Barbie and Jak: No longer together, period

Now we know we should not easily get carried away by social media postings of syrup-y dates and exchanges of undying love among our favorite stars. Posting those photos and sugar-y prose may just be a compulsive habit, part perhaps of sustaining an image for people whose fortune is anchored on their fame.

That’s how it had been for seven years for GMA 7 actors Barbie Forteza, 27, and Jak Roberto, 31. 

Around 6 p.m. of 2 January, Forteza serenely and sweetly announced on her Instagram a seemingly abrupt decision to break up their seven-year romance. However, as we write this, only Forteza has announced the separation. No words yet from Roberto, whether similarly sweet and serene or joltingly bitter. 

Rhapsodized Forteza in her Instagram post: “Having you in my life was the happiest I had ever been. Seven wonderful years. A lot of laughs, a lot of ramen and so much love.

“Your love was exceptional. But sometimes, good things fall apart so better things can come together. Beautiful goodbye,

@jakroberto

“Thank you for loving me the way you did. I am excited for what’s to come for the both of us. You take care of yourself. May you find the love you deserve.”

It’s a mysterious breakup, of course. On 19 November, they got together to celebrate their monthsary. Both took to Instagram to profess their love for each other. 

On 2 December, they celebrated Roberto’s birthday. Again, they documented their love for each other on Instagram, through Forteza’s posting. 

Before mid-December, the lovebirds attended the Christmas party of Sparkle, GMA 7’s talent management division. That seems to have been the last time they were together. They seem to have not even posted any lovey-dovey shots together from that party. 

Instagram seems to have a sudden death on both of them. They did not send each other Christmas greetings. They did not spend Christmas Eve nor Christmas day together. No Yuletide pics of them hugging or kissing, as evidenced by their respective accounts. Each spent Christmas with their families, their IGs reveals.

The breakup doesn’t seem to be part of a career move for 2025. Forteza did not offer any sort of reason for the breakup. She simply announced they are no longer together, period. 

The Kapuso network has released its roster of shows to highlight its 75th (diamond) anniversary this year. There was no special mention of shows together or individually for Forteza and Roberto. Nor even for the onscreen love team partner of Forteza: David Licauco, who has managed to keep his love life with a non-showbiz girlfriend private — though on a few media interviews, he has made it clear that he has always had a girlfriend. (Their dates must be always very private and no eagle-eyed netizen has stolen a shot of them.) 

The Forteza-Roberto split seems to have no trace of the Maris Racal-Rico Blanco breakup due to Racal’s falling for her screen-sweetheart Anthony Jennings which, in turn, led to the exposure of the initially hidden love triangle among Racal, Jennings and his non-showbiz girlfriend for some years, Jam Villanueva (who exposed it by posting the exchange of intimate social media messages between Racal and Jennings).

Now we know for sure that stars do fall in and out of love for better or for worse. 

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We don’t think Darryl Yap plans to show his latest bragged-about movie in theaters. Its title alone is likely to be disapproved by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB): “The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma.”

He has released a teaser for the bio-film of the young actor who once alleged to have been raped by actor Vic Sotto. Eventually, for reasons unknown, she took her own life by hanging herself in a closet. 

Yap has released a teaser for the film, which has Rhed Bustamante portraying Paloma. The teaser scene has Bustamante in it and Gina Alajar (as Charito Solis, who did at least one movie with Paloma). 

Here’s how Gerry Olea of PEP.ph website’s Troika (trio of columnists) describes that teaser on 2 January issue of their column: 

“Sa teaser ng The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma, nagsusumigaw si Gina Alajar (bilang Charito Solis) na tinanong si Rhen (bilang Pepsi), ‘Ni-rape ka ba ni Vic Sotto?!’ 

“Naghuhumiyaw rin si Rhen, ‘Oo!’”

If that teaser had been submitted to the MTRCB, chair Lala Sotto would have surely disapproved it. She is a niece of Vic Sotto, her father being the ex-senator, Tito Sotto. 

The movie is not produced by Vivamax nor any of its sister streaming companies under Viva Communications Inc. Yap has not revealed whom his producers are. 

The film also stars Mon Confiado as Rey dela Cruz, the late gay manager of Paloma. 

A former bold actor also managed by Dela Cruz, Coca Nicolas, once said in a media interview that the alleged rape was only a gimmick of their manager. Nicolas said it was Paloma herself who told her.