What "Maya" and "Mama Chen" Have in Common

Jodi Sta. Maria, Richard Yap and Melody Yap
Photos courtesy of BCWMH’s Facebook fan page

The top-rating romantic comedy series Be Careful with my Heart changed not only the landscape of daytime TV viewing but also the culture of showbiz loveteams. The team-up of Jodi Sta. Maria (30) and Richard “Papa Chen” Yap (45) is a welcome break from the usual teenybopper pairings. Their partnership continues to gain huge success even when it’s an open fact that Richard is happily married (for almost two decades now!) in real life.

Interestingly, Jodi’s character Maya Dela Rosa has something in common with Richard’s real-life wife Melody Yap (a.k.a. Mama Chen). In the story, Maya, a girl from the province, agreed to work for airline tycoon Richard Lim as a baby-sitter in exchange for a scholarship. She aims to pursue her dream of becoming a flight stewardess. In real life, Richard’s wife Melody is a former flight attendant for Philippine Airlines (PAL).:)

Maya (Jodi Sta. Maria);
The Lim Family – Luke (Jerome Ponce), Abby (Mutya Orquia),
Richard (Richard Yap), and Nikki (Janella Salvador)
Photos courtesy of BCWMH’s Facebook fan pages

Sir Chief and Maya Invade ASAP 18!