Daily Tribune‘I just felt it in my bones. That she was the one I really wanted to be with. It’s like finding your soulmate — it’s easy, it’s natural.’
Ida Joseph and Bing Matoto
PHOTOGRAPHS BY LARRY CRUZ FOR THE DAILY TRIBUNE
They say love finds you when you least expect it. For Senen “Bing” Matoto and Ida Joseph, that couldn’t be more true. Following the agony of losing their lifetime companions — Ida mourning her spouse for the last two years, and Bing losing his wife five years ago — their paths crossed in an unexpected twist of fate.
Grief is a journey that nobody wants to go through, yet it often transforms lives in ways that are unimaginable. Bing and Ida spent years navigating the emptiness left behind by their beloved partners. They found solace in family, friends and the quiet moments of remembrance, but nothing could quite fill the void.
Then, as if the universe had a plan all along, their lives intertwined.
What started as friendship turned into deep and mature understanding — two hearts recognizing the same scars, two souls finding warmth in each other’s presence.
The weight of grief slowly gave way to something new: Love — not as replacement, but as a second chance at happiness.
Bing recalled his first encounter with Ida again during an Alabang big raffle event. There was a certain vibe about her that drew his interest right away.
“She was smiling, and her eyes were twinkling,” he told DAILY TRIBUNE.
Their paths crossed again on New Year’s Eve at the Alabang Country Club. Then the teasing started while having lunch with friends. When asked about the potential of a relationship between them, Ida quickly shot back with a firm, “No!”
But it seems fate had a different answer.
During a motorcade, a friend playfully teased Bing again. That’s when he finally took a step forward — he sent her a message: “Do you want to watch a show?”
Ida was caught off guard. “Is he asking me out?” she wondered.
She even showed the message to her daughter, who helped her answer, “My daughter and I would like to watch.” Sadly, their plans fell through because of an event she had to attend.
A few weeks later, Bing asked her out again. But once more, their plans were halted as Ida was in Davao at the time.
But she responded with a simple yet hopeful: “Maybe next time.”
He didn’t waver. His patience and persistence finally paid off when he was invited to Ida’s birthday celebration. Surrounded by friends, fellow golfers, and Bing himself, the teasing continued.
Another invitation — to a wine event — came next. When Ida texted a lot of people to invite them to come, only Bing’s reply stood out.
“I would love to go,” he replied enthusiastically and even brought his friends along.
Following countless conversations, their relationship then took a somewhat more serious turn.
Their first official date was in October last year, sealed with a dance at Bellevue — just the beginning of many moments that will define their love.
One of their funniest? An early morning walk. Bing was excited to take a walk with her when she arrived at Joseph’s
residence before daylight. After walking over three kilometers, she invited him in for breakfast — only to turn around and find him sitting still, eyes closed, completely unresponsive. Moments after panic struck, he smiled as he opened his eyes after getting tired of walking. A frightening experience became a memory they would laugh about later.
Then came their “holding hands while walking” moment at the Alabang Country Club. Bing reached for her hand as they came down the stairs, but Ida pulled it away. “If we’re holding hands, that means we’re taking this to the next level.”
Soon enough, Ida finally took his hand. They had a stroll together one evening; as Bing didn’t have a car at the time, they cherished the peaceful comfort of each other’s company rather than the rush. She joked, “He might trip, and I might fall,” but in reality, they were already “falling.”
Their bond grew deeper, and one night, Bing was finally invited to dinner at Ida’s home. Her daughter, ever protective, asked, “What are your intentions with my mom?”
Bing responded swiftly, “I just want to be with her. As long as she lets me — for the rest of my life.”
Fortunately, their children already knew each other’s backgrounds, making their relationship even smoother. There were no uncertainties, no need for long explanations — just an unspoken understanding that their parents had found happiness again.
There was no hesitation, no second-guessing — it just felt right.
“There was no difficulty. It felt natural. Even before, my kids would tease me — ‘Mommy, go out!’” Joseph shared to the DAILY TRIBUNE with a soft smile.
She had no intention of getting into another relationship. Life alone had been enough for her; stable, peaceful, and satisfying in its own right. Then, however, arrived Bing, persistent and unwavering. “Binulabog niya ako. I was happy doing things on my own, being alone, not looking for anything. And then, all of a sudden, here he comes.”
With his eyes full of silent devotion, Bing looked to Ida when he was asked what he liked best about her. His response was straightforward yet brimming with the intensity of a love that had returned home.
“Everything.”
He continued in a calm but confident tone. “I always say she’s beautiful. I never get tired of looking at her face. That’s really what I feel.”
And how did he know she was the one? There was no grand revelation, no moment of doubt — just a strong, unwavering emotion.
“I just felt it in my bones. That she was the one I really wanted to be with. It’s like finding your soulmate — it’s easy, it’s natural.”
The lovebirds also enjoy the little things in life, like listening to music together, particularly Martin Nievera’s “Be My Lady,” which lets the lyrics express what their hearts already know.
They also enjoy “Netflix and chill,” but they joke that they never really complete a movie because they are too caught up in talking, laughing, or simply spending time together.
After everything they had been through, Bing’s voice grew softer as they answered the question of what it’s like to find love again.
“There’s a great degree of maturity in our relationship because of everything we’ve been through.”
After a little pause, he spoke again, his words full of certainty and sincerity.
Bing reflected, “It’s a different feeling. When you’ve experienced both joy and pain, you learn to see things differently.”
For Ida, love is something to be savored, not rushed.
“I want to take it slow. Well, he wants to take it fast, but I want to take it slow. I want to cherish the moments. I want to cherish the kilig.”
Her speech carried a gentleness, a silent desire to hold onto every passing glance and every lingering touch. Love had found her again, but this time, she wanted to move at her own pace. “There are still things I want to do. I wasn’t able to do much (before).”
This love month, Bing met Ida’s mother for the first time. And if there’s one thing they dream of? Traveling the world together, with Japan at the top of their list.
When asked what love means to them, their answers were filled with the wisdom of those who have loved, lost, and found their way again.
“Love is total commitment,” Ida said. “Because commitment is everything.”
Bing, his gaze unwavering, added, “Love is not quitting. It’s about choosing to be together for the rest of your life.”
And if there is just one thing he wants to tell Ida? He met her gaze, eyes filled with admiration, and said, “I love you.”
Ida, ever playful, smiled and teased, “Take it slow.”
But beneath her lighthearted words was a heart learning to trust love again. “When you find love again, you want to make sure every step you take is the right one. I want to be careful.”
Bing, ever patient, simply nodded. “I understand. I may be in a rush, but I understand. At my age, you never know. I just want to enjoy the relationship, to do the things we love, and to enjoy each other’s company.”
And so, hand in hand, they walk forward — not too fast, not too slow, just perfectly in sync with each other.
