Against All Odds: Celebrity May-December Love Affairs

Cristina Malonzo-Balane

<div style='text-align: center; '><img src='https://push-data.abs-cbn.com/push/archive/features/2016/061016/PUSH%20PIN/061016-maydecember_pushpins.jpg' alt='061016-maydecember_pushpins.jpg' width='600' height='435' align='center' border='0'><br/></div><div><br/></div><div>Not only do these celebrity couples prove that age doesn’t matter when it comes to love, but they also prove that their kind of love can be strong enough to last a lifetime. </div><div><br/></div><div><b>1.<span class='Apple-tab-span' style='white-space:pre'>	</span>Vic Sotto and Pauleen Luna </b></div><div><br/></div><div>When Vic, 62, and Pauleen, 28, publicly admitted to their relationship, many laughed at the idea of the two being a couple. After all, it was Vic who interviewed Pauleen when she joined Little Miss Philippines on Eat Bulaga when she was a little girl. </div><div><br/></div><div>The two started dating in 2011, but Vic only admitted his relationship with Pauleen two years later.</div><div><br/></div><div>Even with more than a 30-year gap between their ages, the two have stayed strong as a couple and finally tied the knot last January 30, 2016.</div><div><br/></div><iframe class='instagram-media instagram-media-rendered' id='instagram-embed-0' src='https://www.instagram.com/p/BF5QGNVM_gz/embed/captioned/?v=7' allowtransparency='true' frameborder='0' height='780' data-instgrm-payload-id='instagram-media-payload-0' scrolling='no' style='border: 0px; margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; width: calc(100% - 2px); border-radius: 4px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 0px 0px 1px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 10px 0px; display: block; padding: 0px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);'></iframe> <script async='' defer='' src='//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js'></script><div><br/></div><div></div><br/><div><b>2.<span class='Apple-tab-span' style='white-space:pre'>	</span>Eula Valdez and Rocky Salumbides </b></div><div><br/></div><div>In 2009, Rocky admitted his relationship with “Amor Powers” inside the Pinoy Big Brother house. Now, the two are already seven years into their relationship. Eula is 48 years old and Rocky, actor and model, is 36.</div><div><br/></div><div>In one of her interviews, Eula said her relationship with Rocky stays strong and happy. He also gets along well with her kids. </div><div><br/></div><div style='text-align: center; '><img src='' alt='061016-eularocky_pushpins.jpg' width='600' height='435' align='center' border='0'><br/></div><div></div><div><br/></div><div><b>3.<span class='Apple-tab-span' style='white-space:pre'>	</span>Heart Evangelista and Chiz Escudero </b></div><div><br/></div><div>Heart, 32, and Chiz, 47, met through the matchmaking skills of Senator Miriam Santiago. They officially became a couple in July of 2012. In 2013, the couplehad a painful and controversial falling out with Heart’s parents. </div><div><br/></div><div>However, this trial in their relationship only made them, in Senator Chiz’s words, “stronger.” </div><div><br/></div><div>Heart has since reconciled with her parents. </div><div><br/></div><div>The couple got married on February 15, 2015. Sadly though, Heart’s parents were absent during their daughter’s wedding and they weren’t able to walk Heart down the aisle. </div><div><br/></div><iframe class='instagram-media instagram-media-rendered' id='instagram-embed-1' src='https://www.instagram.com/p/BGI_-S-Lus5/embed/captioned/?v=7' allowtransparency='true' frameborder='0' height='763' data-instgrm-payload-id='instagram-media-payload-1' scrolling='no' style='border: 0px; margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; width: calc(100% - 2px); border-radius: 4px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 0px 0px 1px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 10px 0px; display: block; padding: 0px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);'></iframe> <script async='' defer='' src='//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js'></script><div><br/></div><div></div><br/><div><b>4.<span class='Apple-tab-span' style='white-space:pre'>	</span>Vicki Belo and Hayden Kho </b></div><div><br/></div><div>The on and off relationship of Vicki, 61, and Hayden, 36, has been going on for 11 years.</div><div><br/></div><div>In 2007, Hayden figured into what was dubbed by CNN as the “No.1 most controversial sex scandal in Asia,” which not only robbed him of his license to practice medicine but also ended his relationship with Vicki that time. </div><div><br/></div><div>However, the two have since gotten back together and now they are tougher and happier as a couple. The two recently introduced their baby Scarlet Snow to the public. </div><div><br/></div><iframe class='instagram-media instagram-media-rendered' id='instagram-embed-2' src='https://www.instagram.com/p/BF3JmYyribk/embed/captioned/?v=7' allowtransparency='true' frameborder='0' height='763' data-instgrm-payload-id='instagram-media-payload-2' scrolling='no' style='border: 0px; margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; width: calc(100% - 2px); border-radius: 4px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 0px 0px 1px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 10px 0px; display: block; padding: 0px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);'></iframe> <script async='' defer='' src='//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js'></script><div></div><br/><div><b>5.<span class='Apple-tab-span' style='white-space:pre'>	</span>Ai-Ai Delas Alas and Gerald Sibayan</b></div><div><br/></div><div>Ai-Ai, 52, met Gerald, 23, through her son Sancho. When the two met, Sancho was studying at the De La Salle University where Gerald was a badminton player. Gerald was, at that time, taking up Sports Management at DLSU. </div><div><br/></div><div>Gerald admitted to their relationship in September of 2014.</div><div><br/></div><div>Unlike her past relationships, Ai-Ai chooses to be somewhat mum about her relationship with Gerald. However, she disclosed that there have been talks about marriage between them. She also said Gerald is not using her.</div><div><br/></div><div>Ai-Ai’s children, especially Sancho, get along well with Gerald.</div><div><br/></div><iframe class='instagram-media instagram-media-rendered' id='instagram-embed-0' src='https://www.instagram.com/p/BFNHmQbtkXI/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=7#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A1433.605%7D' allowtransparency='true' frameborder='0' height='816' data-instgrm-payload-id='instagram-media-payload-0' scrolling='no' style='background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219); margin: 1px 1px 12px; max-width: 658px; width: calc(100% - 2px); border-radius: 4px; box-shadow: none; display: block; padding: 0px;'></iframe> <script async='' defer='' src='//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js'></script><div></div><br/><div><b>6.<span class='Apple-tab-span' style='white-space:pre'>	</span>Aiko Melendez and Shahin Alimirzapour</b></div><div><br/></div><div>Aiko, 40, introduced to the public her boyfriend Shahin, 28, via a photo of them together on her Instagram account. The caption read, “Starting a new story and journey with [Alimirzapour]. No explanation needed.” </div><div><br/></div><div>Shahin is a businessman of Iranian descent. Aiko said he makes her laugh and he was the one who made an effort to pursue her. </div><div><br/></div><div>However, last September, Shahin told Pep.ph that they are taking a break at the heels of Aiko's Instagram post with the caption, '#singlesnightOUT.'  </div><div><br/></div><div>Aiko was previously married to actor Jomari Yllana and to model Martin Jickain. Both marriages have been annulled.</div><div><br/></div><iframe class='instagram-media' id='instagram-embed-1' src='https://www.instagram.com/p/BGHilcCraSH/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=7#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A1436.47%7D' allowtransparency='true' frameborder='0' height='0' data-instgrm-payload-id='instagram-media-payload-1' scrolling='no' style='background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; width: calc(100% - 2px); border-radius: 4px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 0px 0px 1px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 10px 0px; display: block; padding: 0px; position: absolute;'></iframe> <script async='' defer='' src='//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js'></script><div><br/></div><div></div><br/><div><b>7.<span class='Apple-tab-span' style='white-space:pre'>	</span>Billy Crawford and Coleen Garcia </b></div><div><br/></div><div>When Billy, 34, and then girlfriend Nikki Gil broke up in July, 2013, people pointed a finger at Coleen, 24, as being the third party. Rumors only grew when Billy and Coleen confirmed being officially a couple in July of 2014.</div><div><br/></div><div>The two have stayed happy since and in their interviews, both Billy and Coleen say don’t regret having fought for each other. In one interview, Coleen said, “It was all worth it.” </div><div><br/></div><div>The two got engaged last December. </div><div><br/></div><iframe class='instagram-media instagram-media-rendered' id='instagram-embed-2' src='https://www.instagram.com/p/BGOpoTzqPKQ/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=7#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A1440.08%7D' allowtransparency='true' frameborder='0' height='684' data-instgrm-payload-id='instagram-media-payload-2' scrolling='no' style='background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219); margin: 1px 1px 12px; max-width: 658px; width: calc(100% - 2px); border-radius: 4px; box-shadow: none; display: block; padding: 0px;'></iframe> <script async='' defer='' src='//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js'></script><div></div><br/><div><b>8.<span class='Apple-tab-span' style='white-space:pre'>	</span>Mommy Dionisia Pacquiao and Michael Yamson </b></div><div><br/></div><div>In 2014, Mommy D, 67, admitted she was in a relationship with Michael, 42. They met in a sing-along birthday party. </div><div><br/></div><div>A 2015 interview with her son Sen. Manny Pacquiao revealed that the two are already living together. Manny, however, has been vocal that while he wants his mom to be happy, he is against the idea of her marrying again. Manny said Mommy D is still married to the first man she was with (not to Manny’s dad), and her legal husband is still alive. </div><div><br/></div><div style='text-align: center; '><img src='https://push-data.abs-cbn.com/push/archive/features/2016/061016/PUSH%20PIN/061016-dionisia_pushpins.jpg' alt='061016-dionisia_pushpins.jpg' width='600' height='435' align='center' border='0'><br/></div><div></div><div><b><br/></b></div><div><b>9.<span class='Apple-tab-span' style='white-space:pre'>	</span>Assunta de Rossi and Jules Ledesma</b></div><div><br/></div><div>In 2002, Assunta de Rossi got hitched to Negros Occidental Representative Jules Ledesma. Assunta was only 19 years old at that time and Jules was 41. </div><div><br/></div><div>In 2014, rumors of Jules (now 56) and Assunta’s separation surfaced but Assunta (now 36) said there was no truth to the rumor.</div><div><br/></div><div style='text-align: center; '><img src='https://push-data.abs-cbn.com/push/archive/features/2016/061016/PUSH%20PIN/061016-assunta_pushpins.jpg' alt='061016-assunta_pushpins.jpg' width='600' height='435' align='center' border='0'><br/></div>

Against All Odds: Celebrity May-December Love Affairs | PUSH.COM.PH