Actress Claudine Barretto surprised netizens after greeting her former boyfriend, actor Mark Anthony Fernandez, on his birthday through a heartfelt Facebook post that included the words “I luv you EX” and referred to him as her “first love.”
Claudine’s message, posted in the early hours of the day, quickly drew attention online due to its candid and affectionate tone.
“Belated happy birthday to my first love, my first everything, especially my first heart break,” she wrote.
“I said this before and I say it again if I were to live my life all over again I’d still choose u to be my first. I’m so proud of the man u have become.”
The actress went on to praise Fernandez for his character and for maintaining respect toward her even after their breakup in the 1990s.
“I never thought I’d ever be friends with my EX but Mark definitely is the exception. A true gentleman with one of the kindest soul I have ever met,” she added.
“Thank you for never talking bad about me. In fact, u took all the blame and made sure I was always protected even from afar. I have no regrets, only great memories. I luv u EX.”
Barretto and Fernandez, who are currently co-stars in the TV5 series ‘Totoy Bato’, have long maintained a close friendship despite their past romantic relationship.
The post sparked mixed reactions from netizens, with some expressing kilig and others questioning whether a reconciliation could be possible. Comments ranged from playful surprise over the “I love you” message to admiration for how the two managed to remain friends after their breakup.
Some netizens pointed out that “first love never dies,” while others noted that Barretto’s first love and her greatest love were different chapters of her life, the latter often associated with the late Rico Yan.
Despite the speculation, those close to the actress have said that Barretto has no plans of rekindling a romance with Fernandez and prefers to keep their relationship purely platonic. Barretto is also reportedly in a relationship with businessman Milano Sanchez.
