Saying ‘I do’ three times
Actors and actresses memorize their lines for movies and sitcoms. They even practice their facial expressions as they deliver their lines and rehearse with their co-stars just to make sure they get everything down pat. But despite their preparations, sometimes even the best of them forget, so caught up with their emotions. Such was the case when Cesar Montano first saw Sunshine Cruz.
Cesar was one of the stars in the sitcom For the Boys. A young Sunshine, fifteen at that time and new in showbiz, was a guest. What happened next wasn’t included in the script nor was anybody prepared for it: Cesar held Sunshine’s hand, kissed it and said, “Will you marry me?”
“Sa lakas ng dating niya, wala na akong naisip eh. Nakita ko napakaganda at napaka-sexy niya, na-overwhelm na lang ako,” Cesar remembers. “She was 15 then but her body was like that of a 20-year-old! It was oozing with sex appeal, so I didn’t care kung ano ang lalabas sa bibig niya!”
The proposal was a joke, an act of innocent flirtation which probably sent the audience all aflutter, flustered and kilig. And though Sunshine’s answer then was a flippant, unenthusiastic “Whatever,” fate knew that she would be singing a different tune the next time Cesar pops the question.
They didn’t see each other for a long time after that show and eventually, both forgot about the “proposal.” Sunshine made a name for herself as the favorite leading lady of action stars while Cesar continued with his acting and even dabbled into directing and producing movies. Cesar tried to get Sunshine as leading lady but because of her hectic schedule, the offers were always turned down.
He finally got his break with a movie called Bullet which Sunshine agreed to co-star with him. “I hand picked her as my leading lady, pero hindi ko naman alam noon na pagsasamantalahan niya ako! Hindi ko alam na mabibihag niya talaga ako,” he jokes.
Sunshine, who was then 20 years old, was on her guard when they were doing the movie. She recalls, “At first, I was very aloof. I avoided him because I’ve been hearing reports about him being a womanizer. Every time there would be no shoot or no taping, I would go to my van and lock myself in there. But Cesar was really persistent! Kakatok siya doon at magdadala siya ng food. Tinatanong niya talaga kung ano ang favorite kong pagkain, and cool rin naman pala siya. Paunti-unti, hindi na ako natatakot sa kanya at hindi na ako umiiwas.
Nakikipag-kuwentuhan na din ako sa kanya. Doon nag-start. And he didn’t finish the movie not until napasagot niya ako.”
Despite the happiness the couple felt whenever they were together, many were against their relationship. “Sobrang masaya kaming dalawa. Lahat sa side ko didn’t talk to me anymore but I ignored them because I was so happy with him,” she shares. “I can be myself with him, whereas before I would be so shy and quiet. With him, I could joke around and have fun.”
Cesar became Sunshine’s first boyfriend and despite their 15-year age difference, they made their relationship work. She muses, “Maybe he was challenged because I told him, ‘Alam ko naman maraming naghahabol sa’yo na mas maganda pa sa akin, at kahit ano man ang mangyari, hinding-hindi kita hahabulin.’ Kaya mas lalo niya akong hindi tinigilan!”
He didn’t stop until he got her to go with him to his province which is Bohol. There in Baluarte, a famous tourist spot in the province, Cesar set up a romantic candlelight dinner and requested for the Loboc Children’s Choir to sing for them.
Cesar laughingly relates, “I proposed to her saying, ‘Pwede ka bang maging ina ng aking mga anak?’ Unang-una, nagulat siya kasi akala niya gusto ko siyang maging yaya. But I explained to her, ‘Hindi, gusto ko ikaw maging ina ng aking tahanan.’”
“He said it was his dream to bring the one girl he wants to be the mother of his children to that place,” says Sunshine. “I really didn’t know if he was serious or not. When someone proposes, he gives a ring, right? Cesar didn’t give me a ring, he gave me a necklace! But I said yes.”
They got married in secret on February 23, 2000. That same year, on September 14, they had another “big” wedding at the Coconut Palace witnessed by their families, friends, and colleagues.
As a special treat during their wedding, a video footage was shown to them. It was an episode from For the Boys, where Cesar held a young girl’s hand, kissed it, and said, “Will you marry me?”
“Doon lang namin naalala na nagkita na pala kami before!” says Sunshine. The couple is so crazy about each other that they got married not only twice, but three times. Their third marriage was held at Trang, Thailand. They represented the country in the Trang Underwater Wedding Ceremony and joined 45 other couples as they tied the knot again underwater.
Now after nine years of married bliss, Cesar and Sunshine are the proud parents of three beautiful girls –Angelina Isabelle, Samantha Angeline, and Angel Francesca. The family loves to cook, paint, and sing to each other. Cesar even shares, “Mahilig kasi akong magluto. That’s why I came up with Bellisimo restaurant. I love to bake and when I started, parang bato ang tinapay na ginawa ko! Right then, I disproved the saying that if people throw stones at you, you should throw bread at them instead. Hindi pwede eh, kasi masakit din ‘pag matamaan ng tinapay ko!”
Other than cooking, Cesar loves to paint. Sunshine and the girls would take his lead and also do watercolor paintings. He has just recently held his first solo art exhibit “The First Impression” at Artist Space, Makati City. Sunshine, on the other hand, has always wanted to become a singer. With a guitar propped on Cesar’s lap, she and the girls would belt out beautiful songs and melodies.
Looking at the family laugh and talk to each other, it’s easy to see how things easily fell into place for them. But Cesar and Sunshine profess that their marriage is a result of hard work, dedication, and commitment.
“It was really difficult for me especially during the first seven years of our marriage. Sunud-sunod ang babies ko, kaya lagi na lang akong nasa house. Eh ‘yung asawa ko is good-looking, macho pa. I felt so ugly, and I always got jealous before. Kaya nagkaroon ako ng post-partum depression,” reveals Sunshine.
Now, however, she has matured. Sunshine has found her peace within herself amidst nasty rumors. She has also stepped up in her role as mom to her three girls and as supportive wife to Cesar, especially now that he is running for governor in Bohol.
“One day, ‘pag tinawag ako ng great Creator, may maisasagot ako. ‘Pag tinanong Niya kung anong ginawa ko sa Bohol, masasabi ko sa Kanya na tumakbo ako bilang governor. I committed and confirmed that I will fight for Boholeños,” he says.
The family’s love for the province is so intense that they make weekly trips to the place and share their time with Boholeños, and even think of ways to help make Bohol a better place to live in. Cesar even points out the irrigation and water supply problems in Bohol and how building water pipes could easily solve the problem.
Cesar notes, “At the end of the day, what matters is not what we have bought but what we have built. It’s not what we have, but what we have shared.”
On each other
He said: Napakabait niya, at masayahin. Ang daling bolahin! Hindi siya yung artistang may star complex. Malambing siya and she would always decide to be with me rather than be somewhere else. If there are two important things she needs to do, she would choose the one thing where she could be with me. And I like that!
She said: Nagustuhan ko siya kasi hindi siya pa-cute. Hindi siya ‘yung nagpapa-impress na lalake at pinakita niya sa akin kung sino talaga siya. He has a very good sense of humor. Hindi ka mabo-bore at hindi ka rin mako-cornyhan when you talk to him. I like everything about him, even his imperfections. I find them interesting and cute.
On courtship
He said: We were together every day and when we’re together, we don’t want to be apart anymore. Would you believe that we’d have dinner together and we’d just talk to each other until 3 a.m.? What I wanted was to have her by my side all the time and she felt the same way.
She said: He’s my first boyfriend actually. Sobrang saya namin as a couple and most of the time mag-uusap at magkukulitan lang kami. Even up to now, 80 percent of our relationship is filled with jokes and tawanan, and 20 percent lang ‘yung serious conversation.
On parenting
He said: I’m their kabarkada. To get into their world, I treat them as friends. And it shows in the way I talk to them or laugh with them. I even know all the Barbie stories, kabisado ko lahat!
She said: I’m the disciplinarian and Cesar is more of the spoiler. But when he disciplines the children, they know that they should already behave kasi ibang klase magalit si dad. But we don’t hit our kids. We just explain to them what they should or should not do. They’re all very smart so they understand us. After we talk to them and they repeat their mistakes, they’d immediately cry. They would automatically feel guilty for what they did!
On family bonding
He said: Right now when we’re together, palagi lang kami nagbibiruan at nagkukulitan. At ngayon may mga anak na kami, kaming lima na ang nag-aasaran. Parang nadagdagan ang mga kalaro ko, dati kasi siya lang. Pinagtutulangan nga nila akong lahat! We really love teasing each other, and we paint and cook together. Before we go to sleep, we all pray together. All my daughters know how to lead prayers! And we love to sing.
She said: I have no regrets, especially with my three girls. They’re so angelic and every day when I wake up, I feel so good when I hear them making noises and kinukulit na nila kami sa kama. We do all sorts of things together such as watch DVDs. Every Sunday, we’d go to church. They have Sunday school activities and after that, we’d go to the mall and eat out. Outside our house, we would even bike around or go jogging.
On loving Bohol
He said: Gusto ko talagang makatulong sa Bohol. Nakita ko kasi kung paano napapabayaan ang Bohol, lalo na ang edukasyon ng mga bata doon. Kulang na kulang din ang social services doon. Hindi sapat na naging Jose Rizal ako, artista ako at may Singing Bee ako at cute ako doon at kinakawayan ko ang mga taga-Bohol sa show. Eh tuwing uuwi ako sa Bohol, ako lang ang masaya. Now the question is: May magagawa ba ako to help them? Yes, there is.
She said: We really love Bohol. We are addicted to the place! For me, as a Manileña, I am proud to be an adopted daughter of Bohol. The place is so beautiful. Hindi pa kami kinakasal, sobrang pinagmamalaki na niya ang Bohol kaya hanggang makakatulong kami, gagawin namin.
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