Chiz Escudero, Coronary heart Evangelista: Extravagance as love language

When Coronary heart Evangelista obtained a Paraiba ring from Chiz Escudero for Valentine’s day in 2024, elated actually turned the one option to describe her response. 

She was all giddy, instantly slipping the glistening turquoise-colored ring onto her index finger as Chiz watched her from a distance, legs crossed, preserving a straight face whereas he sipped on a glass of pink wine. 

Coronary heart had a burning query for Chiz: “How?”

Sure, how may a senator, who earns a month-to-month wage of between P293,191 and P334,059 (Wage Grade 31), afford to present his spouse a bit of bijou of that rarity?

Let’s put it into perspective. 

The Paraiba tourmaline is a uncommon Brazilian gemstone and is thought to be one of the costly available in the market. Jeweler Julia Chafe estimates Coronary heart’s ring to be round 5 to 6 carats, which implies that it might value over $1 million (~P58.8 million). 

Of Chiz’s declared assertion of property, liabilities, and internet value (SALN) of P18.84 million, P11.7 million of that was money — far lower than the ring’s estimated worth. 

Extravagant present giving appears to be the couple’s love language. In 2013, Ramon Tulfo had written a column the place he relayed his recorded conversations with Coronary heart’s dad and mom, Rey and Child Ongpauco, who each had attention-grabbing issues to say about Chiz. 

Child revealed to Tulfo that when Chiz found that Coronary heart needed a specific watch that value round P5 million, he sourced it from a Chinese language supporter of his. 

“You already know, our daughter is a spoiled brat and we purchase her all of the issues she needs. You already know what Chiz does? He gave Coronary heart a watch which he stated got here from a Chinese language supporter…That’s how he provides presents to Coronary heart: He would get them from supporters. Like that watch which prices P5 million which, he advised Coronary heart, he would pay again to the Chinese language,” Child advised Tulfo. 

They are saying that {couples} begin to look alike the extra time they spend collectively. Generally, they even begin to undertake one another’s quirks — identical to how Chiz has developed a watch for luxurious himself. 

Closet staples? 

When Chiz strikes his arms round as he speaks in Senate hearings, it’s laborious not to take a look at the accent that usually encases his left wrist: his high-end watches. And he’s been photographed sporting numerous of those. 

Considered one of them, the Cartier Tank Solo XI, bought for round P200,000 on Chrono24, a luxurious watch market. 

There’s additionally the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, which is listed for P917,500 on the model’s official web site. 

Coronary heart had additionally gifted Chiz a brand new Rolex for his or her anniversary in 2022. It’s the Oyster Perpetual 41 with the mustard yellow dial, which is listed for P1.08 million on the pre-owned luxurious watch website Gentry Timepieces. 

In his SALN, Chiz valued his assortment of “jewellery and different private properties” at P4.95 million. It could appear so as to add up at first, till you discover out about his Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A-011 watch with a white dial, which prices between P6 million and P8 million on Chrono24. 

It isn’t simply his watches, however the garments he wears on his again, too, when he’s not dressed within the required tropical materials. 

In considered one of Coronary heart’s 2024 vlogs, Chiz roams the streets of Paris donning a black Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama jacket. It’s listed at a discounted worth of $2,607 (~P153,317.67) on Vestiaire Collective, an internet market for pre-owned luxurious items. Think about if it’s by no means discounted.

Even his fits are designer. In 2023, Chiz accompanied Coronary heart to the GMA Gala, the place he wore a black made to measure Dior swimsuit that the socialite had chosen and acquired herself. 

“Ako pumili n’yan at ako rin ang nag-shopping n’yan dahil pinilit ko siya (I selected that and went looking for that as a result of I pressured him). It’s an attractive swimsuit from the long-lasting Dior,” Coronary heart stated in an interview with GMA on the sidelines of the gala. 

When the couple renewed their marriage ceremony vows in 2024, Coronary heart was sporting a fully-embroidered, sand-colored customized Elie Saab gown, for which she had flown to Paris to suit, as documented in considered one of her vlogs. She then slipped into a completely beaded Michael Levya robe in the course of the reception. 

Chiz, in the meantime, was in an all-white made to measure Dior swimsuit. 

The luxurious model’s made to measure couture fits can simply value between $12,000 to $20,000 (P706,320 to P1,177,200), relying on customizations, in line with one other Dior couture shopper. 

To get these tailored fits, one would wish to set an appointment at considered one of Dior’s choose boutiques — none of that are positioned within the Philippines. Chiz would have needed to fly to considered one of these nations or cities to make sure that the entire ensemble would match completely: Tokyo, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Paris, Dubai, New York, Miami, Milan, or London. 

However exorbitance appears to lie within the basis of their marriage. Chiz and Coronary heart wed within the unique Balesin Island, owned by Roberto Ongpin’s Alphaland. 

The senator revealed that it was Balesin that had sponsored their marriage ceremony correct, and a lot of the different features of the ceremony had additionally been paid for by different “sponsors,” like their rings. 

Questioned by Karen Davila if Ongpin’s sponsoring of their marriage ceremony would rely as a battle of curiosity because the late mogul had a number of circumstances towards him then, Chiz calmly answered that almost all of his marriage ceremony sponsors had circumstances towards them anyway. 

“Karamihan naman ng mga sponsors sa kasal, ‘yung could pangalan, palaging could kaso. Isa na siya ‘ron. Halos lahat yata ng sponsors sa marriage ceremony namin could kaso,” he stated. 

(Most of our marriage ceremony sponsors, the massive names, at all times have circumstances. [Ongpin] is considered one of them. Virtually all our marriage ceremony sponsors have circumstances.) 

Chiz denied there being any form of battle of curiosity. 

“Sibil man o sa negosyo man, wala naman sigurong kasong kriminal, pero ang battle of curiosity papasok lamang ‘pag ginamit mo ang pangalan at puwesto mo para tulungan siya. Wala akong ginagawang gano’n,” he added. 

(Whether or not it’s a civil case or a enterprise case, I don’t assume there’s a prison case, but it surely solely turns into a battle of curiosity once you use your identify and place to assist them. I don’t do something like that.) 

The statements of Coronary heart’s father, Rey, nonetheless, recommended in any other case. 

“Bobby Ongpin backs him up (financially). Coronary heart needed a (home) trailer, Chiz stated for her to not purchase it as a result of he would give it to her as a present. Bobby Ongpin would give it to him as a Christmas present,” Tulfo quoted Rey in his column. 

And despite the fact that Chiz and Coronary heart have a prenuptial settlement that provides every of them full possession of their very own property, Manolo Quezon nonetheless stated it greatest: “The second comes when luxurious is seen as filthy, when celeb turns into suspect, and life-style turns into an adjunct to the crime, as a result of your Instagrammable second comes on the expense of the individuals.” 

The query nonetheless stands: How may the “poorest senator” be residing a not-so-concealed lifetime of luxurious? – Rappler.com