Twenty five years after her former reel and real-life partner Rico Yan’s death, Claudine Barretto has reintroduced herself as “Claudine Barretto Yan.”
On Instagram, Claudine shared a compilation of clips that included sweet moments of her and Rico in the past.
“Pero ngayon, nakakapagmove-on na ako. Na-accept ko na wala na siya, hindi siya babalik. Sa susunod na buhay, magkikita kami. Doon, matutuloy ‘yun,” said the actress in the video.
Claudine explained that her new surname reflects the bond she has formed with Rico’s mother, Sita Yan, who embraced her as a daughter after they reconnected during the actor’s 20th death anniversary in 2022.
“It’s not about Rico anymore. [It’s] about my love and relationship with his Mom, who now accepted me as her daughter.
“So @tinamarieyan @gerryytee & I are now ‘REAL SISTERS.’ I can now say I am not just Claudine Barretto.
“I am now Claudine Barretto YAN. Not a sister in law not a daughter in law but Sita Yan’s daughter,” Claudine stressed in the caption.
She continued, “I am so blessed [because] she makes me feel loved every single day. What once was just forgiveness is now a real family.”
The actress went on to pen a heartfelt letter to the late matinee idol.
“RY [you] can now rest, hun, we now have each other to take good care of. You can now fly with [your] beautiful dimple faced smile. As I let u go I carry all the [love] & beautiful memories with me in my heart till infinity & beyond,” wrote Claudine.
“Rest now my sweet Prince. I [love] [you] , always have & forever till eternity & beyond will,” she concluded.
Claudine and Rico dated in the late 1990s for about four years before parting ways. Rico passed away in 2002 due to acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis at the age of 27.
