ANG-MARTIREZ

The Purest, Simplest Form of Love

SARA SIGUION-REYNA

Vince Ang and Anika Martirez met during a high school soiree. Vince was a student at Southridge, while Anika went to Woodrose, so their social circle had been the same, intact one while growing up. Both attending Ateneo de Manila University, Vince stayed for a semester before moving to Los Angeles to study architecture, while Anika stayed in Ateneo. It wasn’t until the last year of my college life in ADMU that our whirlwind romance took place back in 2010, says Anika. On a casual hangout at a friend's house during one of Vince's visits from LA, mutual flirting ensued while their friends witnessed the spark between both of them. After that, they realized they wanted their friendship to go beyond friendship. Getting to know each other before Vince flew back, Anika says it was a literal whirlwind romance. Looking back, those two weeks were some of the fondest memories we’ve had of our relationship in its early stage,” she says.

Dabbling in long-distance, Anika then moved to LA to study fashion at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. The first four years of our relationship were spent living and studying in LA. It was a refreshing change of scene living independently, she says. When she moved back to the Philippines to focus on her career, they hit a rough patch, breaking up and were apart for nearly two years. Vince moved back home and they decided to get back together. As with all relationships, we’ve had our share of highs and lows, and up to this day, I couldn’t imagine navigating through life in the past 10 years without his presence and influence. He’s shaped me to become who I am today—and continues to do so,” says Anika.