He says, "I really love her but then marami palang priorities na dapat unahin."
She says, "Alam ko naman na marami pa akong dapat malaman tungkol sa kanya, so ayaw ko pang i-commit ang sarili ko." She adds, "Ngayon, gusto lang namin ma-enjoy ang loveteam, na lagi kaming magkasama. Ayaw naman naming mag-take advantage na porke close kami, kailangan ko na siyang sagutin at maging kami na talaga."
Still, rumors are persistent that the two are really an item, denying the fact for some reason only they know about.
Adding to a fan's confusion is that falling-out Marvin was supposed to have had with Jolina's parents, who they say did not deem him fit boyfriend material for their precious daughter. We ask Marvin about it, but the boy's take on the hullaballoo is not much help. "Merong good and bad times kami with the parents kasi close naman ako sa parents niya," he says, promisingly enough. Then he deteriorates into barely comprehensible ramble: "So hindi ko matandaan exactly kung ano 'yung nangyari noon kasi ang tagal-tagal na. Hindi gan'un kalala ang situation at ayoko nang palalain kaya wala talaga."
Okay, but what about the buzz that there is professional competition going on, if not directly between the two actors, then at least between their respective camps? Surely real-life lovers would not let a trifle such as who had the most number of closeups get in the way of their romancing. Jolina's camp is said to be complaining about the numerous reshoots done to make the project look like Marvin's movie.
Director Jerry Sineneng objects vehemently. He says, "Hindi totoong pinalalakihan namin ang scenes ni Marvin. Most of the shots in Manila were done dahil binagyo kami sa shooting namin sa Baguio, so I had to do some reshoots. It's true that I added some two to three scenes to bridge the gap, but I asked permission from Malou Santos (Star Cinema's managing director)."
Jolina herself seems unbothered by the issue, as she says, "Kung papanoorin n'yo 'yung movie, makikita n'yo 'yung mga twists. We cannot say na it's only Marvin's movie. Movie naming dalawa 'yon."
Marvin gets his tongue back on the right way and manages to say, "We're both under contract with Star Cinema kaya hindi puwedeng maiwan ang isa. Itong movie na 'to, loveteam movie namin kaya dapat kaming dalawa ang nasa sentro. Kung movie ko ito, siguro dapat ako. Kung movie ni Jolina, siguro dapat siya. Pero loveteam movie 'to kaya walang pababayaan ang Star Cinema."
Still, the rumors of professional rivalry must not come from nowhere. Jolina unknowingly confirms that at least some of it is true when she says, "Medyo sumama ang loob ko noon kasi lumalabas sa mga mga write-ups na si Marvin ang underdog at ang nanay ko ang kontrabida. Unfair naman 'yon, 'di ba? Walang dapat na mas mataas o mas mababa, dapat sabay kaming paakyat dahil team kami dito."
Talk is persistent--coming right from Jolina's camp, it's said--that Marvin's powerful connections at Star Cinema is paving the way for the actor's solo crack at stardom, and that Jolina is slowly being dropped from the team.
The two choose to play sweet lovebirds about it initially. In case Marvin gets to star in a solo movie first, Jolina says she'd be the first one to be proud of her buddy. "Proud naman ako doon dahil siyempre, mapu-prove naman ni Marvin that he can stand alone," she says. "It's okay with me kung 'yun ba talaga ang belief nila. Magaling naman talaga si Marvin" The subject of adulation returns the favor with, "Kung pagbibigyan ako, no doubt, mas mauuna pa siya." By this he means that he feels that if Star Cinema is giving him a solo picture, Jolina also deserves the same break.
But when pressed about the issue of her being erased from the loveteam like some inconsequential starlet, Jolina says, "Bakit nila sasabihin 'yon e kami (her and her parents) ang namili na susuportahan namin si Marvin from the very start. Maraming nagsasabing, 'Sigurado na ba kayo na kay Marvin na kayo makikipag-loveteam?' Maraming nagpu-put down ng loveteam namin dati pero sabi namin, 'No, we'll stick with Marvin.' Mas may rapport kami ni Marvin kaya pinili namin siya."
Do we detect a touch of vexation when she adds, "I believe naman na hindi naman magmamalaki sa akin si Marvin kasi alam naman niya ang status niya, 'di ba. May tiwala naman ako doon sa tao, in fairness"?
Marvin remains diplomatically correct: "Siguro lahat sa atin ay may tumulong para makarating kung saan tayo nandoon. So ako siguro, maraming tao, kasama na siguro si Jolina, na talagang tumulong sa akin sa showbiz. Ang laki-laki ng utang na loob ko sa kanila at saka nagtulungan kami as partners."
Though he seems to have the stronger showbiz connection, many believe she has the bigger talent. Marvin the magnanimous says, "Hindi naman pumapasok sa mga utak namin 'yan. Well, siguro everybody knows naman na mas nauna siya sa akin. Kung sa acting lang, talagang ang galing-galing ni Jolina. Mas talented siya. Hindi pumasok sa utak namin na mag-compare kami sa isa't isa. We believe in each other's talents."
So does that mean Jolina is the bigger star? Again Marvin flubs his lines. "Hindi naman, oo naman pero hindi, oo, talagang totoo naman 'yon," he says. He gets it together enough to finally laugh and say, "Totoo naman 'yon." Then, "Hindi kasi talagang issue 'yon. Kasi kung magkasama kayo, kung 'yan ang iisipin n'yo--big star, big star--walang mangyayari sa inyo. Masisira ang relationship n'yo."
All this talk of the loveteam dissolving when it hasn't even completely taken off yet! It will when and if fans come to moviehouses on Aug. 26, when Labs Kita... Okey Ka Lang? opens in Metro Manila. Jolina and Marvin are optimistic that people will watch the movie, with Marvin saying he hopes the team will last as long as five years.
"Sana kinakagat pa rin kami ng tao, binibigyan pa rin kami ng project, kumikita ang pelikula naming dalawa. Sana huwag masira 'yung personal relationship namin. Kung maghiwalay man kami professionally, sana 'yung personal nandoon pa rin. Sa sarili ko, 'yon na siguro ang growing stage. Doon ko na siguro kailangang patunayan na kaya kong mag-solo."
Jolina, proving she's the spunkier, more honest one, says, "I'm just hoping na sana magtagal kami ng ilang years pa, but I'm realistic--hindi lahat nagtatagal."