Bianca Umali is now a member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo sect.
But she made clear she didn't do so for boyfriend Ruru Madrid.
She told Nelson Canlas, “Yung pagiging Iglesia ko, yung pag-convert ko is something that is very personal to me. It is a personal choice and not a choice (that) I made just because in love ako sa isang tao.”
According to Bianca, her conversion was hinged on her feeling alone for so many years.
She wanted something that she would not lose.
“And I knew that it wasn't something that was materialistic,” she maintained, revealing she made the decision on her 20th birthday.
“I knew that God has always been in my life. He has always guided me. He has always been with me — holding my hand. Hindi Niya ako pinabayaan, even though I wasn't this close to Him and alam kong marami rin akong pagkakamali noon sa Kaniya. And when I discovered my faith, that is where Ruru comes in…"
Bianca noted that Ruru was instrumental in her conversion.
"Para maipakilala sa akin yung religion at maipakita sa akin yung daan kung saan tinawag ako para mapalapit ako sa Diyos,” was how she put it.
Ruru made public Bianca's conversion last year.
He saw it as a “big step” forward in their relationship.