Rita Daniela opens up about her exes on 'EXpecially For You' on 'It's Showtime'

Rita Daniela is the latest celebrity to search for love on “EXpecially For You!”

The Kapuso singer and actress appeared on “It’s Showtime’s” matchmaking segment on Saturday.

Rita was joined by her older brother, Onin, with whom she has a close relationship. Rita and Onin said that they grew up close because of their strict upbringing.

“Bata palang si Rita, talagang ako na ‘yung kasama niya palagi,” Onin said.

Rita’s past relationships

Rita revealed that she has had two exes. She said her first relationship happened when she was 18 years old and that it was a dark experience because her ex was a womanizer. Rita’s former partner is a dancer and architect, and they met when they worked together on GMA Network.

“Ang dami niyang babae,” she said. “Nung time na ‘yun, ‘pag artist, iba pa rin diba ‘yung galawang artist eh, so nung time na na-feel ko na parang totoo na ‘yung sinasabi nila. Tsaka ito kasi, harap-harapan nakikita ko na.”

Rita said she saw her ex get touchy and flirt with other women at a show’s afterparty. Rita admitted that she is confrontational but instead of fighting others, she befriends the women her ex is having affairs with.

When she broke down, Rita sought the help and advice of Onin. Onin talked to the girl with whom Rita’s ex was cheating on, and learned the truth.

Onin did not confront the ex personally, but messaged him and told him to never go back to their home.

“Basta galit ako nun. Sobrang protective ko kasi sa mga kapatid ko," Onin said.

“Ang haba ng message ko na parang, sinaktan niya si Rita. Kasi first boyfriend, first relationship, first na nagmahal siya, tas biglang nasaktan siya nang ganun," he added.

Rita said her first relationship was still the most heartbreaking one.

“First eh, kahit na napapahiya ka na, pero i-go-go mo kasi first mo ‘yun eh. Parang meron kang tina-try pino-prove eh. Papamukha mo, lalo na sa pamilya mo, ‘hindi, kaya ko ‘to. Mag-sa-succeed ‘to. Magtatagal kami kasi worth it ‘tong relationship na ‘to,’” she said.

She added that her heartbreak was so bad that she wasn’t able to memorize her lines during taping.

Rita’s next relationship was with the father of her son, Uno. When it ended after almost four years, she said it was a different kind of heartbreak.

“Umabot sa point na we lived together. Walang nabuo,” she said. “Nung nag-decide kami to really part ways, tsaka kami nabigyan ng regalo, which is si Uno,” Rita said. “Diba in reality, ganun naman talaga eh. Pag naghiwalay yung isang couple, hindi niyo pa kayang totally humiwalay eh. Magkikita’t magkikita pa rin kayo."

“Being a single mom, it’s really a choice,” Rita added, and said that she tried patching things up with her ex while she was pregnant. “But then na-realize ko na I think mas kawawa yung bata kung ididiretso pa naming ‘yung relationship na proven and tested na hindi naman talaga mag-wo-workout. Dahil lalaki ‘yung bata with issues na nakikita niyang nagaaway lagi, hindi nagkakasundo. I think pinili ko ‘yung path na ‘di bale nang hindi kami together, basta lalaki si Uno na love naming siya. Sabi ko, ‘we don’t have to get back together para lang maramdaman ni Uno na love natin siya.’”

While pregnant, Rita’s mindset was that she was already a single mom and that she was very heartbroken.

“Hindi ako pwedeng humingi eh. Hindi ko pwedeng i-demand na there would be someone who would really support me and would make me feel that may magaalaga sa ‘kin,” she said.

When the relationship ended, Onin told the former couple they should be okay for Uno, whom they co-parent.

DJ Jimmy, Lawrence, or AJ?

Rita had three potential dates: DJ Jimmy, a sporty DJ from Makati; Lawrence, a paralegal and law student from Tagaytay; and AJ, a basketball player and future clinical psychologist from California.

Early on, both Rita and Onin were impressed by DJ Jimmy, who said he would play “Beautiful in My Eyes” for baby Uno.

They were also impressed that Jimmy is now able to provide for a family at this point in his life.

“Siguro sa estado ng kasipagan ko ngayon, masasabi ko na kaya na. At syempre, lalo ko pang sisipagan dahil ako ‘yung klase ng lalaki na gusto kong iparamdam sa partner ko, sa pamilya ko ‘yung magandang buhay tsaka ‘yung sila ‘yung prinsesa,” Jimmy said.

Rita followed Onin’s advice and gave her two green flags to Jimmy.

Before the segment ended, Onin gave a message to his sister.

“Enjoy life lang. Mahalin mo lang si Uno tsaka ‘yung sarili mo. Love yourself. Tsaka andito lang ako palagi para sa inyong dalawa. Love you,” he said. Onin also turned emotional when he told Jimmy to take care of Rita.

Rita then told her brother, “Maraming salamat kuya for always being there kahit na alam kong madaming misunderstanding bilang magkapatid pero never kang nagkulang maging kuya sa amin ng ate ko. Kaya thank you palagi for always choosing us. I love you.”

“It’s Showtime” airs on GMA-7 from Mondays to Saturdays. —Nika Roque/JCB, GMA Integrated News