Flonique Guimary

Sarah Geronimo’s 'big word' that defined ‘It Takes a Man and a Woman’

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Alyana De Guzman

Push Team

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1765867038744WST-Dec_SarahGeronimo.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div> </div><p><strong></strong>“Trust! Wow! Big word.” </p><div> </div><p>This was the line delivered by Laida Magtalas in one of the most unforgettable scenes in 2013 Star Cinema film<em> It Takes a Man and a Woman</em>, the third and final film in the Laida-Miggy trilogy top billed by Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz. The moment happens when two ex-lovers are obligated to work together again, reopening wounds they thought were long buried. </p><div> </div><p>The line comes after when Laida and Miggy reunite professionally for a new magazine project. As Laida confidently presents her ideas to secure a deal with one of the leading media corporations, Miggy questions her ability to make such negotiations happen. He points to her position as an editorial assistant, implying that someone in her role may not be &quot;trusted&quot; with decisions of that scale. Before Miggy can finish explaining, Laida cuts him off. What could have been a simple professional disagreement turns deeply personal, revealing that “trust” is no longer just a business term between them. </p><div> </div><div><iframe width="738" height="415" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7Qa9_ayd8OQ" title="Anong &#x27;big word&#x27; nga ba ang binitawan ni Miggy? | MEMOREELS" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div> </div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/3/4/sarah-geronimo-grateful-as-she-marks-22nd-year-in-showbiz-1238" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: Sarah Geronimo grateful as she marks 22nd year in showbiz</strong></a></div><div> </div><p>Two years earlier, Laida walked away from their relationship after catching Miggy clinging to another woman, Belle, played by Isabelle Daza, while they were still together. At that time, both were having a hard time dealing with challenges in their families, with Laida’s parents&#x27; separation and Miggy’s father passing away due to a heart attack. That betrayal became the unspoken backdrop of every conversation they avoided, and this confrontation finally brought it to the surface. </p><div> </div><p>The impact of the line is rooted in the journey that began years earlier in the movie’s prequel and sequel. In the trilogy’s prequel,<em> A Very Special Love</em> (2008), Laida was introduced as a bubbly, family-oriented young woman who landed a job as Miggy’s editorial assistant. Her optimism, sincerity, and infectious energy slowly melted Miggy’s intimidating, perfectionist exterior, leading to a romance filled with office mishaps, misunderstandings, and moments that made audiences fall in love with her. </p><div> </div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/films/2025/4/24/highs-and-lows-of-laida-miggy-in-the-timeless-sarah-geronimo-john-lloyd-cruz-movie-trilogy-1720" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: Highs and lows of Laida+Miggy in the timeless Sarah Geronimo, John Lloyd Cruz movie trilogy</strong></a></div><div> </div><p>Their story continued in the sequel<em> You Changed My Life </em>(2009), where Laida and Miggy faced the realities of career growth and distance. Miggy’s assignment in Laguna and the return of Laida’s old friend Macoy (Rayver Cruz) complicated their relationship, testing how love survives when ambition and opportunity pull two people in different directions. </p><div> </div><p>By the time<em> It Takes a Man and a Woman</em> begins, both have changed. Laida returns from New York more confident and accomplished after working in a major publishing company, while Miggy’s career as a magazine publisher is on the brink. Tasked with saving the family business, he finds himself working alongside the woman who once knew him best. </p><div> </div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/films/2025/7/24/watch-when-sarah-geronimo-returned-as-a-changed-woman-in-it-takes-a-man-and-a-woman-1630" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: WATCH: When Sarah Geronimo returned as a &#x27;changed&#x27; woman in &#x27;It Takes a Man and a Woman&#x27;</strong></a></div><div> </div><p>Laida’s line about trust marked her full transformation. No longer the wide-eyed assistant, she is now more self-assured, and unafraid to call out what was broken. Her &quot;big word&quot; moment became so memorable that it was even playfully echoed in the film by Joross Gamboa’s character John Rae, who humorously twisted it into “Big Bird,” adding hilariousness to Laida’s recurring conversations about trust. </p><div> </div><div><br/></div><blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@netflixph/video/7198736009415232770" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7198736009415232770" id="v65925584683317070" style="max-width:605px;min-width:325px"><iframe name="__tt_embed__v65925584683317070" sandbox="allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-scripts allow-top-navigation allow-same-origin" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7198736009415232770?lang=en-US&amp;referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-12-15T15%3A37%3A18.253186%3A990e99bc-4f6c-4f4b-8238-2b776a958fd2%26action%3Dedit" style="width:100%;height:757px;display:block;visibility:unset;max-height:757px"></iframe></blockquote><script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div> </div><p>More than a decade after its release, the line continues to resonate with Filipinos. When the scene resurfaced on TikTok through Netflix Philippines, thousands recreated and lip-synced Laida’s line. Celebrities and content creators like Sharmaine Arnaiz and the late Ricky Rivero, Dior Veneracion, Derleen “Sili Queen” Rimas, and Rosmar Tan joined in the fun. The audio racked up with nearly 25,000 posts, introducing Laida’s words to a new generation.  </p><div> </div><div><br/></div><blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@rickyrivero72/video/7077745353348386074" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7077745353348386074" id="v36516084063382360" style="max-width:605px;min-width:325px"><iframe name="__tt_embed__v36516084063382360" sandbox="allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-scripts allow-top-navigation allow-same-origin" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7077745353348386074?lang=en-US&amp;referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-12-15T15%3A37%3A18.253186%3A990e99bc-4f6c-4f4b-8238-2b776a958fd2%26action%3Dedit" style="width:100%;height:739px;display:block;visibility:unset;max-height:739px"></iframe></blockquote><script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div> </div><div><br/></div><blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@siliqueenofficial/video/7078156108950506778" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7078156108950506778" id="v35573447951830996" style="max-width:605px;min-width:325px"><iframe name="__tt_embed__v35573447951830996" sandbox="allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-scripts allow-top-navigation allow-same-origin" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7078156108950506778?lang=en-US&amp;referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-12-15T15%3A37%3A18.253186%3A990e99bc-4f6c-4f4b-8238-2b776a958fd2%26action%3Dedit" style="width:100%;height:721px;display:block;visibility:unset;max-height:721px"></iframe></blockquote><script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div> </div><p>Directed by Cathy Garcia-Sampana,<em> It Takes a Man and a Woman</em> became a box-office phenomenon in 2013. The film earned ₱345 million in less than three weeks, eventually becoming the second highest-grossing Filipino film of all time in that year after the 2012 Metro Manila Film Festival entry <em>Sisterakas</em> starring the comedy trio of Vice Ganda, Kris Aquino, and Ai-Ai delas Alas. It also became the biggest-earning non-MMFF local movie at the same time. It capped a trilogy that saw <em>A Very Special Love </em>earn ₱179.5 million and <em>You Changed My Life </em>gross ₱225.2 million. </p><div> </div><p>The emotional weight of the film extended to its ending, particularly the wedding vows of Laida and Miggy that made everyone cry. According to a newsletter from Lopez Link, the movie’s screenwriter Carmi Raymundo revealed that the vows were written by Sarah and John Lloyd themselves.  </p><div> </div><div><iframe width="738" height="415" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JjbkBe00nMU" title="Miggy and Laida&#x27;s happily ever after! | &#x27;It Takes a Man and a Woman&#x27;| Movie Clips" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div>  </div><p>“Direk Cathy and I told Sarah and Lloydie that we want them to write Miggy and Laida’s wedding vows. We wanted to hear from them directly what they think were the learnings of their characters,” she shared. Carmi added that when she read what they wrote, she immediately felt the sincerity behind the words, saying, “Both were nervous about writing but they were very excited. When they showed me what they wrote, I knew right away that they wrote from the hearts of their characters. They were so sincere, their vows were beautiful!” </p><div> </div><p>She also admitted that very little editing was done. “It was just really minor edits. Their vows made the ending of Laida and Miggy&#x27;s love story a thousand times more special because they spoke their own words. As a writer, that is my gift to them: to let them speak their own words. In the end, it’s like Miggy and Laida really existed and lived,” she said. </p><div> </div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/2013/4/23/fresh-scoops/john-lloyd-cruz-says-he-and-sarah-geronimo-wrote-t-15691" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: John Lloyd Cruz says he and Sarah Geronimo wrote the wedding vows for their movie</strong></a></div><div> </div><p>John Lloyd later echoed this in an interview, recalling how challenging yet meaningful the process was. “I had to write it as Miggy Montenegro. Medyo mahirap siya, you write from the heart. When I was writing the vows, ang tagal, ilang days,” he shared.  </p><div> </div><p>He added that Carmi helped refine the thoughts behind the words, saying, “May isang group of words na talagang nagustuhan ni Ate Carmi. Twineak niya pati kay Sarah, the whole thought, the intention of words. I’m proud to say na kami [ni Sarah] gumawa.” </p><div> </div><p>Watch<em> A Very Special Love, You Changed My Life</em>, and <em>It Takes a Man and a Woman</em> on ABS-CBN Star Cinema’s official YouTube channel.</p>

<p>This iconic line from 'It Takes a Man and a Woman' became one of the most quoted moments in Filipino romantic cinema. Delivered by Laida Magtalas, portrayed by Sarah Geronimo, it captured years of love, heartbreak, and growth in just a few words.</p>

This iconic line from 'It Takes a Man and a Woman' became one of the most quoted moments in Filipino romantic cinema. Delivered by Laida Magtalas, portrayed by Sarah Geronimo, it captured years of love, heartbreak, and growth in just a few words.

WHO SAID THIS: Sarah Geronimo’s 'big word' that defined ‘It Takes a Man and a Woman’

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WHO SAID THIS: Sarah Geronimo’s 'big word' that defined ‘It Takes a Man and a Woman’

Alyana De Guzman,

Push Team

Published Dec 16, 2025 02:43 PM PHT

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Sarah Geronimo

John Lloyd Cruz

A Very Special Love

You Changed My Life

It Takes a Man and a Woman

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