Korina Sanchez-Roxas

Award-winning broadcaster Korina Sanchez-Roxas revealed that her encounter with her husband, former Senator Mar Roxas II, was one of the most unforgettable interviews she has ever conducted, ultimately culminating in their wedding in 2009.

"I guess it's the interview with Mar Roxas because napangasawa ko sya. Ako talaga ang gumawa ng paraan para magkakilala kami. Crush ko siya pero itong si Angelo Castro ang promotor," said Korina, when asked about her memorable coverage as broadcaster all these years, during an interview days after she signed a co-production deal with ABS-CBN for the news and lifestyle show "Rated Korina."

(I guess it's the interview with Mar Roxas because I married him. I actually made the way for us to meet. I have a crush on him but it was my former boss Angelo Castro who really found a way.)

Korina recalled: "One time nakita ko sa isang spread about Mar Roxas. I don't know kung Manila Bulletin ba yun or Philippine Star describing his ideal woman. And his ideal woman, hmmm, parang ako yata ito. Sabi is strong-willed, has her own life, and can carry her own tune. Parang ako talaga ito.

(One time I saw it in a spread about Mar Roxas. I don't know if it's Manila Bulletin or Philippine Star describing his ideal woman. And his ideal woman, hmmm, I guess it's like me. His ideal woman is strong-willed, has her own life, and can carry her own tune. I guess this is me.)

"I interviewed him. Wala namang nangyari. May girlfriend siya noon and may boyfriend naman ako nun. So a year or two past, biglang si Angelo Castro nagsabi, hoy, Koring, meron kang i-interview-hin. Sabi ko sino? Si Mar Roxas. Sabi ko talaga ba? Saan? D'yan, pumunta ka sa Congress.

(I interviewed him. Nothing happened. He had a girlfriend then and I had a boyfriend. So a year or two ago, Angelo Castro suddenly said, hey, Koring, you have someone to interview. I said who? Mar Roxas. Really? Where? Go to the Congress.

"After that interview, ayan, nanligaw na. Noong naging ninong si Angelo sa kasal namin, saka pa lang niya sinabi sa akin na siya ang nag-engineer ng lahat ng yun. Nagkutsaba sila ni June Keithley na ipa-interview si Mar sa akin. Sila na yung nag-usap usap para magtuloy-tuloy na. Kasi dalagang Pilipina ako," she said.

(After that interview, that's it. Mar courted me. When Angelo became the godfather of our wedding, he just told me that he engineered everything. He and June Keithley planned it out so that I can interview Mar.)

Korina's encounter with Mar was truly sweet and life-changing. They got married on Oct. 27, 2009. They have two kids Pepe and Pilar. She expressed her disbelief at the fact that she would eventually get married.

"Wala kasi akong ideal man. Akala ko hindi na ako mag-aasawa eh. I never thought I would have to get married. Why? Because I'm self-sufficient emotionally at that time. I met Mar when I was in my 40s. I never asked him to get married, and I told him I'm never going to ask him to marry me. If you like, you can ask me. But I won't ask you. Because I don't need it," she said. "Wala talaga akong ideal man pero ang lumalabas sa pattern, gusto ko Pinoy-looking. At saka lahat sila may salamin ba't ganun? I'm not into mestizo."

(Because I don't have an ideal man. I thought I would never get married. I never thought I would have to get married. Why? Because I'm self-sufficient emotionally at that time. I met Mar when I was in my 40s. I never asked him to get married, and I told him I'm never going to ask him to marry me. If you like, you can ask me. But I won't ask you. Because I don't need it. I don't really have an ideal man. But what comes out of the pattern, I want Pinoy-looking. And they all have glasses? I'm not into mestizo.)

On prenup agreement, Korina smiled and said: "I wanted a prenup. And then my lawyer said, hindi mo ba naiintindihan ikaw yung poor at siya yung rich? Sabi ko ganun ba yun? Sabi niya oo ganun yun. Ang dami kong tinutulungang tao at lahat ng kinikita ko napupunta sa ibang tao. Ayokong papakialamanan niya yun. I'm used to my own ways. I have a lifestyle and I have lots animals. E kung pakialamanan niya yun dahil lahat conjugal? At saka ang dami ko naipon ayoko pakialamanan nya yun. May condo units na ako, may properties na ako. Ang dami na nyan huwag na sana niyang pakilamanan itong akin. Of course it never happened because that's what a prenup means and Mar wouldn't hear any of it. At that time in-love na in-love pa siya sa akin. Ngayon baka nagdadalawang isip na." Then Korina laughed.

(I wanted a prenup. And then my lawyer said, don't you understand that you are poor and he is rich? I said, is that so? He said yes it is. I help a lot of people and everything I earn goes to other people. I don't want him to find out about that. I'm used to my own ways. I have a lifestyle and I have lots of animals. What if he cares about that because everything is conjugal? And then the amount I have saved, I don't want him to care about that. I already have condo units, I already have properties. It's too much, he shouldn't touch it. Of course, it never happened because that's what a prenup means and Mar wouldn't hear any of it. At that time he was still in love with me. Now he might have second thoughts.)

To this day, Korina said that she doesn't know the worth of her husband Mar, the son of Judith Araneta and Gerardo Roxas. He is also the grandson of former Philippine President Manuel Roxas. But as of 2014, Mar has a declared net worth of P202 million. "I don't know how much he's worth. I never bothered to find out. Baka si Pepe and Pilar ang makaka-alam nun."

Working mom

Although Mar comes from a rich family, Korina also told him that she will be a working mom.

"We're having kids but I'm going to be a working mom, especially now that you're not in politics. Babalikan ko yung career ko. I want Pilar to work when she grows older, and I want Pepe to end up with a working woman," she told Mar.

At home, Korina said that she and Mar never talked about their work.

"He doesn't like it," said Korina when asked if her husband watches her shows. "Since Day 1, I never watched him with all of the things he has done in the Senate or Congress. Pagdating sa bahay, no talk of work at all. Noong una sabi ko ano ba akala mo sa akin hindi ko kayang pag-usapan ang affairs of state? That's my work. He just doesn't like. When he gets home he just wants to bench. And now I appreciate it. Because now, siya ang nangugulit sa akin. Sabi ko, ayoko na, pahinga na tayo. I'm the one out there eh."

(He doesn't like it. Since Day 1, I never watched him with all of the things he has done in the Senate or Congress. Coming home, no talk of work at all. At first, I said what do you think of me I can't talk about the affairs of the state. That's my work. He just doesn't like it. When he gets home he just wants to bench. And now I appreciate it. Because now, he's the one who annoys me. I said, I don't want it anymore, let's take a break. I'm the one out there.)

Bonding time

Korina and Mar love to relax in the comfort of their big bedroom.

"Our alone time is in the bedroom. Huwag kayong mag-isip ng kung anu-ano ha. Malaki ang bedroom namin. May dining doon, may sala doon. May veranda doon. May lutuan dun. So we dine in our bedroom alone. Ang non-negotiable kapag may bagong labas ang Netflix. Hindi siya puwedeng mauna at hindi ako puwedeng mauna. Kailangan sabay kaming manonood. But he loves the British (series/movies). He loves the details of British crime investigations, or recently 'A Very British Scandal.' We love that because of the dialogue," she said.

(Our alone time is in the bedroom. Don't think about anything. Our bedroom is big. There is a dining room there, a living room there. There is a veranda there. There is a kitchen there. So we dine in our bedroom alone. It's non-negotiable when Netflix has a new release. He can't be first and I can't be first. We have to watch it together. But he loves the British (series/movies). He loves the details of British crime investigations, or recently 'A Very British Scandal.' We love that because of the dialogue.)

"Otherwise ang dami na niyang masteral sa YouTube. May masteral na rin yan sa Eat Bulaga controversy. Alas dos ng umaga tulog na ako at gigisingin ako, honey what do you think of TVJ controversy? Look, eto ang sabi ni TVJ. Sabi ko ano bang problema nito.

(Otherwise, he already has a lot of masterals on YouTube. There is also a masteral on the 'Eat Bulaga' controversy. At 2 a.m., I am already asleep, and he will wake me up. Honey, what do you think of the TVJ controversy? Look, this is what TVJ said. I said what is the problem?)

"Siguro kasi nga ka-edad niya at nakalakihan niya. Wala Talaga akong alam kasi kaibigan ko silang lahat. Sabi ko I'm not really that interested. I'm interested in my shows and issues okay? Pero siya na-master nya yun.

(Maybe it's because he's the same age and he's grown up. I really don't know because they're all my friends. I said I'm not really that interested. I'm interested in my shows and issues okay? But he's mastered that.)

"At dahil semi-retired na nga siya, alam niya sino ang dine-date ni Dua Lipa. Hindi ko talaga kilala si Dua Lipa. Alam nya rin yung kay Liza Soberano and Ogie Diaz. Ano ba ito? Nakakatawa," she added.

(And since he is semi-retired, he knows who Dua Lipa is dating. I don't really know Dua Lipa. He also knows about Liza Soberano and Ogie Diaz. What is this? He's funny.)

'I trailblaze'

With almost 40 years in the broadcast industry, Korina said she never considered other programs or networks a competition.

"My principle from the very beginning, Day 1 on ABS-CBN, I don't look at any competition. I trailblaze. That's my thing. I just do the next thing. I just do the next new thing. Not even thinking, kayo ang sumunod sa akin. Walang ganun. Basta ganito lang ako mag-isip. Eto ang gagawin natin. Or eto ang susunod. I don't know what the other guys are doing. Hindi ko alam," Korina also said.

Korina also considers her interviews with Mexican stars Thalia and Eduardo Capetillo as memorable.

"It was their height and I was so aggressive. I was going to cover Erap in New York and I said, 'America na yun eh? Habulin ko kaya si Thalia and Fernando doon? So from New York, Thalia was in New York, and I set up everything. Sabi ko a team ko rito, tawagan ninyo ang management ni Thalia and Fernando, pupuntahan ko sila. And they were open. So I interviewed Thalia. Ako pa set designer noon. Tapestry and flowers and everything. And then Fernando was in Miami. I had to fly to Miami.

"Sabi ko wala na tayong pera. saan tayo kukuha ng pera rito. Nagpadala ang TFC San Francisco. So nakalipad kami. That was a coup. Pagdating ko rito may gusot pa na something like this like that. Pero it was one of the highest rated of all (interviews) in history.

"Si Miriam Defensor-Santiago nga, hindi ko siya inantay umuwi. Na-intercept ko na siya sa New York overnight lang. Nag-overnight ako sa New York para maiuwi ko lang yung first interview niya. Ganun ako ka-aggressive dati. So I guess that represents that kind of interview, right?" she added.

Another kind would be her interview with a yaya who received an artificial leg from her.

"Nagpa-plantsa. Sumulat at gustong umuwi ng probinsya pero wala siyang pera. Pinadala niya ang video at picture niya. Maikli yung isa niyang paa or parang wala siyang isang paa. So binigyan ng pamasahe dahil matagal na rin niyang hindi nakikita yung pamilya niya.

"Sabi ko bakit yan lang gagawin nating tulong? Kumuha nga tayo ng ex-deal ng artificial leg. Kaya nagkaroon ako noon ng kampanya from tsinelas, naging paa. Sinukatan siya at binigyan siya ng leg, okay na. Nakakalakad na. I never saw her again. Dito na ako sa susunod kong tutulungan. Basta nakatulong ako okay na.

"Maybe a year or two later, sumulat siya. Nakapangasawa na siya at sa Amerika na siya nakatira. Nakapangasawa na siya ng Amerikano na fellow mountaineer. Oh my God! Ang gandang kuwento. She became a mountaineer leader. Naakyat niya ang (Mount) Pulag with her artificial leg. Pinadalhan pa niya ako picture na may hawak siyang bandera ng Pilipinas sa ibabaw ng bundok.

"One day nagkaroon kami ng reunion with her and her husband. Nagpasalamat lang naman siya. Balik tsinelas kami ngayon eh.Parang I want to resurrect that advocacy. Isa yun sa aking favorite interview," Korina added.