Jake Cuenca sees spending a lifetime with Rabiya Mateo

Jake Cuenca has been in showbiz for 25 years. He has successfully transitioned into one of the country’s finest actors today. He proves his versatility in every acting project he takes on and gives a lasting impression on viewers. Jake is one of the cast members in the upcoming Duncan Macmillan’s renowned play titled “People, Places & Things.” I’m looking forward to seeing him in the stage production.

The brilliant actor admitted he had goosebumps on his way to his recent interview on “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda.” Jake visited GMA Network again after 20 years. He was not yet an actor when he went to GMA with his first manager, the late Douglas Quijano.

“He took me here. Taping ng ‘Kool Ka Lang’ with Richard Gomez, Joey Marquez, Raymart Santiago. And he introduced me to show business here.”

His first acting project in the Kapuso Network was the youth-oriented TV program, “Click.” He recalled how much he struggled during the initial sequence.

“Iyong first take ko dito, Take 50, Take 45, as in, I could not do it. Hindi ko magawa. Iyong kaba ko talaga.”

He couldn’t remember now the exact line that he was trying to deliver in the first take.

“But I remember being so nervous because of direk Mac Alejandre. He’s my first director. Then I was standing across Iya Villania.”

What a journey it has been for Jake, who shared what he has learned from being a former GMA artist.

“It has always kept me grounded and humble. It’s my 25th year in showbiz, but I can really say na kahit kailan sa career ko, hindi lumaki ang ulo ko because of how I started in GMA. It really trained me to be humble and believe in myself. So, I am grateful to GMA for that.”

Jake transferred to ABS-CBN in 2006 because he needed to change his image a little bit. He explained, “I wanted to be taken seriously. I wanted to be challenged at the same time. I needed a fresh start, I guess. I’m humble enough to admit that when I was in GMA, it wasn’t my best performance, but I really learned a lot. I was a student, and almost everything I did learn and the experience I gained in GMA really turned me into the actor that I am today.”

Jake’s love life is colorful, just like the vibrant characters that he portrays in teleseryes and movies.

According to the actor, when he falls in love, he doesn’t hold back.

“Tito Boy, you know how passionate I am about acting. That’s how passionate I am about the person that I love.”

As the old adage goes, some good things never last. Jake experienced heartbreak from his previous relationships. All breakups are painful, but he still managed to say the right words during interviews.

“I don’t like to put down or try to destroy the person that I once loved, so I choose my words.”

Jake admitted not being friends with his former girlfriends, “but certainly if I see them in a place, I would say hello,” he said.

Jake finally confirmed on “Fast Talk” that he is now in a romantic relationship with Rabiya Mateo. He made the first move to communicate with Rabiya using social media.

“She’s always been a crush of mine, and noong tinapos ko iyong dalawang programa ko, once I was able to finish my responsibilities, I had to shoot my shot, and I messaged her on social media.”

The celebrity couple dated for three months before Jake officially asked the former beauty queen to be his girlfriend during their recent trip to Hong Kong Disneyland. They both promised to be loyal and respectful toward each other.

The Kapamilya actor is proud of Rabiya for being accepted to the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. Rabiya was nervous about getting admitted to the medical school, so Jake asked her to come with him to Hong Kong because he had work there.

“I said, maybe if we go to Disneyland, we’re on the right frequency, and I believe if you’re in the right frequency of happiness, you’re gonna manifest your dreams. Then it happened in Disneyland,” he said. “Nagkatotoo ang sinabi ko sa kanya. She got the text. When she opened it, she cried. She got in.”

I asked Jake if he could see himself spending a lifetime with Rabiya.

“I can see that. I don’t want to spoil it. Ayoko magsalita ng ganoon, but definitely with her, I can really see it.”