Comedienne Pokwang has confirmed the rumors that she and her long-time partner, actor Lee O’Brian, have called it quits.
Pokwang spoke to PUSH last week to reveal that she and Lee haven’t been together for seven months now since their break up in November 2021. Despite this, they are still on good terms and are co-parenting their daughter Malia.
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“We’re okay. No third party involved and we’re both co-parenting kay (to) Malia,” said the actress-TV host to the PUSH. “Maayos naming tinapos ang lahat. Hindi kami pait-paitan. (We ended things well. We are not bitter towards each other.)”
She also noted that Lee is always welcome to visit her home and spend time with their daughter, who turned four years old last January. “In fact, welcome siya sa bahay (he’s welcome at home). Every weekend ay magkakasama kami (We are together every weekend). Seven months of surviving and peace ‘ika nga (as they say),” she said.
She then made an official announcement on Instagram:
“Yes [it’s] been seven months since tapusin namin ni papang ang lahat, pero maayos at mapayapa, at bilang magkaibigan na lamang mas nagagampanan namin ang mga tungkulin bilang magulang ni Malia, natapos man ito sa di inaasahang panahon hindi dito hihinto ang pagiging nanay ko sa mga anak ko. At mas lalo kong minahal ang mga biyayang sakin ay binigay ng panginoon,” she wrote on her post.
[Translation: “Yes, it’s been seven months since Papang and I ended things but it was done properly and peacefully, and now that we’re just friends we can now focus on our roles as parents to Malia. Even if it ended unexpectedly, it won’t stop me from being a mom to my child. And I am more grateful now for the blessings that God gives me.”]
She also hit back at bashers who have been calling her break-up “karma.”
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“Sa mga single parent na kagaya ko hindi karma ang natapos na pagmamahalan kundi mas pinapatatag ka at pinaghahanda ka sa mas magaganda at mas maraming biyaya. Hindi karma ang mabiyayaan ka ng mga anak na nagpapasaya at nagpapangiti sayo araw araw at dahilan ng pagsisikap mo sa buhay,” she said.
[Translation: “To single parents like me, an end to a relationship isn’t karma, but rather a test of strength and preparation for more and better blessings. It isn’t karma to be blessed with children who make you happy every day and are the reason for you to keep going in life.”]
Rumors about their split first circulated when netizens noticed that Pokwang had changed the name of their food business from “Pok-Lee,” which was a combination of her and Lee’s names, to “Mamang Pokwang.”
(ALSO READ: Pokwang Reacts to Bashers Who Criticized Her Relief Efforts During COVID-19)
Lee was also reported to be returning home to the US sometime soon.
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