MANILA — Former couple Roxanne Guinoo and Joross Gamboa found themselves evaluating their current relationship on live television Tuesday, as they answered a “Madlang Pi-Poll” question about ex-lovers becoming friends.

Guinoo and Gamboa, who were together for two years until 2006, are co-stars in the romantic-comedy series “Hoy, Love You!” and its upcoming second season.

• Joross, Roxanne's 'Hoy, Love You' to have second season

As the studio players of “Madlang Pi-Poll,” the two were tasked to guess the vote of home viewers, given a set of answers to a question across seven rounds.

One of the questions was: “Maaari bang maging magkaibigan ang dating nagkaibigan?”

Given the choices “yes” or “no,” Guinoo and Gamboa ended up answering what applies to them personally.

“Chika lang kami, okay naman,” Guinoo said. “Hindi naman kami super-duper close talaga. Na-maintain talaga namin ‘yung respect sa isa’t isa.”

Gamboa surmised: “Depende naman iyan sa sitwasyon, e. If you know your boundaries, puwede naman kayong civil o work mates. Pero hindi kayo ‘yung nagti-text-an nang diretsahan. Padaanin niyo sa group chat. Kumbaga, hindi na kayo nag-ha-hang out as friends.”

Both Guinoo and Gamboa are married. Guinoo tied the knot with Elton Yap, with whom she has three children, in 2011; while Gamboa exchanged vows with Katz Saga, with whom he has two kids, in 2014.

“Actually, case to case basis naman talaga ‘to,” Guinoo said. “Pero, sa iba kasi, to lessen the issue, especially kung may pamilya ka na, may existing partner, better yet, huwag na lang, to avoid any conflict.”

“Pero kung tingin mo naman, hindi ka binastos nu’ng past mo, nirespeto ka, walang reason to say no sa friendship. Ang friendship naman hindi necessarily super text mates kayo, kumustahan. Puwede naman kayo sa group, e, para ma-maintain niyo ang pagiging magkaibigan,” she added.

FRIENDS VS ACQUAINTANCE

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When host Vice Ganda mentioned that there is a difference between being friends and mere acquaintances, Guinoo explained that the extent of her friendship with Gamboa has been tied to their “barkada” or group, which was formed through “Star Circle Quest.”

The 2004 ABS-CBN talent search birthed the “love team” of Guinoo and Gamboa, alongside the popular tandem of Hero Angeles and Sandara Park. Their batch mates include Melissa Ricks, Neri Naig, Joseph Bitangcol, and Michelle Madrigal, among others.

“Barkada tayo sa ‘SCQ’ kasi, kaya kami, nami-measure namin ang friendship talaga, kasi 'pag Joross-Roxanne, ‘SCQ.’ Ganoon ko nami-measure,” she said.

Referring to the time after their breakup in 2006, Guinoo recalled: “Hindi na kami naging in touch talaga, except ito, trabaho. Gusto ko siya makatrabaho, okay siya sa akin. Hindi iyong parang, ‘Joross,’ ‘Ayoko.’ Hindi naman ganoon.”

In deciding on their final answer for the game, Guinoo and Gamboa agreed on defining friendship as maintaining a close relationship.

“In general ‘to — kung ‘friends,’ ang definition ay maging close ulit tulad dati, hindi,” Gamboa said.

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Anticipating the home players would answer the same, the two were surprised that the “madlang people” picked otherwise.

Vice Ganda wondered if the home players truly felt as they voted, or strategized in order to win the cash prize.

‘PAPALAYAIN KO SIYA, KASI MAHAL KO SIYA’

That wasn’t the last love-related question on “Madlang Pi-Poll” on Tuesday.

This time, Pido, the “It’s Showtime” assistant cameraman whose heartbreak has unfolded on the program, was asked to answer which saying he believes the most.

The choices: “Love is blind”; “Time heals all wounds”; or, “If you love the person, set them free.”

Without much thinking, Pido picked the last option, saying, “Papalayain ko siya, kasi mahal ko siya.”

Pido, who is only identified by his nickname, previously said his wife of five years no longer welcomes him home, and that despite his best efforts, he has been unable to fix their marriage.

• #PidoWeLoveYou trends as cameraman’s heartbreak unfolds on ‘Showtime’

Pido’s casual sharing of setting his wife free was the latest update in the personal story, which first drew wide attention on social media on August 16.

Since then, Pido has become a darling of sorts online, having become a trending topic on Twitter, and with a growing following who identify with his heartbreak.

“It’s Showtime” airs weekdays and Saturdays and is accessible via Kapamilya Online Live, Kapamilya Channel, iWantTFC, and A2Z Channel 11.

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