Nine years after tweeting on how she’s crushing on then-actor and now Quezon City 1st district Rep. Juan Carlos “Arjo” Atayde, actress and TV host Maine Mendoza announced her engagement with the solon on her various social media channels.
Mendoza and the neophyte lawmaker have only been together for more than three years, but the former seemed to have manifested her crush nine years ago into reality.
They sent Twitter and Instagram on a frenzy after they each posted about the engagement on their accounts.
The actress and TV host posted: “Wait, whaaaat??? We’re engaged?!” with photos of them with their jaws on the floor. In full view is her engagement ring.
Atayde, who ran and won the congressional seat against former Quezon City 1st district Rep. Peter Anthony “Onyx” Crisologo in the May 2022 polls, posted his own version of the announcement.
“My turn, I will marry you cutie. (heart emoji) 07.28.22,” he wrote, referencing a tweet by Mendoza nine years ago on July 28, 2013, wherein she wrote, “Arjo cutie (crying emoji).”
READ: Cong Arjo can now call Maine his fiancée
The posts received congratulatory messages from fans, fellow celebrities, and influencers, but it is their relatives’ posts that gave more meaning to the engagement.
Veteran actress Sylvia Sanchez, Atayde’s mother, posted a series of photos on Instagram.
“He asked Her and She said, YES!!! Finally!! Welcome to the family, Maine (heart emoji) Thank you for loving my son. Love you Nak (kisses emoji) I promise that I will take care and love you as my own Daughter (heart emoji),” she wrote.
Actress Ria Atayde, the lawmaker’s sister, also welcomed Mendoza to the family as she posted both on her Instagram feed and stories about the proposal.
“You've always been Mister Grand Gestures @arjoatayde. But I think among all you've done, this has got to be my most favorite. And I think among all the many changes we welcomed in our lives this year, this has got to be the best. So excited to officially welcome you into the family @mainedcm stay happy and in love! Congratulations to the two of you,” she said, as she shared photos of the proposal that culminated with a fireworks display.
Mendoza’s family also welcomed the engagement, with her older sibling thanking that she is marrying “a good (and very patient) man".