IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The girls who held Gerald Anderson’s heart

As the video of Bea Alonzo and Julia Barretto spotted interacting and hugging at a recent party becomes viral, one can’t help but look back at the origin of this clean slate, and the common denominator these two women shared is Gerald Anderson.

Anderson’s dating track has been somewhat infamous, as his relationships and flings have made headlines over the years, thrown in with cheating allegations or overlap. Alonzo and Barretto’s recent kiss-and-make-up is a testament that the ex-girlfriend and the current one can be friends despite the unpleasant history that came between them.

While we are not one to judge someone based on their dating history, Anderson’s impressive roster of girlfriends speaks of his charm, despite the “crash and burn” nature of how most of these relationships ended.

So here’s a list of the women Anderson has dated over the years: Are they the lucky ones? You decide.

Kim Chiu

When Anderson joined “Pinoy Big Brother” (PBB) in 2006 was also the time he met and developed a relationship with his fellow housemate Kim Chiu. Collectively known as “Kimerald,” their love team has become one of the first iconic on-screen partnerships to grace Philippine and television history of their time. Their togetherness became more memorable when it led to being the real thing, as they ended up being a couple for four years.

Despite Chiu’s subtle hints that Anderson cheated on her at the time, the two remained civil with each other to this day, as they continue to appear in different guest appearances professionally. In 2016, they even celebrated the 10-year anniversary of their love team.

After they broke up in 2010, Anderson admitted that he has hurt Chiu’s feelings many times, stressing that his appreciation for the actress could never amount to Chiu’s love for him.

“Sa loob po ng four years, na nagkaroon kami ng special relationship, we shared very happy moments together. We cared for each other. There are times na we hurt each other. Mas madalas ako,” he said.

(During the four years, we had a special relationship. We shared very happy moments together. We care for each other. There are times when we hurt each other, I [hurt her] more often.)

“Ang dami kong ibinigay kay Kim na problema, heartaches. Alam ko kahit kailan, kahit anong gawin ko, hindi ko pa rin mapapantayan ‘yung lahat ng ginawa ni Kim para sa akin. Yung pagtanggap sa akin,” he further said.

(I gave Kim a lot of problems, heartaches. I know that no matter what time, no matter what I do, I still can’t match all that Kim did for me, ‘cause she accepted me.)

Chiu is currently single as she recently broke up with actor Xian Lim.

Maja Salvador

Anderson’s “womanizer” image began when he started dating Maja Salvador in 2013, who at the time, was known as the bestfriend of his first celebrity girlfriend Kim Chiu. Their relationship lasted for two years and the cause of their break up was undisclosed. In one of Chiu’s interviews, she said that Salvador asked permission from her to date Anderson, still there was a seemingly rift that existed between them. However, after Salvador’s separation from Anderson, she revealed that she’s open to being friends with the actor and that she and Chiu have also patched things up.

“May mga bagay kasi na kaming dalawa lang ni Kim na nakakaalam at nakakaintindi, kaya siguro ‘yung hindi nawala talaga yung friendship,” said Salvador in 2015.

(There are things that Kim and I are the only ones who know and understand, so maybe that’s why the friendship didn’t really disappear.)

Salvador is now married to businessman Rambo Nunez, and is currently expecting their first child.

Sarah Geronimo

After starring together in the movie “Catch Me, I’m in Love,” in 2011, Anderson began to court Sarah Geronimo, which lasted for a year. Despite saying that the actor is “special” to her, rumors have it that the reason the courtship did not lead to a relationship was because of Geronimo’s mother, which the actress denied afterwards.

In 2015, during a guest appearance on “Gandang Gabi Vice,”  Geronimo revealed that she remained good friends with Anderson. The popstar royalty is now happily married to Filipino-Italian actor Matteo Guidecilli.

Pia Wurtzbach

Anderson and Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach have reportedly dated at some point after working together in the movie “My Perfect You.” Despite not confirming anything, Anderson’s involvement with the beauty queen was the alleged reason for the brief separation of the actor from Bea Alonzo.

Wurtzbach is now married to travel influencer Jeremy Jauncey.

Bea Alonzo

Anderson and Bea Alonzo had a whirlwind courtship. They first had a three-month relationship in 2010, and it was only after six years that they rekindled their romance as they reunited in the movie “How to Be Yours.” After seemingly confirming their relationship in 2017 as they attended the Star Magic Ball together, the two were caught in a controversy a year later after Alonzo unfollowed Anderson and Pia Wurtzbach, who at the time was getting linked to the actor. However, Anderson said that it was a misunderstanding and he and Alonzo were okay.

In one of her interviews in 2018, Alonzo expressed her hope to marry Anderson, which was later echoed by the actor’s interview that the “One More Chance” actress made her a better man. However, in July 2019, Alonzo posted a series of cryptic messages on her Instagram, writing, “You can’t make the same mistake twice; the second time you make it, it’s not a mistake anymore; it’s a choice.’ ENOUGH.” The netizens have speculated that the post was alluding to Anderson and his “Between Maybes” leading lady, Julia Barretto, which eventually the actor confirmed his relationship with.

Alonzo shared in her previous interview that the actor “ghosted” her and did not give her a proper breakup. “Honestly, to my understanding, we did not break up. He just started not talking to me,” she said at the time. This statement was later answered by Anderson as he affirmed that there was no third party involved in their separation, saying there had always been “a personal issue between them.”

In Alonzo’s interview in 2023 with Boy Abunda, she said there’s no chance that she will be friends with Anderson as she can “never be friends with somebody she doesn’t trust” and “somebody who doesn’t take responsibility for his actions.”

Alonzo is currently single, as she recently broke up with her fiance, Dominic Roque.

Julia Barretto

In 2019, Julia Barretto responded to Bea Alonzo’s cryptic messages, debunking the rumor that she was the alleged other woman of Anderson. She also addressed her separation from former love team, Joshua Garcia.

If you’re a Filipino and have not been aware of what went down with Alonzo and Barretto’s dispute, you may have been living under a rock. The iconic line “I refuse to be your victim” birthed numerous memes on the internet at the time.

After officially confirming their relationship in 2021 and despite their controversial dating history, Barretto remains the girlfriend of Anderson to this day, and although they are still hounded by breakup rumors every now and then, the young actress said that she considers the speculations a “compliment” as it goes to show that people don’t know the real happenings in their relationship.