In a rare instance, Dabarkads Maine Mendoza took part in an ABS-CBN event where she surprised her beau Arjo Atayde after the latter renewed his contract with the Kapamilya network.
On Friday, February 26, Arjo Atayde, 30, renewed his contract with ABS-CBN. The actor went emotional, thanked the Kapamilya network for the support it gave him throughout his career.
The contract signing and media conference that followed after were streamed live via Kapamilya Strong.
Atayde was with fellow ABS-CBN talents Maymay Entrata, Edward Barbers, Francine Diaz, Donny Pangilinan, and Gary Valenciano, who also secured new contracts with the Lopez-owned Network.
The award-winning actor said while holding back his tears after signing, “Happy to be home.”
Atayde got surprised after her girlfriend, Maine Mendoza delivered encouraging words through a taped video message, which played after he inked his contract.
In her message, the Eat Bulaga! host congratulated him and expressed how proud she is over Atayde’s latest career milestone.
“Congratulations on your 8th year with Star Magic. I wish you more success in your career, more projects, more challenging and exciting roles. And please know that I’m always here — for you, with you, and always right behind you to give you my 110% support in everything that you do, and to celebrate every milestone with you, like this one,” said the 25-year old Mendoza.
“There’s so much in store for you, that I know for sure. Pero ngayon pa lang sasabihin ko na sobrang proud ako sa’yo — sa mga narating mo at mararating mo pa. Just keep doing what you love. ‘Yun lang, congratulations and love you.”
Visibly stunned by his girlfriend’s message, Atayde could only offer a big smile and say, “Unexpected ‘yun ah.”
Atayde started to get emotional as he talked about what made him proud to be part of the Kapamilya network.
“I owe it to everyone here beside me. I owe it to the people behind the camera. I owe it to my co-actors. I owe it to each and every one in ABS-CBN. They took care of me, they always made sure I was fine. I’m getting so emotional. It just feels home, it feels like home it’s crazy,” he stated.
He also acknowledged the Network for taking care of him and offering him projects without expecting anything in return.
“They (ABS-CBN) take care of us… they give us the project we deserve as long as we work hard for it. And never expecting anything in return.
“I just love being Kapamilya. I am a Kapamilya. I am born to be a Kapamilya, and I will stay here no matter what,” the Bagman star stressed.
The best actor at the 2020 Asian Academy Creative Awards hinted that he would be busy with two projects this year.
One of his projects is a film, which he was supposed to co-star with Eddie Garcia but turned into a tribute project for the late veteran actor.
The other is a project that he will start working on by mid-year with ABS-CBN.
While the Network is still struggling with the aftermath of its franchise’s denial in July 2020–the contract signing became a show of solidarity from the stars, who renewed their contract of loyalty to the media network.
Meanwhile, phenomenal star Maine Mendoza confirmed in 24 Oras the speculations that her boyfriend Arjo Atayde will have a special guesting on her high-rating sitcom Daddy’s Gurl.
Recall that the teaser of the upcoming episode of GMA’s Daddy’s Gurl showed Stacy, played by Mendoza, having an encounter with a guy named Julio, whose identity remained mysterious.
Right in time for the actress’s birthday on March 3, Atayde’s special appearance on the sitcom’s March 6 episode served as one of his birthday gifts for Mendoza, his girlfriend, for two years.
They first worked together in the 2018 Metro Manila Film Festival entry Jack Em Popoy: The Puliscredibles, a film starred by Mendoza alongside Vic Sotto and Coco Martin.
After then, the dating rumors [between them] began circulating as they were spotted together often without any companion.
In January of the following year, Atayde confirmed that they were exclusively dating after the press conference for his movie, Tol.
In March of the same year, Mendoza confirmed the rumors via her birthday vlog.
In December 2020, they celebrated their second anniversary as a couple.
Their fans could not help but be happy for the two award-winning artists after both took to social media and greeted each other on their anniversary.
