It’s finally official.
Actor Arjo Atayde admitted yesterday that he is, in fact, dating comedian and host Maine Mendoza.
ABS-CBN News reported that Atayde admitted that they are dating during the media conference for the movie Tol.
He said in a mix of English and Filipino: “We are exclusively dating. I am at my happiest now and further details I will not say any more. So I can only talk about it up to this point.”
Rumors started last year after the two were spotted hanging out together in different places. Entertainment website Pep.ph even published photos of Atayde and Mendoza dining together at a Makati restaurant in October.
However, Mendoza said in December that she and Atayde were just friends.
Aside from confirming that he’s seeing Mendoza, Atayde also used the opportunity to come after Mendoza’s fans who are criticizing him and his family, specifically sister Ria Atayde.
ABS-CBN News reported that he told critics to “do it to me in person,” meaning that fans should speak to him in real life, face-to-face instead of slamming him online.
The siblings have been accused by Mendoza’s fans, called AlDub Nation (ADN), of using Mendoza to further their showbiz careers. In one instance, Mendoza even called out a fan for saying such things.
ADN are the loyal fans of Mendoza and her former love team partner Alden Richards. Being part of a loveteam is a way to succeed in showbiz, and at one point Mendoza and Richards’ team up was one of the biggest.
During their peak, fans were led to believe that Mendoza and Richards were a couple in real life, a common marketing ploy to make a loveteam succeed in Philippine showbiz.
Facing intense pressure from fans, Mendoza wrote an open letter in 2017 where she said that their relationship was just platonic. Despite that, the ADN stubbornly believe that she and Richards will eventually become a couple.
Speaking about rude members of ADN who have slammed him and his family, Atayde said: “I don’t know how to get mad. I don’t know how to disrespect people. I despise disrespectful people. If they disrespect me, it’s fine, though. But for my family to get affected, for Maine to be disrespected… that’s not okay with me.”
But ADN’s bad vibes are not enough to ruin the budding relationship for Atayde. He said he and Mendoza get along in “everything,” Pep.ph reported.
Atayde would be glad to know that online, many fans are happy about their budding relationship.
@kala_sushiii wrote that other fans should be proud of Atayde. She added: “Of all the men who were rumored to be dating Maine it was just Arjo Atayde who was brave [to admit that they’re dating].”
As fans of Maine, y’all should be proud that a man defended Maine Mendoza and stood up to shut all these trolls down. I’m proud. That’s new in showbiz. Sa lahat ng na link kay Maine si Arjo Atayde lang ang di takot. Look at how he answered, such a gent. Let them be.
— Sarcasmi (@kala_sushiii) January 22, 2019
@sangonimiroku wrote that Mendoza is “lucky” to have Atayde in her life.
Maine is lucky to have Arjo in her life. He is well bred, talented, earns his keep and obviously man enough to stand up for her. #Hardfact
— SandLover (@sangonimiroku) January 22, 2019
@Euphori92482023 wrote: “It’s really refreshing to finally have someone fight for her (Mendoza) and take care of her. You won’t be alone Maine you have an Arjo who will fight for you and love you.”
Its very refreshing talaga to finally have someone to fight for her and take care of her. D kana mag isa Maine my Arjo kanang ipaglalaban ka at mamahalin. Good luck to both of you. ❤❤❤
— Euphoria23 (@Euphori92482023) January 22, 2019
Still, some fans aren’t happy with Atayde’s announcement.
One fan said that if what Atayde said wasn’t true, Mendoza should refute what he said. She also said that if Richards is the real boyfriend (though that’s unlikely, given Mendoza’s open letter) he should state his claim.
Unpopular POV: Arjo has put a clear label on him and Maine. IF this isn’t true, Maine should directly refute this claim. If Alden is indeed the real BF, he should stand up and state his claim because another man has called his GF as his own.
— 💚💚 Twish 💚💚 (@pscd87) January 23, 2019
Responding to a fan who cursed Atayde, @reneeanduizavil wrote that Richards and Mendoza should say what their real status is to stop Atayde from using Mendoza “to become famous.”
#DADDYSGURLAllAccess Good evening mam Myrna! I think it’s about time that Alden and Maine to step forward and say their real status. So that the likes of Arjo Atayde et al, would stopped using Maine’s name to become famous. It is not good for Maine’s sake.
— Renee A. Villanueva (@reneeanduizavil) January 22, 2019
Richards and Mendoza’s love team have been inactive for quite a while. While they are both still hosting Eat Bulaga, the show that launched their careers, their interactions on the show have been far from romantic. It’s totally different from when their partnership was at its peak in 2015 when they starred as romantic partners in the show’s Kalyeserye (street series) segment.
Truth be known, Mendoza doesn’t need to be in a love team because she’s doing great as a solo artist. A lipstick she endorsed sold well, and she has a strong following on Twitter where she has 5 million followers.
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