Finding Genuine Love Through Friendship

By EUGENE Y. SANTOS

The love story of Errol and Aubrey reiterates the fact that true love grows through genuine attraction and affection.

Some people say that love stories are forged by destiny, where two persons are brought together by happenstance. But, in the case of Errol Aricheta and his wife, entertainment TV reporter and host Aubrey Carampel, it seems that kismet is not enough for a couple to stay together through thick and thin. As they would attest, relationships also require effort, where friendship serves as a crucial foundation.

True enough, Errol and Aubrey started off as acquaintances. They first met during a Youth For Christ (YFC) camp activity back in November 1998. “He was giving a talk then and tinatawanan namin siya,” says Aubrey. “Nakakatawa kasi siya [magsalita] pero kasi noong time na ‘yun akala ko isa lang siya sa mga [tipo ng tao] na makikilala mo lang [for a day or so]. ‘Di ko naman akalain na magiging [asawa ko si Errol.]”

It wasn’t really love at first sight. However, Errol found Aubrey’s bubbly personality rather charming. “Kapag nagsheshare siya [sa isa sa mga sessions namin] sa YFC, talagang nakatutok ako sa kanya,” shares Errol. “Kapag [nagsasalita na siya] sa harap namin, talagang parang komedyante si Aubrey.”
On Aubrey’s part, she admired Errol’s gentlemanly ways, especially when it comes to ensuring the safety of fellow YFC members. “Para siyang kuya,” says Aubrey, “lalo na sa mga babae.” When gas was still more affordable, Errol would volunteer to accompany and drive some of their group’s YFC ‘sisters’ (a term for female YFC members) to their respective houses when it’s already late in the evening.
Errol and Aubrey’s friendship developed in YFC, as they would be in the same youth camps and conferences. Eventually, Errol found a confidante in Aubrey—he was even comfortable enough to ask her for advice in love.

Turns out, Errol was courting somebody else and he sought Aubrey for some guidance. “Kakakuwento niya ng love life niya, parang nasasabi ko na, ‘Ano ba naman itong tao na ito, masyado niyang love yung girl. Parang kung ako siguro yung love nito, sinagot ko na ito.’ Parang problemado siya noon sa love life,” says Aubrey.

And, as fate would have it, Aubrey found herself smitten with Errol. “Kasi kasali kami sa isang dance competition ng YFC noon. Every time may practice, tatabihan niya ako,” recalls Aubrey, adding that Errol even gave her updates on how his courtship with another girl developed. “Parang ako, nasasaktan na [sa mga kuwento niya]. Sa akin pa siya nagpapabili ng regalo. Ako pa yung bumili ng teddy bear para sa girl.”

Interestingly, Errol also felt something special for Aubrey, a feeling that went beyond friendship. “Napag-isip-isip ko na yung nakukuwentuhan ko [ng love life] (Aubrey), mas comfortable ako sa kanya. Kasi doon [sa nililigawan ko dati], tipong kailangan pogi ako, kailangan mabango, lahat aayusin ko… pero kapag nandiyan na, torpe na ako, hindi ko na alam ang gagawin. Kay Aubrey, sobrang comfortable, akong ako yung nakikita niya,” says Errol.

The couple first went out together around the middle of 2001. It was at the special movie premiere of Radyo (starring Ruffa Mae Quinto) at UP Diliman, as Aubrey managed to get a hold of two complimentary tickets. And, as if it’s a positive sign, both of them wore red (with no prior arrangements to wear so) and discovered that it is both their favorite color.

Afterwards, the couple had dinner at a Congo Grille restaurant somewhere in Quezon City. Aubrey couldn’t help but ponder at that time, “Wala naman akong boyfriend for the longest time then, so parang dinadasal ko, ‘Lord siguro pag nagka-boyfriend ako, bigyan mo naman ako ng sign. Siguro kapag may nagbigay sa akin ng red na bulaklak or red roses, siguro yun na.’” As she explains, “May mga nanliligaw din kasi sa akin noon pero ang mga binibigay nila ay pizza o kaya bulaklak naman pero puti naman.”

When they were eating, a flower vendor selling red roses approached them. “Sabi niya, ‘Sir, bilhan niyo naman si Ma'am ng bulaklak.’ Sabi ko, ‘Ay naku ‘te hindi kami [mag-boyfriend]. Hindi kami nag-de-date.’ Tapos yung mga waiter nang-aasar na. Sabi nila, ‘Sige na sir, bilhan niyo na si Ma’am ng bulaklak dahil kung hindi, kami na lang ang bibili para sa kanya.’ Eh di napilitan siya, so bumili siya,” says Aubrey.

Errol did not give the flowers to Aubrey immediately. Aubrey was waiting (and wishing) for him to do so during dinnertime, but to no avail. Then, just as they boarded Errol’s car to go home, Errol gave her the flowers in a rather comical way. “Noong pauwi na kami, sabi ni Errol, ‘Gusto mo? Sa ‘yo na lang. Ano gagawin ko diyan?’ Pero kinikilig na ako, kahit siyempre ine-expect ko na ibibigay na niya sa akin kaagad yung mga bulaklak habang kumakain kami,” shares Aubrey.

Errol explains that he truly liked Aubrey in a sense that he wanted to hang out with her and get to know her more. “Sa amin kasi para kasing naging magka-barkada muna kami,” adds Aubrey.
The transition from friends to lovers was a game of subtle moves, peppered by getting in touch through sending quotes via SMS and Aubrey answering questionnaires that Errol would send to all his friends via email. “Wala pa kasing Facebook noon. So para siyang survey, na sasagot ka ng a series of emails,” says Aubrey.

Eventually, Errol and Aubrey went out for another date. They watched Moulin Rouge at SM North EDSA. “Paglabas namin ng sinehan, doon na niya ako tinanong kung puwede ba niya ako alagaan,” discloses Aubrey. She agreed, and they officially became a couple on the night of August 17, 2001.
The two have been together for almost 12 years. They admit that their love story is not a bed of roses. Through the years, they witnessed each other mature through the occasional arguments and fights. On the bright side, they also traveled to a lot of places.

Errol says that being friends with each other is one of the best measures for them to stay together for a long time. They also maintained a good set of friends. “Kapag kasama mo kami, hindi kami mukhang mag-boyfriend eh, para talaga kaming magka-barkada,” says Aubrey.

By the time Aubrey was 25 years old, she felt that Errol was indeed “The One,” casually dropping hints about the prospect of engagement. While Errol is someone who is serious about relationships, it took years before he actually proposed.
There were numerous times when she expected Errol to pop the question. There was even a moment when Aubrey asked Errol to buy her a faux engagement ring in Bangkok, so that he will have an idea on what her finger size is and style preference. Time passed, and there was no engagement. Aubrey started to get cynical, to the point where she said to Errol, “’Sige na nga ‘wag ka na magpropose. Kung magpapakasal tayo, go.’ Tapos sinabi niya na, ‘Hindi, basta, maghintay ka lang.’ Pero hindi ko na rin inasahan na magpo-propose siya.”
Aubrey had no idea that Errol already had something up his sleeve. By 2010, he was already orchestrating a grand plan to propose to Aubrey, in a way she didn’t expect.
It was during a trip to Cebu and Bohol, where they accompanied their friends from New York who were vacationing. Errol felt that this presented a good opportunity for a proposal, that he actually bought a real engagement ring already a month before the trip itself.

“Siyempre noong time na ‘yun, go with the flow lang ako,” says Errol. “Humahanap lang ako ng tamang tiyempo kung kailan ako magpo-propose during the trip.”
Errol found the perfect place to propose when they went to the Bohol Beach Club for a day trip. “Naalala ko kasi na nagdate na kami doon dati, so sabi ko, doon na talaga yung [tamang lugar to propose,” shares Errol.
While they were having lunch, Errol excused himself to secretly make arrangements with the resort for a special dinner. His alibi then was that he was not feeling well.
They had other plans for dinnertime, but Errol took care of that when he told one friend that he will treat the group to dinner at the resort’s restaurant. “Sabi ko kasi surprise ko ‘yun kay Aubrey since monthsary namin kinabukasan,” relates Errol.
At the restaurant, the group saw some elaborately set up tables. “Sabi ko sa isa sa mga waiter, ‘Kuya, bakit may mga setup na ganito dito? Siguro may magpo-propose dito ‘no?’ Yung waiter sabi niya, ‘Hindi ko ho alam.’ Yung mga mesa dalawa, yung isa pang-dalawahan lang tapos yung isa pang-limahan. So sabi ko, ‘Oh kita niyo naman, sakto oh, pang-pito. Tara, pa-picture tayo kunwari dito tayo nag-dinner,’” says Aubrey.

Aubrey did not have an idea that the tables were actually meant for their group. “Na-curious lang talaga ako kasi wala naman talaga kaming balak gumastos ng malaki. Sabi ng friend ko, ‘Dito tayo magdi-dinner.’ Sabi ko, ‘Sino magbabayad nito?’”

While they were talking, Errol knelt down and presented the ring. Aubrey started crying. “Kasi noong time na ‘yun, tinago niya yung faux engagement ring a few days before we went to Panglao. Kunwari nawawala, at talagang nakisali pa si Errol sa paghahanap ng singsing. Sinabi pa niya na papalitan na lang daw niya yun. Sabi ko, ‘Dapat lang na palitan mo yun ng totoong engagement ring.’ So noong nagpropose siya sa Bohol Beach Club, akala ko pa nga ‘yun yung nawawala kong singsing. ‘Eto ata yung peke,’ pero noong tinignan ko, ‘ay makinang,’ so naiyak na talaga ako,” says Aubrey.

It was a joyous moment for Errol and Aubrey. “Overwhelmed talaga ako noon na nakalimutan ko na tatanungin mo pa pala ng ‘Will you marry me?’ ang isang babae pagka-luhod mo,” relates Errol.

“Siyempre pumayag na ako kaagad noong tinanong niya ako and talagang may mga tumutugtog pa ng gitara,” adds Aubrey. They got engaged on July 16, 2010.

The following year, Errol and Aubrey tied the knot on December 17, 2011. Their wedding theme was “angelic,” a playful reference to their monikers for each other: Angel.

These days, Aubrey still continues her job as a showbiz reporter and host for the GMA TV network’s news programs “24 Oras” and “Showbiz Exclusives.” Meanwhile, Errol now works for a private software company. Aubrey is now pregnant with their first child, and both are enthusiastic about what the future holds for them.