Theirs is a love story that started in the most unusual of places: a police station. But it’s not what you may think. Rodel Marcelo was a newbie policeman, while Shiela Galgana was a tabloid correspondent handling the police beat. Major Jaime Peralta, the chief of the police detachment where Rodel was assigned, was a good friend of Shiela’s father and introduced them to each other. He also teased the two about possibly becoming an item, with both Shiela and Rodel being single. “But I wasn’t looking for a boyfriend,” Shiela said. “I was in my early twenties, and with the six-year gap in our ages, I thought Rodel was too old for me.”
But they did grow close, and would often hang-out. She’d accompany him to the mall whenever he had to buy supplies for the station, while he’d let her use his desk and typewriter so she can work on her stories if she needed to.
And even when Rodel was later assigned to another station, he’d still find a way to connect with Shiela. They’d often burn the telephone lines, which was actually telling of how they finally became a couple. “This is really corny, but he lent me a Stevie Wonder cassette tape, and told me to listen to the track ‘I Just Called to Say I Love You,’” Shiela said. “The next time we saw each other, we talked about the song, and then he asked me to be his girlfriend!”
Just like ordinary couples, their dates usually consisted of watching movies and dining out. But given the nature of their jobs, things sometimes took an interesting turn. One time, they were supposed to meet at the mall to watch a movie, but Shiela got wind of a bank robbery that was happening nearby. Her reporter instincts kicked in and she rushed with colleagues to the scene, thinking she’d deal with Rodel and the missed date later on. It happened sooner than expected though, because when she arrived at the crime scene, Rodel was also there, conducting an investigation.
Marriage woes, sleepless nights
Two years after becoming a couple, Shiela and Rodel finally decided to tie the knot. “The proposal was very casual. We were fishing at this pond just behind our family’s house, when he brought up the subject of getting married. That’s where all this is going to lead to anyway, he said, and I agreed,” Shiela recounted.
Of course, Major Peralta, who introduced the two, was asked by Shiela and Rodel to be their ninong.
The occasion was met by her family with both excitement and anxiety. Shiela was among the last of her cousins to get married, and her father all too happy to finally marry her off. But her mother warned her about marrying a man whose job would always put his life on the line.
“My mother had reason to worry, I guess. During the first few years of our marriage, I would often be in tears, all consumed by fear every time Rodel would be out late,” Shiela said. “I was always scared something would happen to him, and I found it hard to sleep at night.”
It all changed when they had their kids Patricia, Uno, Bullet, and Raki. Shiela’s attention shifted to the children, and she also found comfort in the thought that Rodel would do all he can to keep safe, knowing that his kids are waiting for him.
When the kids came along, Shiela saw another side to Rodel. Tough as he was as a policeman, he was loving and caring when it came to the kids. “He personally attends to their needs, which isn’t something common in men. And he absolutely loves cooking for them. Given how I am not that talented in the kitchen, that was a huge deal,” she said with a laugh. “In fact, there was one time when Rodel had to go away for a six-month training, and our eldest Patricia couldn’t help but ask, ‘Paano kami kakain, Daddy?’”
Keeping the love alive
Of course, like any relationship, Shiela and Rodel also have their ups and downs. “Relationships take work, especially when you have different ways of handling arguments. I like to discuss everything in detail so we can iron things out, but Rodel prefers to just let the anger pass then he’d be back to normal in a snap,” Shiela said. “We’ve learned to adjust to each other’s quirks. And of course, trust is really key. He always tells me if he’d be out with his friends, and I never snoop around his wallet or his phone.”
Hard as it is with their hectic schedules and multiple concerns at work and at home, Shiela and Rodel also strive to spend some quality time with each other. “Our dates these days usually involve going to department stores or furniture shops because we both like to spruce up our home. We go shopping for pans and knives, or check out character pieces like tables and lamps,” Shiela said. “When we find time, we try to go out-of-town without the kids in tow.”
She also enjoys writing him love letters. And while he doesn’t always respond with his own letters, Rodel has kept every single one that Shiela ever gave him, everything neatly filed and arranged according to date.
Take note: that’s 20 years’ worth of love letters.
From 1996 to forever
Last December, Shiela and Rodel celebrated 20 years of marriage. It hasn’t been easy, and they’ve had their share of challenges and sacrifices, but they’ve stayed strong through it all.
And while at first it seemed that their jobs would create complications in their relationship, it has actually helped keep them together. Rodel is now a chief of the Quezon City Police District Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, while Shiela is a news executive producer of DZMM, the AM radio station of ABS-CBN. “Our interests match. There’s always something to talk about because our jobs are closely connected,” Shiela said.
Of course, it’s also important to take a step back and focus on each other. “20 years of marriage has taught me that even though couples have been together for a long time, dapat para pa ring mag-boyfriend-girlfriend. You should never lose that. Be super sweet as you were in day one of your relationship.”
From 1996 to forever. Not bad for a love story that started in the last place where people would look for love in.
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