Gus and Joy Tambunting can survive life's adversities because they have each other for support. (Photo by PINGGOT ZULUETA)

It was hate at first sight. There was an antipathy between them. She found him too antipatiko, while he found her a little too strong for his taste.

Gustavo “Gus” Tambunting and Joy Salvador first met at Spin-A-Win, a defunct popular TV game show hosted by Jeanne Young that was aired over RPN 9 in the 1970s. Gus, who is a nephew of the TV host, was the associate producer of the show, while Joy was there to apply for a job as production assistant.

In 1984, after finishing a degree in communication arts at the Assumption College, Joy chanced upon a classified ad announcing an opening for a production assistant position. With one of her classmates in town, Joy went to the studio where Spin-A-Win was currently taping.

There, she met actress Mila de Sol, the mom of Jeanne Young and grandmother of Gus, who dropped by the studio before heading to a prayer meeting. The “Sarong Queen” talked to the two girls, immediately hired them, and even invited them to join her in the prayer meeting. Joy and her friend went to the prayer meeting, and there she met Gus.

“The funny part was we stopped hiring people. But since, Lola Mila was there and she directly told my uncle that ‘I want those two girls in.’ So, we didn’t have a choice but to pull out two persons from our newly hired assistants just to accommodate them,” shares Gus, not knowing that that incident would be the beginning of a romantic relationship.

That time, ending up together never entered their minds. As a production assistant, Joy was under Gus who would boss her around. Aside from carrying anything and everything from cable to tissue paper for the actors, Joy would sometime write impromptu scripts for the host.

“He would insist that all ads, no matter how small they were, would make it to the show. He wanted everything in. So, we had to revise again and again just to accommodate them in the show. And that pissed me off,” shares Joy.

Gus, on the other hand, was quite challenged with her because she seemed untouchable to him. Or perhaps, it was the first stirring of romance on Gus' part.

“One time, Joy asked me where did I graduate. I replied, ‘Letran.’ Then, she asked me where’s Letran. Tapos sinundan niya ng ‘hindi ba eskwelahan ng mga goons ‘yan?’ Napahiya ako. From then on, she ignored me. So, sabi ko sa sarili ko, ‘Antipatiko pala ha? Liligawan kita,’” shares Gus.

Courting Joy was easier said than done. When the game show folded up, Joy transferred to ABS-CBN, so Gus would travel everyday from BF Homes, Parañaque to her workplace in Quezon City just to pick her up.

And since Joy worked an irregular schedule, Gus would stay inside his car in the parking lot and wait for Joy to finish her work, sometimes until four in the morning. “Doon ako natutong maglagay ng Off at Vicks sa balat ko,” Gus jokingly added. His patience and persistence paid off because they became a couple in October 1985.

Just like any other relationship, theirs was a work in progress. While they had their sweet moments, they also had misunderstandings, especially when Gus decided to run as city councilor in 1988.

“When we were still dating, one of her conditions was that she wouldn’t marry a politician. And I told her not to worry since there was no politician in the family. I didn’t know that three years later, I would be running as councilor,” shares Gus, adding: “You know why we had an on and off relationship, it was because of politics. She hated politics. I even had to fetch her because she decided to boycott my oath-taking as councilor.”

Joy interjected, saying: “We had several long discussions about it. We talked whether he should run or not, whether he should push through with his political career. But I guess he’s born to serve. So, in due time, I have accepted that he is some kind of a political animal.” It didn’t help that in one of the campaign rallies, Gus was gunned down and suffered seven gunshot wounds from three bullets that went in and out of his body.

But their love prevailed. In June 1991, they got married. But that was without a glitch, too.

“That year, we decided to have a vacation for two weeks to a month in the US, and when we returned from the trip, we would get married. But the station didn’t want me to leave. It was actually a choice between settling down with Gus and staying with the station,” recounts Joy who decided that she’d rather lose her job and spend a happy lifetime with Gus and their future family.

Their union wasn’t a bed of roses. On their first attempt to build a family, Joy had two miscarriages, one after the other. It was a big blow to them. But blessings come to those who wait. Joy eventually got pregnant with their son Isaac, followed by Chelsea, and then Jacob. It was during this time, in 1995, when Gus decided to take a break from politics to be with his family.

But another trial came for the family. In 2005, Joy was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

“I felt my world turn upside down. I started to question why, but I knew God is good and that He would take good care of her. He gave us the best doctor, the best treatment, and the funds for it,” says Gus. Eventually, Joy was healed. She just needs to take her maintenance and visit the doctor once in a while for checkups.

Now, Gus and Joy know that whatever challenges that life will cast on them, they will survive them as long as they are together, united and devoted to each other.

On being involved in politics

He said: When we were still dating, one of her conditions was that she wouldn’t marry a politician. Nowadays, she is my campaign manager, not just in politics, but also in all my battles.

She said: We talked whether he should push through with his political career. By the time we got married, I have learned the trade. In fact, I have learned it better than him. In my mind, it is just one big show, isang malaking entablado na pinaghahandaan at pinagpaplanuhan.

On the Big C

He said: Once, the doctor told us that if God would ask, if I would give you cancer what would it be, you should tell Him thyroid cancer. I’m glad she was diagnosed early. They had to take her thyroid off. Wala na siyang thyroid, but I don’t mind having a wife who doesn’t have thyroid but is alive. I even bargained with God. I told Him, “If Joy wasn’t healed, I wouldn’t run as vice mayor. If she got cured, I would run.”

She said:  There is an aggressive thyroid cancer. There are some people who die from it. But I thanked God he gave me the passive one, yung hindi kumakalat. Maliliit pa ang mga anak ko noon. My eldest was 10 and youngest was only 3. You could just imagine how it was, from the perspective of a mother with young children. When I got healed, I took it as a sign to assist my husband in any way I could.

On dining

He said: I like Japanese food. But I love laing and sinigang sa miso. Kahit araw-araw akong pakainin ng laing, okay lang sa akin. Gusto ko iyon gata saka iyong fiber ng gabi leaves. Favorite ko rin iyon buko lychee sherbet na gawa sa Parañaque.

She said: We enjoy eating together. I don’t like eating alone. I don’t eat alone. My children are chocoholics.

For Gus and Joy Tambunting, hating each other in the beginning turned out to be a fluke. For in the end, the love that developed between them defies explanation. Their hate obviously turned into a forever kind of love.