t's definite that wedding bells will ring for Claudine Barretto and Raymart Santiago on January 5, 2006. Last April, they hosted a unique wedding entourage party at the classy Gazebo Royale along Visayas Avenue in Quezon City. The parents of Claudine officially met Raymart's mom, former actress Cielito Legaspi and widow of the late Director Pablo Santiago .

HAPPIEST MOMENTS

AT the presscon of her new movie, Nasaan Ka Man (formerly Lihim ) which is due to be shown on June 1 nationwide, Claudine told us it was one of the happiest moments in her life. It is common knowledge that she had quite tumultuous relationships with other actor boyfriends before, notably Mark Anthony Fernandez and Rico Yan , but with Raymart, she felt it is really time to settle down.

“After all, I'm also not getting any younger dahil 26 na ako,” she says. “Also, Raymart is so mature and responsible I am sure he will be a good family man. I've never been more at peace in my life than into its right place.”

Claudine says she has spent more than one half of her life in showbusiness and it's time for her to start her own family.

“I was only 13 when Tito Douglas Quijano saw me in a party and asked me if I want to join the movies,” she narrates. “By that time, my sisters ( Gretchen and Marjorie ), were both in the movies already and I really wanted to follow their footsteps, so I said yes right away to Tito Dougs.

“I signed up a contract with Seiko Films and also with ABS-CBN where I had my first regular show, Ang TV . Then I was cast in two new sitcoms, Home Along Da Riles with Tito Dolphy and Oki Doki Doc with Aga Muhlach . Later on, I moved to Star Cinema and was paired with Mark in Mangarap Ka and Pare Ko . This is where I got the chance to work with out big time actresses, like Sharon Cuneta in Madrasta , Maricel Soriano in Soltera , and Vilma Santos in Anak . Later on, I was paired with other actors like Rico and Diether Ocampo in Dahil Mahal na Mahal Kita , Rico in Got 2 Believe , Aga in Kailangan Kita , and Piolo Pascual in Milan .

“At ABS, I did several soap operas: Mula Sa Puso , which was made into a movie; Saan Ka Man Naroroon where I played triple roles; Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan , partly a period drama; and the fantaserye, Marina . Now, may bago na naman akong soap, Ikaw ang Lahat Sa Akin , with Diether, Angelika dela Cruz , Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz . I can say that, through the years, my career has really been good to me and I've learned so much from the experience of doing all these movies and TV shows,” she reveals.

TO ALL THE MEN SHE LOVED BEFORE

WHAT are the most lasting memories that will remain in her heart during her stay in showbiz?

“I guess both the good ones and the not so good ones,” she answers. “I feel good that I was given the chance to work with many wonderful actors and directors. I remember feeling ecstatic each time I'm told my movie is doing fantastic at the box office, like my first movie with Aga, or when I'm told my TV show is rating very high, like Marina.

“But one memory that will always linger is the untimely death of Rico,” she continues. “It was really shocking as he was so young. It took quite some time before I was able to recover since mahaba rin ang panahon na pinagsamahan namin and may nanira pa sa akin after he passed away kaya nagkaroon kami ng gap for a while ng family niya. We officially went steady in March, 1998 and it lasted for four years. We've actually known each other for an even longer period of time because we were first paired as love team when were still teenagers in Flames: The Movie and Radio Romance . But we only got to know each other better when were paired in the soap opera, Mula Sa Puso, and in another movie, Dahil Mahal na Mahal Kita .”

How would she compare her romance with Raymart to that of Mark and Rico?

“I don't think it would be fair to compare,” she says. “Kami ni Mark, we were both so young then. Pareho kaming impulsive teenagers kaya magulo talaga. Mas table kami ni Rico, that's why we lasted for four years. Even after we broke up, we were still talking to each other. We even promoted Got 2 Believe together and I didn't know that it would be our last team up. Like I said, Raymart has the makings of a good family man and I can feel that we're the ones really meant for each other.”

How did she feel when some detractors circulated hate mail against her after Rico passed away and Rico's family was cold to her?

“'Yung mga nanira sa akin noon, I guess their minds were poisoned by some people so I couldn't blame them. Talagang ipinagdasal ko na lang sila. They were accusing me of already going steady with Raymart then, which is not true at all. But that's water under the bridge now and we've all since moved on. I'm sure Rico is also at peace now.”

WEDDING OF THE YEAR

ABOUT her forthcoming wedding to Raymart, is it true they'll spend some P25 million?

“Sobra naman ‘yon,” it's Raymart who answers. “Tsismis lang ‘yon. Actually, we'll spend mga P24.5 million lang!” he says laughing.

The wedding will be held in Subic. They also considered Tagaytay and Baguio but settled in Subic as it is a special place for them. The affair will be covered exclusively by ABS-CBN. Raymart is from GMA-7 but it's apparent it's Claudine who makes the decisions in the family and she has decided to give the rights to her home TV station.

Before she bids single blessedness goodbye, Claudine will be seen in two new films: Nasaan Ka Man with Diether Ocampo and Jericho Rosales and Dubai which she's now filming with Aga Muhlach and John Lloyd Cruz. “At least, makarami man lang ako before I become a housewife,” she adds.

She's so excited with Nasaan Ka Man.

“I've long wanted to do a mystery-thriller like this, para maiba naman sa usual love stories that I do,” admits Claudine.

“Gandang-ganda ako sa role ko after I read the script. I play a woman caught in a different kind of triangle, but I was intimidated as I'm afraid I might not live up to the expectations of our director, Cholo Laurel , who's a veteran director for TV commercials. But as the shooting went on, he reassured me that I can do it and, with his help and patience in guiding me line for line in each scene, I'm confident hindi naman ako mapapahiya. I'd really like to work with him again as he's a wonderful person.”

They filmed Dubai (tentative title) on location in U.A.E. for three weeks.

“It turned out summer pala sa kanila and it was so hot the whole time we were there. Mainit pa rito sa Pilipinas. It was so uncomfortable to shoot in the sun but we had to rush the movie so trabaho pa rin kami,” she says.

It was while she was working there that she confirmed how much she loved Raymart.

“Kasi I really missed him so much,” she reveals. “We've been there for less than a week but I was already so homesick I wanted to come home as soon as possible. It's not only Raymart naman that I missed but also our adopted daughter, Sabina. That's when I realized it's really fulfilling to have your own family at sa kanila na umiikot ang mundo ko ngayon.”

During their wedding entourage party at Gazebo Royale, many people noticed that most of her other relatives participating in the ceremony were there, but one thing stands out: Gretchen Barretto was not.

This can only mean that even if the Barretto sisters say they have kissed and made up, it's obvious that they haven't really buried the hatchet after their much talked about family feud last year. Otherwise, Gretchen, who's the eldest among the Barretto sisters, would play a major role in Claudine's wedding.

“She's invited naman,” says Claudine. “Whatever happens, we're still sisters, we're still family. If she wasn't able to come sa wedding entourage party, she is most welcome to attend the wedding in January and I really hope she will be there. After all, January is the start of a new year, and it's nice that I'm starting my married life in January. Whatever happened in the past, dapat nang kalimutan and we should all start on a clean slate.” (Articles lifted from S Magazine) - -