Filipino actor and businessman Jose Sarasola admitted he and Japanese star Maria Ozawa have ended their almost five-year relationship.

In an interview with Pep.ph, Sarasola revealed that their long distance relationship caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on them.

“To be honest, wala na kami. It’s been difficult, e, it’s been very hard. LDR is very hard. We never expect this to be difficult,” he said.

According to him, it was just last December when they mutually agreed to call it quits after more than four years of being together. He also denied having a third party nor a big fight that led to their breakup.

“Last December, we had a talk. We mutually agreed to part ways. Pero wala naman kaming pinag-awayan, big fight, third party. Wala naman talagang away. It’s, like, ang hirap lang talaga ng LDR. We didn’t expect na ganito kahirap talaga,” Sarasola added.

Sarasola said Ozawa left for Japan at the start of the pandemic, thinking it would eventually end after several months.

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“She left knowing na baka after three months baka mawala eventually, little did we know na naging global pandemic na siya. Up to now, she never came back. Nahihirapan talaga siya kasi sa mga rules ng mga foreigners coming back,” Sarasola explained.

The former couple tried to keep their relationship at first by calling each other everyday.

“But as time went by, it just took a heavy toll on the both of us, e. Nahirapan kaming dalawa. Medyo hard na to continue the relationship, parang it’s hard when your partner is not here,” he said.

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Sarasola said they have remained friends despite the breakup.

“We both agreed na it’s the best for us now that we both go our separate ways,” he continued.

Sarasola and Ozawa have been dating since 2017.