TV host-actress Rica Peralejo has announced her engagement to non-showbiz boyfriend Joseph “Jo” Bonifacio, a pastor, in the ABS-CBN morning show, “Umagang Kay Ganda” today, June 5.

Peralejo said they plan to wed in January 2010.

“I was not expecting a proposal,” Peralejo told Manila Bulletin Online in an exclusive interview shortly after her announcement. “I was super clueless.”

The proposal happened at Sonya’s Garden in Tagaytay where the actress had initially planned a mere weekend getaway with Jo and her close friends, Donita Rose and Pinky Webb.

“I had nothing to do that weekend of May 30 so we planned the outing. It also happened to be our (Rica and Jo’s) 10th monthsary so the timing was perfect.”

Peralejo said she should have known that Bonifacio had something up his sleeve.

“He was acting differently on our way to Tagaytay,” she said. “We had to gas up twice - which to me was weird - and he didn’t unload our stuff immediately when we arrived. Jo just said we should go to ‘Morning Glory’ which turned out to be the reception area pala.”

At the reception area, Bonifacio blindfolded Peralejo with a table napkin. Even then, Peralejo said she had no inkling that he would pop the question.

“Jo is a very romantic person so I thought it was just another of his surprises. He’s very unpredictable, like on our 9th monthsary, he gave me orchids na nasa paso. Who gives orchids na nasa paso, di ba?”

Once the blindfold was off, Peralejo saw a roomful of rose petals and lit tea light candles. At the center of the room was a table with flowers that cradle a scrapbook with a painting of lovers.

“What was running through my head then was, gee, if ever he’s gonna propose to me in the future, how can he top this?” she said.

Bonifacio then knelt in front of Peralejo and said “’Regina Carla Bautista Peralejo, I love you very much. Will you marry me?’”

“I was so surprised! All I could say was (a lame), ‘okay’,” Rica said.

At first, Bonifacio was crestfallen over Peralejo’s seeming lukewarm response.

“He said, ‘After all these, all you could say is okay?’” she said. “So that was when I told him, ‘No I mean okay, yes, I’m saying yes!’”

The 28-year old actress met the 26-year old youth pastor at the Victory Church at the Fort where both attend church service.

“I liked his preaching style,” she said. “He’s funny, very down to earth.”

Peralejo added: “Jo is a man of God. He has potential as a family man in that he’ll be a good father, a good husband, a good provider. As a boyfriend, he makes things very light for me. Parang nakita ko na almost ang lahat sa kanya.”