She's a volleyball player and a mom. He's a basketball coach and a dad. Despite their hectic schedule, Dindin Santiago-Manabat and husband Chico still manage to call timeout to focus on romance.
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14 years.
That’s how long Dindin Santiago-Manabat and her husband Chico Manabat have been together.
The longtime couple married in 2015 before having their firstborn, Chloe, in July 2016.
Despite being busy in their respective sporting fields, the Manabats continue to find time to keep their love burning—and it all starts with time management.
Dindin is having a stellar campaign with the Choco Mucho Flying Titans in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference, while Chico is the head coach of the Arellano Chiefs in the NCAA.
“Time management and usap lang kasi ‘yung mga nagiging schedule namin nag sasabay-sabay,” Santiago-Manabat told One Sports.
“Si Chloe may school, si Chico may basketball coaching, so nasa usap, time management, and siyempre ‘yung disiplina and sakripisyo.”
“Kahit sobrang busy namin, parang naghahanap at naghahanap pa rin kami ng time para sa isa’t isa. Kasi ayaw naman namin pabayaan ‘yung work namin. Passion din namin ito, kaligayahan din namin ito so part siya ng luho na parang gagawin namin lahat pero kailangan balanced,” she added.
Of course, Dindin would be the first to admit that their dynamics, when it comes to going out, have changed greatly since they were boyfriend and girlfriend and now have a family.
And in all the years they’ve been together, Dindin says Chico continues to find a way to surprise her during Valentine’s Day.
“Nung kami pa sobrang simple lang, kumakain lang kami sa labas, dinner or lunch ganyan. Pero ngayon na may asawa at anak ako, mas naging sweet ‘yung husband ko eh. Kasi parang 14 years na kami together, tinatry niya pag-Valentines parang ligawan,” said Santiago-Manabat.
“Minsan may pa-bulaklak siya or mag su-surprise siya ng dinner ganun. So, mas nag-iiba, mas nagiging iba.”
Most couples will yearn to have a relationship like Dindin and Chico’s.
But the answer to how they keep their marriage and relationship strong is quite simple.
According to Dindin, it’s all about being open to one another.
“Parang open lang sa mga bagay-bagay. Lahat sasabihin, usap, then kailangan mahaba pasensiya, matiyaga. As a babae, kailangan maintindihin ka,” Santiago-Manabat explained.
This Valentine’s Day, it’ll be a much bigger plan for the Manabats as they celebrate the day with their in-laws, according to Dindin.
“Ngayong Valentine’s, may plano kaming mag-dinner together kasama ‘yung mother-in-law kasi uuwi sila galing Japan kasama father-in-law ko so lahat kami magkasama,” said Santiago-Manabat.
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