Age is just a number indeed, as the stories of these local celebrity lovebirds show
MANILA, Philippines – Do you believe that age is just a number? Many celebrity couples do!
In a society where the pressure to marry young often feels like an unspoken rule, many celebrities defy the norm and find happiness on their own terms and age ranges. While the Philippine Statistics Authority may suggest that the average age for marriage falls between 28 and 30 years old, many have challenged this notion, citing reasons beyond mere age.
These stars have flipped the script on when to say “I do,” from prioritizing financial stability to embracing emotional maturity.
Here are some of the famous lovebirds who are rewriting the rules and reveling in the joys of married life, regardless of societal expectations.
Vicky Belo and Hayden Kho (61 and 37 years old)
Renowned dermatologist Vicky Belo met Hayden Kho, a celebrity doctor, in 2005, when he was a medical student and she was an established figure in the beauty industry.
Despite a significant 24-year age gap, they began dating and faced public scrutiny shortly afterwards. They got engaged in Houston, Texas, in 2010, and tied the knot in a lavish Paris ceremony in 2017, when Belo was 61 and Hayden was 37.
Their journey as a married couple includes the birth of their daughter, Scarlet Snow Belo, in 2015.
Vhong Navarro and Tanya Bautista (42 and 37 years old)
It’s Showtime host Vhong Navarro and She-Wolf: The Last Sentinel series writer Tanya Bautista started dating in 2014. At the time, Navarro was busy with his showbiz career, and Bautista was focused on writing and entrepreneurship.
They got married in November 2019 after several years together when Navarro was 42 and Bautista was 37.
Today, they support each other in their individual pursuits, demonstrating that love and career can definitely co-exist.
Luis Manzano and Jessy Mendiola (40 and 28 years old)
From just crossing paths in the industry, Your Face Sounds Familiar television host Luis Manzano and Ang Probinsyano actress Jessy Mendiola first became friends before publicly dating in 2017.
The couple tied the knot in a private ceremony in February 2021, with Luis being 40 years old and Jessy being 28. In 2022, the pair became a family of three after welcoming their first daughter named Rosie, whom many fondly call “Baby Peanut.”
Their love story took another beautiful turn in February 2024, when the pair said “I do” for the second time in an intimate Coron wedding, surrounded by family members.
Korina Sanchez and Mar Roxas (51 and 56 years old)
TV5 news anchor Korina Sanchez and former senator Mar Roxas met in the late 1990s and began dating in 2003, when Sanchez was a TV Patrol reporter and Roxas was a congressman.
The couple got married in 2009; Sanchez was 45 and Roxas was 52.
Over the years, they have supported each other through various personal and professional challenges. Their decades of commitment blossomed into the birth of their twins Pepe and Pilar via surrogacy in February 2019.
Ogie Alcasid and Regine Velasquez (43 and 40 years old)
Singer-songwriter Ogie Alcasid and Asia’s songbird Regine Velasquez met in the music industry in the late 1980s. They began dating years later in their 40s, and wed in a garden ceremony in December 2010, with Ogie aged 43 and Regine aged 40.
The two icons of Philippine music welcomed a son, Nate, in 2011.
Eugene Domingo and Danilo Bottoni
Kimmy Dora actress Eugene Domingo and Italian film critic Danilo Bottoni met through a film festival in Udine, Italy, where Domingo’s movie Barber’s Tales was featured.
In 2016, they tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Italy, when Domingo was 45 and Bottoni was 57. Although they come from different religious backgrounds, the couple holds mutual respect for each other’s beliefs.
These couples prove that there is no set age for life’s grand milestones, whether you decide to settle down in your 30s, 40s, 50s, or beyond! Sit back and take a deep breath – you are exactly where you’re meant to be. – Rappler.com
Patty Bufi is a Rappler intern. This article was vetted by a staff reporter and editor.
