GABBY CONCEPCION- JANICE DE BELEN LOVE TEAM

Puppy Love (1982)- Stars Gabby Concepcion, Janice de Belen, Ricky Belmonte, Rosemarie Sonora, Ramil Rodriguez, Shirley Moreno/ Directed by William Pascual

The date: 1983

He is 19. She is 14. The five-year age gap doesn’t stop them from falling in love. He is her first love. She is his second love, “deeper than the first,” he admits. They are in love and they are not ashamed to show it to the whole world. Some people say she is too young to be romantically involved but Janice de Belen is not affected at all by the criticisms. “He’s nice and I am happy when we are together,” she says of boyfriend Gabby Concepcion.

Their romance blossomed on the set of their first movie together. Puppy Love shot at the time when Gabby had just broken up with Sharon Cuneta. It was Janice’s first movie as a young adult and it made good at the box-office, hereby establishing Gabby and Janice as the new young love-team to reckon with.

I'll Wait For You (If It Takes Forever)/1983- Stars Gabby Concepcion, Janice de Belen, Liza Lorena, Alicia Alonzo, Bibeth Orteza, Ramil Rodriguez, Romeo Rivera/ Directed by Elwood Perez

Gabby and Janice were paired for the second time in I Will Wait For You (If It Takes Forever), under GC Films, an outfit owned by Gabby’s family. The movie was filmed in the splendid scenic spots of San Francisco, USA, under the direction of Elwood Perez. In the story, Gabby plays a 19-year old businessman who goes to the States to mend a broken heart when the grandfather of his 16-year old Chinese girlfriend objected to the relationship. Abroad, Gabby meets 14-year old Janice who, Gabby later finds out, is his girlfriend’s younger sister.

Gabby and Janice appeared in two other movies, Always in my Heart (1983) and Aking Prince Charming (1983). It was a short lived romance and the two eventually broke up. Gabby renewed ties with Sharon and were married in September 1984.

Left- Always in my Heart (1983)- Stars Dolphy, Nida Blanca, Gabby Concepcion and Janice de Belen/ with Panchito, Edgar Quizon, Dexter Doria, Ben Johnson and Zeny Zabala/ Directed by Ben Feleo

Right- Aking Prince Charming (1983)- Stars Gabby Concepcion, Janice de Belen, Chichay, Bella Flores, Rez Cortes, Dencio Padilla, Bibeth Orteza, Rodolfo 'Boy' Garcia/ Directed by Anthony Taylor

The two later appeared as young adult in Rosenda (1989), Abandonada (1989) and Kailan Ka Magiging Akin (1991).

Left- Abandonada (1989)- Stars Gabby Concepcion, Janice de Belen, Joey Marquez, Fe delos Reyes, Melissa Mendez and Alma Moreno / Directed by Peque Gallaga and Lorenzo Reyes

Right- Kailan Ka Magiging Akin (1991)- Stars Gabby Concepcion, Eddie Gutierrez, Charo Santos, Vivian Velez, Gina Alajar, Julio Diaz, Carmina Villarroel, Cherry Pie Picache and Janice de Belen/ Directed by Chito S. Rono