Love Story of Tricia Sandejas and Rico Yan
TRICIA SANDEJAS – The first love of the late actor Rico Yan shared the story of their romance in the commemorative magazine RICO.
Their relationship began in 1992 at De La Salle University, where both were freshmen. Rico made the first move by initiating contact with Tricia, often waiting for her at McDonald’s, and gradually turning their casual encounters into a deeper connection.
Tricia recalled not realizing Rico was courting her until he sent her Chips Ahoy cookies and a sweet note while she was sick. This thoughtful gesture marked the beginning of their formal relationship. By 1993, Rico asked Tricia to be his girlfriend, and she gladly accepted. She remembered his declaration, “Among all the flowers in the world, you are the one that stands out.”
Their relationship was characterized by constant communication, with daily love letters and notes left in their favorite hangout spots. They enjoyed simple pleasures, like a spontaneous rainy day shower in Tricia’s backyard, reflecting their playful and loving bond. They even planned their future together, discussing their wedding and future children.
However, as Rico’s acting career began to take off, the pressures and demands of showbiz started to affect their relationship. Tricia noticed that Rico was increasingly overwhelmed by his professional responsibilities, juggling school, thesis work, and film projects. Despite her efforts to understand his career pressures, she felt neglected and began to feel jealous of his interactions with new female co-stars. Although Rico was open about their relationship with his fans and did not hide Tricia from the public, the growing fame and professional responsibilities strained their connection.
By 1997, the couple decided to end their relationship, a decision Tricia supported despite the heartache. The demands of Rico’s rising star status made it challenging to maintain their relationship. They had a brief reunion in 2002 to celebrate Rico’s birthday, where he also informed Tricia about his breakup with Claudine Barretto.
Today, Tricia is married to former Makati City Mayor Junjun Binay. Despite the end of her relationship with Rico Yan, she cherishes the memories of their time together and has moved forward with new beginnings in her life.