Finding and having genuine and long-lasting friendships in show business is believed by many to be impossible. However, there are celebrities who have proven this notion wrong, as they’re able to form strong cordial bonds with one another.
Among them are Melai Cantiveros and Kaye Abad, whose enduring and admirable friendship we were able to get a glimpse of through their interactions during the latter’s recent guesting on “Kuan On One.”
Before Kuantie Melai could even throw her initial question to her, it was Kaye who interrogated her first. She brought up one of Melai’s past interviews, wherein she confessed that she actually used to have a huge crush on Kaye’s husband, Paul Jake Castillo, who was her runner-up in the “Pinoy Big Brother Double Up” season.
This prompted Kuantie Melai to jokingly ask for her forgiveness and go on to enthusiastically explain in Bisaya, “Sino ba naman ang hindi magkakagusto sa asawa mo, Ate Kaye? Pagpasok ko pa lang ng ‘PBB,’ target ko talaga ay si Paul Jake. Ang gwapo niya, parang Korean!”
Aside from his stupefying handsomeness and athletic build, Kuantie Melai added that she was further attracted to him upon learning that he’s a scion of the family who owns one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the country. Thus, in hopes of not just catching his attention but also capturing his heart, the host ‘fessed up about washing his briefs while they were still inside Bahay ni Kuya. But in the end, it is their co-housemate and her now husband, Jason Francisco, who’s truly meant for her.
Even though she was busy with work back then, Kaye disclosed that she actually used to watch “PBB” during their season and was rooting for either her or Jason to become the Big Winner. While Melai undeniably deserves to become the Big Winner, Kaye recalled how ‘upset’ she was when it was Jason who was announced as the 3rd Big Placer and Paul Jake was the runner-up.
Well, she told Kuantie Melai that it was mainly because she presumed that Paul Jake no longer needed the cash prize since he’s already wealthy, which offended him, according to Kaye, as she relayed that story to him a few years later.
Aside from liking Paul Jake back then, the host also confessed about feeling ‘jealous’ of Kaye and Jason’s closeness, particularly during that time when they broke up, yet she knew that they were just friends.
But prior to becoming friends, Melai and Kaye’s initial encounter in person happened the day after the Big Night of “PBB Double Up” in one of the dressing rooms of “ASAP.” Since she’s a low-key fan of “MelaSon,” as her team-up with Jason has been fondly called, Kaye and her actress-friend Nikki Valdez swung by Dressing Room 1, wherein the couple stayed along with the ex-housemates, to have a photo with them. She didn’t take a picture with Paul Jake, completely oblivious that he would become her eventual husband.
Since they have become each other’s closest friends in and out of the industry, Melai and Jason were among those people who got to witness how Kaye and Paul Jake’s romance bloomed from being barkada to lovers. In fact, Melai and Jason were among those who teased Kaye and Paul Jake to bring their relationship to the next level since they get along really well.
However, Kaye then was not keen on the idea since she couldn’t imagine herself dating a friend until she had to swallow everything she said, as she eventually found herself falling for him, and they ended up getting married in 2016 and becoming parents to their two adorable sons, Pio Joaquin and Iñigo Leon.
Aside from being one of the witnesses to the unfolding of their relationship, Kaye divulged that it was Kuantie Melai who helped her deliver her firstborn easily. Kuantie may not have been by her side when she gave birth, yet it was she who advised her to rub snake oil onto her belly, which she believed to be effective since she had a normal and swift delivery. And she was thankful for it since she didn’t have to suffer from long hours of labor and pay an additional amount in their hospital bills.
In the “Ultimate Yawyaw” segment, the gregarious host had nothing but kind words about her “Bisdak-at-Heart" guest, commending her for being “simple yet very incredible.”
“Kilala ko si Ate Kaye bilang very simple na tao. [Kumbaga], what you see is what you get. Hindi ka mahihiyang lapitan siya because very welcoming siya. Kahit gaano siya kalaking artista, hindi ka mahihiya at hindi ka matatakot sa kanya dahil very simple lang talaga siya. Very incredible din siya sa pag-handle sa kanyang family, sa money, and sa mga desisyon in life,” she conveyed, which Kaye apparently appreciated.
As she capped off the episode by handing the “Kuan On One” shirt to her lovely guest, Melai revealed that she’s actually the godmother, or ninang, of Kaye’s firstborn, Joaquin.
Watch out for the all-new guests of “Kuan On One”, which may be popular Visayan artists, influencers, content creators, and beauty queens, when a new episode drops every Tuesday on ABS-CBN Entertainment YouTube and iWant.