Angelica Panganiban and Ellen Adarna. Image: YouTube/Karen Davila, Instagram/@renzpangilinan, @maria.elena.adarna
Angelica Panganiban opened up about her past romance with Derek Ramsay while lauding his estranged wife Ellen Adarna for being a strong woman and an admirable mom.

Panganiban spoke about this during an interview with broadcast journalist Karen Davila, as seen on the latter’s YouTube channel on Thursday, Dec. 11.

The topic about the actress’ “high profile” exes was brought up while the two were delving into Panganiban’s married life with Gregg Homan.

“Ang laki ng tinahimik nung buhay ko,” she said. “Noon kasi maingay, magulo, ang daming ganap at problema — parang laging may contest.”

(My life has become quieter. Before it was very loud, chaotic, so much was happening, and there were many problems — it felt like I was always in a contest.)

Panganiban even hinted at how her exes had succumbed to “temptations” in show business.

Davila then made mention of Panganiban’s exes Ramsay and John Lloyd Cruz, asking, “You never felt [like], ‘Ay ikakasal ako dito’ (I’m going to get married to this man)?”

“No,” Panganiban immediately replied.
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“With Derek, kahit na matagal kami, I didn’t see na pupunta talaga do’n, na parang may planong mag-settle. Siguro kasi every now and then, may problema,” she continued.

(With Derek, even when we were together for a long time, I didn’t see ourselves settling down. Maybe because we had problems every now and then.)

“With John Lloyd, I think clear sa relationship namin na ayaw niyang magpakasal. And ako din naman — hindi naman palaging masaya ‘yung relationship namin. ‘Pag nalulungkot ako, [naiisip ko], ‘Ano pa bang ginagawa ko dito? Hindi din naman ako pakakasalan, e ‘yun ‘yung gusto ko,” she added.

(With John Lloyd, I think it was clear during our relationship that he didn’t want to get married. As for me, there were times when I was sad and I thought, “What am I still doing here? He has no plans of marrying me, and I want to get married.”)

‘Intertwined’ past

Davila then pointed out how Panganiban’s past is somehow “intertwined” with that of Adarna, as the actresses both have Ramsay and Cruz as their exes.

Panganiban noted that while she does not know Adarna personally, she already met the latter once.

When asked for her reaction to Adarna’s recent separation from Ramsay, Panganiban said, “Parang nadismaya.” (I was somehow dismayed.)

“Hinanap ko ‘yung sadness pero parang hindi e. ‘Yung una hinanap ko pa ‘yung [pakialam] ko e,” she even quipped. “Nagulat lang ako na parang, ‘Ah, hindi pa kumalma.’”

(There was no feeling of sadness. I even wondered at first if I cared about such matters. I was just shocked, like, ‘Oh, there’s still no calmness.’)

Panganiban added that she thinks she and Adarna can be friends, and that they will have a lot of things to talk about.

“‘Wag niya lang i-screenshot or i-record,” the actress joked, referencing Adarna’s earlier “receipts” that included her conversations with Ramsay’s exes. “Hindi pa nga ako nai-invite do’n sa group chat e.”

(I just hope she will not take screenshots or record [our conversations]. I haven’t even been invited to the group chat yet.)

Panganiban then expressed her admiration toward Adarna for being a strong mom of two kids.

“I wish her well… Mukha siyang okay na mom (I think she’s a good mom),” she said.

“Baka iba pa ang nasabi ko kung hindi ako masaya ngayon. Sabihin ko talaga, ‘Ito naman, hindi pa natuto sa akin,’” she further joked. “Nakakabilib siya. Ang tapang niya. Nagawa niya ‘yung mga hindi ko kayang gawin noon… Ako natagalan e.”

(If I weren’t happy, I might have reacted and said, “You should have learned from my experience.” But I am amazed by her. She’s brave. She was able to do the things I didn’t before. It took me so long.)

Adarna, meanwhile, found Panganiban’s remarks hilarious as she showed herself cackling while watching the interview.

“Promise, masaya and nakakatawa ‘yung group chat,” Adarna wrote via her Instagram Stories. (The group chat is fun, I promise.)

Image: Instagram/@maria.elena.adarna

Image: Instagram/@maria.elena.adarna
Panganiban and Ramsay were in a relationship for six years before they broke up in 2012. Adarna and Ramsay, meanwhile, got married in 2021 and confirmed their separation last November. /ra