No matter how "liberated" our world may seem these days, there are couples who still choose to abstain from premarital sex. Whether it's because of their upbringing or religious beliefs, they are entitled to their own decisions.
In case you're curious, here are some of our favorite local celebrity couples who navigated their dating stage *without having sex.*
Here are local celebrity couples who said no to sex before marriage:
1. Sarah Geronimo and Matteo Guidicelli
Sarah Geronimo's beliefs on premarital sex are not a secret to the public. As a devout Christian, she has publicly expressed her commitment to abstain from sex until marriage.
Her now-husband, actor Matteo Guidicelli respected her decision. In 2014, told the media that they were determined to really wait for marriage before doing it.
The two tied the knot in 2020, and we all remember how ~controversial~ that surprise wedding was! Despite that, we think their love story, filled with respect and patience, continue to inspire a lot of people.
2. Iya Villania and Drew Arellano
TV hosts Iya Villania and Drew Arellano had one of the healthiest long-term relationships in the history of celebrity couples.
The two dated for 10 years before getting married. And yes, they refrained from engaging in sexual activities until they tied the knot in 2014.
In a 2015 interview with PEP.ph, Iya said that it was through abstinence that she confirmed how much Drew truly loved her when they were still dating.
"It doesn’t make you less of a person. Kanya-kanya namang values ‘yan, eh," Iya stated as she revealed being a virgin until their wedding night.
To not have premarital sex is a personal belief for Iya—but she noted that people who have sex before marriage should not be criticized as well.
At present, Iya and Drew have four beautiful children namely, Primo, Leon, Alana, and Astro.
3. Nikki Gil and BJ Albert
"Staying a virgin is my choice," this is what former MYX VJ Nikki Gil declared to the public in 2014.
Just months after her controversial breakup with Billy Crawford, Nikki admitted to dating a new guy. That new guy is now her husband, BJ Albert.
While many have speculated that BJ was just a rebound, Nikki stood firm that BJ is someone she really wants and that he agrees to her no-sex before-marriage belief. "I made sure he knew what he was getting into, just dating."
Now, Nikki and Albert are now parents to two beautiful kids, Finn and Madeline Elle. They tied the knot in 2015.
4. Toni Gonzaga and Paul Soriano
Toni Gonzaga's parents, Mommy Pinky and Daddy Bonoy are known to be strict and conservative.
That's why when Toni and her then-boyfriend Paul Soriano were still dating, they had to abide by her parents' curfew and rules.
Along with that, the couple as devout Christians made a decision to abstain from premarital sex. In a way, it gave them a way to honor their commitment to each other.
In a tell-all interview in 2014, Toni admitted how hard their decision was. "Sobrang hirap, sobrang hirap panindigan. Honest lang talaga ako! Mahirap talaga panindigan. Hindi naman ako magsasabi ng napakabanal ko," she said during the interview.
Because of temptations, Toni revealed that she never once shared the same room with Paul during out-of-town trips back when they were still dating. "You do not put yourself in that kind of situation and temptation," she said.
The couple married in 2015 and has two kids now, Severiano Elliott and Paulina Celestine.
5. Yeng Constantino
"Sex is for marriage," Yeng Constantino publicly disclosed her belief.
In an interview detailing her wedding with Victor Asuncion in 2015, Yeng admitted that although it was hard to save sex for marriage, it was worth it.
“Hindi ko sasabihin na perpekto kami pero ang pinakagusto ko talaga 'yun. Ang hirap din sabihin, 'pero yung physical intimacy sana magagawa lamang kapag kinasal na. I believe po na mas maho-honor namin ang parents namin, si God, in that way. It is not easy but it is worth it," Yeng stated.
6. EA Guzman and Shaira Diaz
Now a couple for 10 years, Kapuso stars EA Guzman and Shaira Diaz have already talked about their future plans for marriage. And something the couple is known for is their decision not to have premarital sex.
"Isa ito sa kinahahangaan ko sa kanya. Sige, sasabihin ko na po. Hindi naman namin ito inilalabas, pero si Shaira po ay still [a virgin]" EA said.
For EA, this is what makes him love Shaira even more. He also respects Shaira's beliefs when it comes to marriage. In fact, Shaira told him about it when he was still courting her.
"Para sa akin, pareho naman kaming magbe-benefit noon. Napakaganda naman. Kumbaga, para sa akin, very sacred si Shaira."
7. Mariz Umali and Raffy Tima
Broadcast journalists Mariz Umali and Raffy Tima saved sex for their marriage in 2012.
For Mariz, her strong Christian faith made her wait until marriage to fully give herself to someone. "Talagang na-instill sa akin of getting married first before going into making love or having sex," she declared in an interview.
Mariz also shared that her past relationships ended because the guys she dated did not have the patience to abstain from sexual activities before their marriage.
Luckily, she met Raffy who is now her husband of almost 11 years.
8. Miriam Quiambao and Ardy Roberto
Although it was both their second marriages already, beauty queen Miriam Quiambao and Ardy Roberto still made a "purity pledge" saying that they would not engage in sexual activities before their wedding.
Miriam explained their purity pledge as a way to still honor her Christian beliefs and to also "preserve" herself for her future husband.
"And because Jesus has died for my sins, I decided that I'm going to avoid any situation that will lead me to sin. Because I feel like each time I sin, parang pinapako ko ulit si Jesus doon sa krus... So ayoko nang magkasala ulit kasi sinasaktan ko si Jesus too much," she expressed in an interview.
The two married in March of 2014.
Indeed, abstinence before marriage is a tough decision to make whether as a person or as a couple already. But again, people are entitled to make their own decisions.
Editor's note: Cosmo believes that your sexual boundaries are solely to be decided by you, and no one else. While some members of society might feel the need to dictate or practice more conservative values towards sex and relationships, ultimately, you get to decide your boundaries. It's your body, and it's your choice.