MANILA, Philippines -- The wedding vows of the characters of John Lloyd Cruz and Sarah Geronimo in their latest film together were written by both Kapamilya stars themselves, according to the writer behind the box-office hit.
"It Takes a Man and a Woman" writer Carmi Raymundo said Cruz and Geronimo were nervous about the idea of putting down in words the vows of their characters Miggy and Laida.
"Direk Cathy (Garcia-Molina) and I told Sarah and Lloydie that we want them to write Miggy and Laida’s wedding vows. Gusto ko din kasi marinig from them kung ano sa tingin nila yung learnings ng characters nila,” said Raymundo, who was also the headwriter of the first two installments of the romantic-comedy series, "A Very Special Love" (2008) and "You Changed My Life" (2009).
She added: "Both were nervous kung kaya ba nila magsulat but they were very excited. When they showed me what they wrote, I knew right away that they wrote from the hearts of their characters. They were so sincere, ang ganda!"
In "It Takes a Man and a Woman," which is still showing in theaters nationwide, Miggy and Laida are seen struggling to co-exist in the same company after breaking up over a character portrayed by actress Isabelle Daza.
Now with more experience and a "fiercer" attitude after spending years in the United States, the returning Laida even challenges Miggy, her former employer, in his business decisions.
John Lloyd Cruz and Sarah Geronimo as their characters Miggy and Laida. Photo courtesy of the Instagram page of Star Cinema's Mico del Rosario
Although the set-up later proves challenging for the former couple to withstand, Laida learns to forgive Miggy, paving the way for a rekindled relationship that leads them down the aisle.
"Their vows made the ending of Laida and Miggy’s love story a thousand times more special because they spoke their own words. As a writer, 'yun na ang gift ko sa kanila: to let them speak their own words. In the end, parang naging buhay na talaga sila Miggy at Laida," Raymundo said.
Admittedly, Cruz said he found the task challenging. "Medyo mahirap din siya, because you write from the heart, e. When I was writing the vow, angtagal, parang ilang days," he said.
"The whole thought, the intention of words, I'm proud to say na kami ni Sarah 'yung gumawa," the actor said in an interview aired on "Showbiz Inside Report" aired Saturday.
With over P345 million in total earnings as of Wednesday, "It Takes a Man and a Woman" is now the second highest-grossing local film of all time, after the 2012 comedy film "Sisterakas."
