For its Valentine’s Day episode, Iba ‘Yan took the opportunity to make four people feel that they aren’t alone despite being single during the day of hearts after traumatic hurtful experiences in their past relationships.

“Love gurus” were invited to listen to each of their stories and give pieces of advice. Spoken word poet, writer, and love adviser Juan Miguel Severo and TV host, comedian, and professor Ramon Bautista were on-hand to guide them through in recovering from their heartbreak.

Attila Janiere Osorio 26, said he’s been trying to move on from his failed romance for five months already. Being an “NGSB” or having “no girlfriend since birth,” Janiere described himself as, “Nagmahal pero hindi pinili”. He always believed that having a girlfriend means finding “The One.” He met a girl online and would go on dates. As they often see each other, it wasn’t very clear what their status really was. In other words, it wasn’t really an official relationship. After the girl seemed ready to commit to a relationship, Jeneire finally had the courage to ask the girl if she could be his girlfriend. Things, however, turned upsetting. He was shocked to find the girl with another man in her apartment. Janiere still tried to woo her since, but the girl said no. Love expert Ramon told Janiere that in reality, the love we have for a person does not match what he or she can offer us. Juan Miguel, for his part imparted that with our intention to have that perfect relationship, we tend to lose them. Love, he said, is not about careful planning, but taking a big gamble.

Alyssa “Aly” Mae Recuenco, meanwhile said she had a hard time committing to a relationship for five years because she has been constantly lied to. During her high school days, she was a huge fan of Justin Bieber. In one of the biggest fan groups in the country, he met a guy named “Justin Cruz.” He never met him in person and only talked to him online. They would soon become closer until they seemed to have fallen in love, albeit virtually. They were “dating” for two years without actually meeting in person. Aly’s friends were already warning her that the “Justin Cruz” was just a poser and may seem to be catfishing her, or luring her into a fake relationship using a fictional online persona. She then started to doubt “Justin’s” existence, and decided to call him. However, she was surprised to hear a girl’s voice answering her call.

Aly still tried to reach “Justin” whatever way she can, knowing how he actually looked based on photos he has sent her. She would then apparently see the man who appeared on those photos at a friend’s birthday party. Excitingly, she approached the person and introduced herself as they had been in an online relationship for years. Aly was then shocked to find out that the “Justin” she saw at the party never knew her, and the guy told her that people have been telling him the same thing. He was not the person she had been sharing sweet, intimate moments online, Aly realized. Aly would eventually discover the real name and contact of the person she had been virtually engaging with for years. The person was actually a girl pretending to be that dashing “Justin Cruz.” Heartbroken, Aly asked the girl why she did it. The girl only responded by saying that she was depressed. Since then, she had trust issues especially in matters of the heart. Ramon would then advise her that she should be more meticulous in doing “background checks” on the people she meets, especially online. Juan Miguel added that she will eventually meet the right person who can love her and deal with her trauma.

Cheska De Guzman, on the other hand, is a freelance makeup artist trying to move on from a painful breakup for eight months since her ex-partner left her. Cheska and her ex-boyfriend met during the pandemic because they both served as front liners distributing relief goods to their neighbors. At first, Cheska wasn’t attracted to him but she was carried away after friends had been teasing them as a perfect match. She would then learn to deeply love the guy, who in return also loved her and cared for her so much.

However, there were times when Cheska would lie to him and this made the guy really upset and made him hard to continue their relationship. That was the reason why her ex-boyfriend decided to end their relationship. She tried to win him back, only to find out that he was back with the girl he was with before they got together. Cheska even gave her ex-boyfriend’s sister a job just so she could still have a connection with him. However, it was too late. Ramon said he thinks Cheska is the type of person who loves with all her heart, thus advising her to be more wary and protective in dealing with it. Juan Miguel also told her to not settle for anything less than what she deserves because she already experienced how to be treated right.

For her part, Aiz Aguinaldo said she’s currently moving on from her own unsuccessful relationship. Aiz said that ever since she was young, she already knew that she was attracted to girls. Aiz just came from a heartbreak when she met her ex-girlfriend. They were both heartbroken when they crossed paths, and Aiz said that she already had a crush on her that time. They started talking on social media and they eventually hit it off. They would soon live together as they officially became a couple. However, Aiz felt like her ex-girlfriend was being too restrictive towards her, not even allowing her to work. They would usually argue about that and it came to the point where Aiz got tired of it and already gave up. Juan Miguel said that if you’re in a relationship then you should really meet halfway, taking into consideration the opinion and decision of both parties. Ramon added that it doesn’t mean that her ex-girlfriend was bad for acting that way, he said they were just not really compatible for each other.

After they have shared all their stories, host Angel Locsin gave her own insights on their heart-rending experiences. She told them they were still blessed to feel the wonder of loving. If the experience turned out not the way they expected it, they should not take it badly. These experiences, she said, make us better and stronger. She said it’s okay to cry their hearts out, but there will come a time they should stop, accept, and move on.

Angel then brought Janiere, Aly, Cheska, and Aiz to an open field for a “black heart piñata” activity to heal their heartaches. In the activity, they were free to do anything with the piñata that had pictures of their exes, with their expected act of destroying and breaking it open to release their kept emotions. While Janiere, Aly and Cheska all hit and destroyed the piñata, Aiz hugged it tightly because she said that no matter how painful her relationship was with her ex-girlfriend, she could never hurt her. They also got the chance to talk to themselves in front of a mirror. They said to their selves all the precious learnings they had from their heartbreaks and emphasized things they should always remember as they move on with their lives.

To end the night, Angel accompanied them to a fancy dinner, offering them various packages that could help them move on. Janiere, Aly, and Cheska chose the vacation package, which consists of a two-day and three-night stay in Boracay Island. Meanwhile, Aiz chose the “BFF package,” receiving from Iba ‘Yan her new furry best friend—an adorable cat.

Catch Iba ‘Yan Sundays at 6:30pm on the Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, and A2Z.