Top 10: Pinoy Romance Movies

Out of boredom, I thought of making a list of my Top 10 Pinoy Romance Movies. It’s a compilation of films shown in the 90s and early 2000s, so don’t expect anything that stars John Lloyd Cruz, Sarah Geronimo or Toni Gonzaga. :p

10. Radio Romance


If you’re a 90s kid, then you probably got sick of this film being played on TV over and over again. Radio Romance is based from the popular radio show where listeners call to seek advice for their love troubles.

This star-studded film is included in my list because it tackles about different love stories of people from all age groups. There’s the puppy love of Claudine Barretto and Rico Yan. Then there’s the Sharmaine Arnaiz-John-Estrada-Robin Da Roza love triangle. Sharmaine and John are both in college. Sharmaine used to be the martyr GF who did everything for love, and that includes doing her BF’s assignments. Gelli de Belen then plays a love guru DJ who ironically was loveless until Paolo Abrera came along. Why do I like this film? Crush ko dati si Paolo Abrera e! :p


9. Dahil Mahal na Mahal Kita

Rico: Mukha ba akong tanga?
Claudine: Hindi. Mukha kang chewing gum na masarap nguyain!


Who can forget the Claudine-Rico-Diether love triangle and Lailani Navarro who was an ANG TV sweetheart transformed into a b*tch in this film? Growing up, I really thought this to be a very shallow movie. But the more I watch this over time, the more I realize that it teaches the value of self-respect. You can’t just decide to change yourself just to make someone love you or fit into a certain mold of the society. You have to change for the better AND love yourself FOR YOURSELF. Also, the best part of the story is the hope that even the bad girls get a happy ending.


8. Kung Ako Na Lang Sana


When two superstars join forces in the big screen, it will surely be a hit. Support it with a very good story that everybody can relate to, it turns into a classic! Such was the case for this Sharon-Aga movie. More than the love story, I love how this film tackles the different degrees and dynamics of friendship. It speaks about how hard people look for love, only to find out that it’s just in front of them all along. Si Gabe "Ok ka ba tyan" Mercado, love team sila dito ni Christine Bersola-Babao. Teehee! :)


7. Ngayong Nandito Ka


Here's an irony. I don't like Kristine Hermosa. But I love most of her films. Ngayong Nandito Ka is my favorite Jerico-Kristine movie. Forevermore was also good but not as good as this one. Forevermore 'yung nasa hacienda sila na maraming puno ng mangga tapos lagi silang naka bike. :p

Anyway, I first watched Ngayong Nandito Ka in Cinema One out of boredom without realizing that it was already giving me a good cry. More than the love story and the difficulty of a woman to choose between two fine men, I like how this movie depicts a person’s self-discovery. And having a familial culture, I also like how the movie addressed the usual battle of all the sons and daughters who carry the burden of sacrificing a lot of things including their own happiness just to carry out their responsibilities in taking care of their families.


6. Labs Kita, Okay Ka Lang?

If you don’t know this movie, then I bet you’re at least familiar with this line. If not, get out of that cave!

Jolina: Yes kaibigan mo 'ko… kaibigan mo LANG ako! And that’s all I ever was to you Ned. You’re best friend… And I’m so stupid for making the biggest mistake of falling in love with my best friend!

Ilang beses kong na-imagine ang sarili ko na masabi sa tunay na buhay ang line na 'to. HAHAHAHA!!! 


Being one of the most popular love teams in the 90s, Marvin and Jolina did countless of movies together. But I’d like to believe that this is everybody’s favorite because almost every teenager fell or almost fell in love with their best friend. Until now, this is still a popular plot in movies and TV dramas. The story is the usual unrequited love of a girl to her best friend, then a beautiful girl comes in between them. Gustong-gusto kong kalbuhin si Vanessa Del Bianco dito!!!

Next to the Marvin-Jolina confrontation scene, my next favorite is the breakdown scene of Ronaldo Valdez. He got totally fed up by his wife's constant nagging that he's not doing enough to provide for their family. And he finally said na parang “Tinalukaran ko nga ang pangarap ko e, dahil mahal na mahal ko yang nanay ninyo!”


5. May Minamahal

Sobrang idol ng nanay ko ang Aga-Aiko love team. Nung nag-break sila, lungkut-lungkutan kami ni ermats! :p


Both came from an atypical family with Aiko growing up in a household full of boys and Aga taking care of his mother and sisters when his father passed away. A love story about choices, dealing with trivial differences and a family that gets in the way, this film actually made me cynical about love. And because of this film, I started praying at a very young age that I end up with loving in-laws. :p And again, Ronaldo Valdez who played Aiko’s dad is brilliant in this film!


4. Ngayon at Kailanman


What are the odds of something like this happening in real life? Probably zero. A fake marriage to preserve your rights to an inheritance is something that does not happen to normal people. But this fairytale-like plot was probably something that appealed to the moviegoers. More than being a Richard-Dawn fan, I like the Richard-Sharon tandem better. Heehee! And with Cherrie Gil as the antagonist is something to absolutely spice up the story.


3. Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw


We were used to seeing Robin Padilla with guns and goons. And though Regine had been seen in a few movies, she had been known more as the Asia’s Songbird. So who would have thought that two stars from different worlds would have such a very good chemistry? Though some may say that this was just a spin-off of Notting Hill, no one can deny that this is actually one of the best romantic-comedy movie of all time.


2. Got 2 Believe

Rico: Hindi ko alam, it just hit me! I didn’t even believe in forever. But I think I found forever in you.


Back in college, I watched almost all the Valentine (both the pre and post) movies being shown with my two best friends. I vividly remember watching this film with Erlie and Aubrey. We talked for months about Claudine’s out-of-this-world yet fabulous bridesmaid dresses. I actually think that Katherine Heigl’s 27 Dresses was based on this film. :p


1. Sana Maulit Muli


Kids, 12 years before ONE MORE CHANCE, there was this film called SANA MAULIT MULI.

The film may have lacked the comedic timing of a Janus del Prado, the conflict brought by a pretty Maja Salvador and lines as strong as “Sana ako na lang, ako na lang ulit”, but Sana Maulit Muli is still on the top of my list. I remember ALWAYS crying non-stop in the last 30 minutes of this film.

Lea was a clingy GF who became really dependent with Aga. With some twists of fate, Lea was transformed into a different woman while she was miles away from Aga. Growing up, I didn’t understand why Lea had to be the one to follow Aga in the end. But now, I know better. She went back when she had finally “found” herself. This is a very good movie about self-discovery and second chances. Very One More Chance lang dabah? :p

P.S. All photos are taken from the www.