How Zsa Zsa Padilla met Conrad Onglao; Sharon Cuneta played as cupid
by Mary Rose Antazo
Masayang ibinahagi ng ‘Divine Diva’ na si Zsa Zsa Padilla at Architect Conrad Onglao ang kanilang naging pag-iibigan sa programang ‘Powerhouse’ ng GMA 7, hosted by Ms. Kara David.
Three years mula nang pumanaw ang long-time partner at ‘Comedy King’ na si Dolphy, muling tumibok at nagmahal si Zsa Zsa at ito ay sa katauhan ng non-showbiz at sikat na arkitektong si Mr. Onglao. Nagsimula ito sa isang blind date na ang Megastar na si Sharon Cuneta (kaibigan ni Zsa Zsa) ang naging pasimuno at dito ay hayagang sinabi ng singer-actress na noong una ay hindi niya natipuhan si Conrad.
“He wasn’t actually my type. I felt that he could be a best friend,” pagkukuwento pa ni Zsa Zsa kay Ms. Kara.
Kuwento pa nga raw ni Sharon kay Conrad, “Walang fireworks at walang sparks ang first meeting nila.”
Pero hindi tumigil ang lalaki na suyuin ang singer-actress hanggang sa masungkit din nito ang puso ni Zsa Zsa.
Maraming magagandang bagay ang na-discover si Conrad kay Zsa Zsa kaya mas lalo niya itong minahal.
“Sabi sa akin ni Sharon, ‘Saan ka naman nakakita—a woman who has been with the same guy for 25 years up until the day he died,’” kuwento pa ni Conrad sa programang ‘Powerhouse’.
Malaki rin daw ang naging respeto nila sa nakaraan ng isa’t isa at nirerespeto niya ang nakaraan ni Zsa Zsa, “Her past is her past; so is mine.”
Diborsiyado si Conrad at may dalawang anak, samantalang tatlo naman ang naging anak ni Zsa Zsa.
Sa kasalukuyan ay magkasama na sina Conrad at Zsa Zsa sa isang modernong bahay sa Makati na disenyo mismo ng arkitekto, kaya naman marami na ang nagtatanong kung kailan ito mauuwi sa kasalan.
“I like him as a family man. That’s what I really wish for, somebody that has a strong hold on family. I don’t know where it’s going to lead to but we stay together now. Anyway, we’re not hurting anybody, we’re both of age,”sambit pa ng singer.
“We know that’s where we’re heading, alam naman namin ‘yun pero hindi pa lang namin nase-set kung ano ‘yung araw,” sagot naman ni Conrad.
The couple would eventually find out that they both love traveling, planting, and gardening. They also formed a past time where they would be content with happily sharing stories while eating fruits which Onglao would prepare.
“She would tell me nga, ‘you would know that we are a couple already, because we can do iyong pinakasimpleng bagay together and you don’t even complain about it,’” pagbabahagi pa nito.
Aside from presiding over his own firm, CT Onglao Architects, Inc., Onglao now looks forward to realizing the dream house where he and Padilla would go home to in the future.
“Sabi niya [ni Zsa Zsa] sa akin, maliit pa lang daw siya ang nakikita niya laging dream niya ay yung bahay niya, it’s all glass. Tapos may swimming pool,” dagdag pa nito.
Samantala, sa programa ring ito ay higit na nakilala ang tunay na pagkatao ng lalaking bumihag sa puso ni Zsa Zsa. Sino nga ba si Mr. Conrad Onglao?
Mula pala sa pagiging doktor ay naging arkitekto si Conrad. Bago kumuha ng kursong Architecture, kumuha ito ng two years at nag-aral ng Chemistry to prepare himself for a a career in Medicine. Gusto kasi ng kanyang ina na siya ay maging doktor pero naramdaman niyang hindi talaga ito ang kanyang ‘calling’.
“The second year I had to tell my mom, I’ll finish it. I’ll be a good doctor but this is not where my heart lies,” kuwento pa niya. Then he shifted to Architecture at the University of Santo Tomas.
Onglao would then spend 15 years building a career as an architect and interior designer in the United States. But he eventually returned to the Philippines where he immersed himself in the local architecture industry until he was tapped to design houses for the country’s elite.
Onglao’s recent projects include the present design for “Bahay Pangarap,” one of the presidential residences inside the Malacañang compound. He was also tasked to design the interiors of the presidential plane.
