‘I really loved that person deeply’: Jake Cuenca speaks up on relationship with Chie Filomeno

MANILA, Philippines — Jake Cuenca said there was no breakup but that chapter of his life is “over now” a week after Chie Filomeno asked for privacy amid split rumors between them.  

Jake was in character as the silver-haired goodlooking villain to Baron Geisler’s Santo character in their upcoming movie “The Delivery Rider,” directed by Lester Pimental Ong, when he was cornered by the press after the movie’s intimate press conference. 

He was asked how his heart was, and Jake replied that he was good and doing great. 

“I’m good, at least. It's a lot to take, 'di ba? Ang daming nangyayari, ang daming sinasabi ng mga tao." 

"But siguro I can officially say that that chapter of my life is over now. To be quite honest with you, parang, I can at least say that I really love that person deeply, and for me, I respect that person until today." 

His known girlfriend, fellow actor Chie Filomeno, asked for privacy in an Instagram post last week. She asked to spare the Lhuillier family from split rumors. Chie has been linked to Matthew Lhuillier, a scion of the prominent Cebu family. 

“I’m gonna have a lot of time to process everything and accept everything. And for me, ‘pag mahal mo talaga ‘yung isang tao, you wish them all the happiness in the world. And you want them to be happy. You want them to be loved as well. That's the love I have,” Jake said.

The actor was asked if the rumored split was a bad breakup. 

“There wasn't a breakup. There was no breakup. No, for me, I'm there, hindi wala na lang. Like I said, I love that person deeply. That was incredibly important to me. But that chapter is over now, and I have to accept that,” Jake said. 

The actor said the past few months have not been easy for him. He is working six days a week. He juggled three characters in the ongoing “Batang Quiapo,” while filming “The Delivery Rider” and the upcoming series “What Lies Beneath.” 

“There's no time to be Jake… This is my dream. This is my life. And even if I'm not in the mood to do it, even if it's hard, even if I'm heartbroken, or down about it, I still have to do it because I'm an actor. Everything you see here, everything you see here, this is a 25-year-long career na pinag-hirapan ko. Even when I was down, I had to pick myself back up and do it again,” he said. 

Never compare

Jake also said that he is focused on his career, which has been steady for the past 25 years. And thus, he does not have time to dwell on thoughts, such as comparing himself to others. 

“I will never compare myself to another person or another man. Because I don't judge men because of their riches. I judge men because of their character, because that's what I have."

“This career, I worked so hard for. No one gave me anything here. I had to go the long way. I auditioned, pumasok ng pintuan, and then 25 years later and now we're here. So that, I'm very proud of, I’ll always be proud of that,” Jake said. 

The actor said that he reminds himself to value himself, and in his current situation, he is incredibly proud because he handled the situation “like a man.” 

“I didn't make it difficult. I don't want to take anything away. I don't want to add more gasoline to the fire that's already happening.

“I know I'm a public figure. My life has always been an open book.  I've been in this situation before  where I had a lot less  and I made it through. But like I said, I've had a lot of time to process everything and accept everything. So, I'm in a lot better place right now,” Jake ended. — Video by Kathleen A. Llemit, editing by Martin Ramos

RELATED: Chie Filomeno asks for privacy, spare Lhuillier family amid alleged Jake Cuenca split