Cristine Reyes on why she considers fiancé Gio Tingson her 'endgame'
When it comes to love, Cristine Reyes believes she’s finally met the one she’s meant to keep: fiancé Gio Tingson.
In her guest appearance on Boy Abunda's talk show, the actress had a chance to open up about her romance with Tingson, who she recently got engaged to.
In her Instagram post, she flexed what appeared to be an engagement ring on her ring finger and wrote in the caption, "Every timeline led here. Endgame unlocked."
When asked what she meant by this, Reyes said, "Parang symbolic siya for me and Gio dahil lahat ng stages ng buhay namin, nagtatagpo kami. Tapos until the very end, kami pa rin pala hanggang sa huli. So 'yun talaga yung ibig sabihin nun."
She recalled that her first encounter with Tingson took place at the Ateneo de Manila Grade School fair.
"I was a sixth grader, Gio was in seventh grade. And then I got pulled sa marriage booth, but hindi siya 'yung partner [ko]. Siya 'yung pari sa marriage booth," she recalled.
"After nung kasal-kasalan, umalis ako agad kasi nahihiya ako eh, kasi 'yun 'yung first encounter ko with boys," she added.
What Reyes didn't know, however, is that her soon-to-be-husband would come looking for her and ask for her number.
"Ang binigay kong number is my number, but I didn't give my name. Parang ang binigay kong name sa kanya was Agent Orange because I was wearing an orange shirt that time," she shared.
Since then, she and Tingson would always stay connected thanks to their friends, and that they also talk on the telephone for hours. She also admitted that she sensed a mutual attraction between them.
"May mutual, silent attraction kami. Everybody knows it naman, my friends and friends niya, alam din naman na may parang tension sa aming dalawa. Pero we don't really engage kasi may individual life kami noon. May sarili siyang partner noon. Ako din, nagkakaroon," she said.
When the timing finally aligned and they both found themselves single, Reyes said that Tingson had asked her if they could meet and catch up.
"We were always seeing each other right after campaigns. He was with a different party, I was with a different party. Tapos, it's funny kasi parang magkaibang parties, pero we would meet after," she said.
Eventually, the two of them entered into a serious relationship a few months after the 2025 elections.
"Finally, after 26 years, tinanong niya na ako. Nasa bahay lang. Parang hindi rin kasi ako sanay at siya na masyadong grand or public. Mas gusto namin na intimate lang, walang other factors na pwedeng maka-distract," Reyes said.
How the proposal went
Much like how he asked her to be his girlfriend, Tingson also kept the proposal simple and heartfelt, choosing to pop the question in their home.
"Wala po akong malay talaga. One Sunday morning, pupunta po kami ng Church. Tapos, umakyat si Gio sa condo ko, kasi we live in the same building. Nasa baba siya, nasa taas ako. Parang na may dala-dala siyang paper bag na maliit, tapos parang nakakutob agad ako," Reyes recounted.
She quickly called her daughter Amara, with whom she had with her former partner Ali Khatibi, and told her to record the moment.
"Umupo na ako. Seryoso lang si Gio, tapos bigla siyang lumuhod. He popped the question. 'Di pa ako agad nakasagot. Parang overwhelming 'yung feeling na finally, bumuhos agad 'yung emosyon. Iyak agad, nagyakapan kami. 'Di pa ako nakasalita ng yes, pero, syempre, based on my reaction, it's yes," she said.
Tingson previously served as the chairperson of the National Youth Commission from 2014 to 2016. He later held the position of chief political officer of Sen. Bam Aquino from 2016 to 2018, on top of handling the Akbayan Citizens' Action Party in 2018 to 2022.
Reyes was previously married to Khatibi, having tied the knot in a private ceremony in January 2016 before separating in 2019. In 2023, she dated fellow actor Marco Gumabao until they separated in early 2024.
