Starry Eyes. True Hearts. Can’t Lose
The following article appears in the first issue of PBA Life Magazine, the official magazine of the PBA.
For more PBA inside scoop and lifestyle stories on your favorite basketball stars, check out PBA Life
in leading newsstands.
JC and Bianca Intal are each other’s biggest fans and cheerleaders.
Bianca
Theirs isn’t the typical boy-meets girl story.
Nor is this a college-sweethearts fairy tale. More so a jock-gets-the-pretty-cheerleader yarn.
“I was never an Ateneo cheerleader,” mildly protests Bianca Intal nee Gonzalez; she of a thousand magazine covers, modeling and hosting gigs as well as having millions of social media followers (12.4 million and counting).
“However,” she coos with those expressive lips and beautiful doe eyes, “I love the symbolism of the athlete and the cheerleader. It says something about us.”
The two went to the Ateneo de Manila University although Bianca was ahead by two years. “I saw her a couple of times and I immediately developed a crush on her,” admits JC who after class stayed mostly at the dorm or at the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center, the practice facility of the Blue Eagles.
Photo By Jilson Seckler Tiu
It wasn’t until several years later while watching a UAAP match featuring the Blue Eagles (although separately) did JC finally muster the courage first to ask for her phone number then if he could call her.
“I liked watching college ball but not too much of the PBA,” confesses Bianca. “But now every chance I get, I watch JC’s team play.”
Almost from the very beginning of JC’s PBA career in 2007 with the now defunct Air21 Express, he was stricken with a variety of injuries including a non-basketball ailment called Cholinergic Urticaria that prevented him from sweating even if he engaged in strenuous activities.
“We weren’t together yet when JC had the sweating problem,” says Bianca. “I wasn’t there too when he broke his nose. When I met JC he had ankle and knee problems. As bad as it sounds, the time he courted me, he had an air cast on his leg that is actually why we got to spend so much time together. He could visit me at night and stay up later since he didn’t have to practice. It worked to my advantage because he had more time for me.”
“However, JC’s not the type to beat himself up of over injuries,” she adds. “It’s not that he takes it lightly. On the contrary, he takes it seriously. It doesn’t take much to get him motivated. It’s never difficult for me to cheer him up. A few words lang. Sometimes, it’s a quote that I pass on to him. I try as much as I can to motivate him and cheer him up.”
JC
JC is six-foot-four while Bianca stands at 5’6”. In spite of her size, JC is amazed at where his wife gets her energy to go through a killer sked.
“She’s a workaholic,” marvels the high-leaping Barako Bull forward. “I think she has more energy than me. How she finds the time and strength to go through a shoot, a taping, a hosting gig, and then write articles in a day, wow. She’s amazing.”
“Before we got married, whenever Bianca was on TV lalo na yung time when she had that late night talk show with Boy Abunda—inaabangan ko yun (I waited for it)—if I couldn’t be there physically, I would watch from home,” shares the 6’4” Intal. “I’d also text her how pretty she is and how in love I am with her.”
Photo By Jilson Seckler Tiu
Even now that they are married, JC still finds himself buying magazines with his wife on the cover or featured in an article inside. “I’m a fan,” he gleefully admitted.
“When she isn’t in the stands watching, I look for her. I understand naman. She has all these things to do. We understand each other’s need for space in our work. Alam namin kung saan kami lulugar. Of course, I wish she is there all the time because when she’s there, lalo ako ginaganahan maglaro.” Theirs is a world disparate yet so close. Both husband and wife find themselves performing in a front of a cam- era almost every day of their lives. They are also viewed by millions of people as if they’re on a petri dish. “I think it’s the price to pay for what we do,” notes JC. “But it’s also good because it reminds us that we have a responsibility not only to the fans but to everyone.”
JC & Bianca
“Family,” mulls JC while scratching his chin where he’s grown a bit of stubble. “Ever since we got married (in December 2014), gusto ko na magka-baby. Bianca wants us to have a year and a half together first be- fore we build a family.”
“I want to us to enjoy ourselves first,” explains Bianca. “If we have a baby na we know that a lot in our lives will change. And we were not able to have that honeymoon as we dived back into work after. Hindi pa namin alam yung feeling ng totoong honey- moon. Hopefully, this year we will be able to allow us to enjoy that time for ourselves.”
“Right now because of our schedules, we try to go out, somewhere near, like Japan. Kahit beach okay na ako.”
“As much as our lives have changed – of course for the better – we find time to enjoy things like our VD marathons,” offers JC.
“We just finished ‘Breaking Bad’ and we love talking about the situations people find themselves in,” interjects Bianca.
It’s been several months since the two tied the knot. Theirs is a work in progress as they feel out their new roles as husband and wife. “I’m learning to cook,” shares Bianca. “Even without our house helpers, I think we will survive my cooking.”
Intal laughs. How she finds the energy and drive to get these things done he will never know.
“All I know is I married my college crush,” sums up JC.
This isn’t the typical boy-meets-girl story. Nor is this a college sweethearts fairy tale. More so the-jock-gets-the-pretty-cheerleader yarn.
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