Jao Mapa Talks About His Former Relationship With Rosanna Roces
JAO MAPA – The actor revealed that he had a romantic relationship with actress Rosanna Roces in 1997 during his interview with Susan Enriquez on Kay Susan Tayo!. The revelation came when Susan asked Jao about his past showbiz relationships and whether he had someone he considered The One That Got Away.
Jao initially recalled that he was 18 when he and Rosanna became involved. However, records show that he was actually 21 when they worked together on the film Matrikula, which was released in August 1997. Rosanna was born in 1972, while Jao was born in 1976, meaning they were only about four years apart in age. Because of this, their relationship could not accurately be described as a May-December affair.
Jao said it was nice working with Rosanna but admitted that he regrets making Matrikula. He explained that he was still young and inexperienced and did not know how to handle making a sexy drama at the time.
Despite Rosanna’s popularity, Matrikula did not perform well at the box office. Rosanna reportedly believed that the movie poster, which showed her stepping on Jao, may have contributed to its poor reception. The two actors also did not make another film together.
Their relationship was reportedly serious and happened while Rosanna was still with her former husband, Tito Molina. At the time, Rosanna was facing problems in her personal life and reportedly considered leaving her marriage and showbiz career because of her feelings for Jao. However, after talking with a close friend, she decided to prioritize her career and family. Her relationship with Jao eventually ended.
Jao also discussed a private video of himself that circulated online years ago. He admitted that the incident caused him extreme embarrassment and emotional pain. He said the experience taught him to be more careful online and more mature in dealing with difficult situations. Jao said he has already moved forward and encouraged others facing similar problems to stay strong, pray, and trust in God.