seemingly blessed by the character he portrayed in the soap, Dingdong’s life with Marian was also slowly being blessed. By April, the couple confirmed that Marian was pregnant with their first child. The news resonated all over showbiz, with everyone eagerly awaiting any news updates that the couple would give.

Marian’s pregnancy was thankfully not a complicated one because by July, she joined the new Sunday noontime show of GMA, Sunday PinaSaya. She gamely pitted her comedic talents with the other headliners of the new Sunday noontime program like Comedy Queen Ai-Ai delas Alas, Jose Manalo, Wally Bayola, Alden Richards and Barbie Forteza, among others.

So as not to keep her on her toes (literally), her main segment called Judge MD required her to be seated most of the time.

She eventually had to sit out the succeeding episodes in preparation for the coming of their bundle of joy. And on Nov. 23, Maria Letizia Gracia Dantes, their little angel was born.

Just days after the birth of Baby Zia, Daddy Dong flew to France to attend the 2015 Paris Climate Change Conference together with President Benigno Aquino III and other National Youth Commission (NYC) officials. He is the NYC’s Commissioner-at-Large.

Dingdong began his speech with, “My name is Jose Sixto Dantes III and I come from an archipelago that knows an average of 22 typhoons a year. On paper, I am a commissioner representing the youth of the Philippines but in my heart, I feel like I am really just representing my daughter Maria Letizia who is seven days and 20 hours old today.”

In an interview with GMA News’ 24 Oras, Dingdong related that just the thought of going home every day to be with Marian and Zia excites him after a tiring day at work. “What they’re all saying is true, that the tiredness is all gone.”

As for Marian, she described  the coming of Zia as an indescribable feeling. When interviewed by phone patch on GMA 7’s Sunday PinaSaya, she said, “Thank you Lord at binigyan Niyo ako ng napakasayang biyayang walang kapantay talaga.”

This Christmas is without a doubt the best one so far for Dong and Yan. After all, 2015 brought new life and love to Mr. and Mrs. Dingdong Dantes and most definitely, we will see more of them in 2016.