Celebrities

Gela Atayde shares sweet birthday greeting for Zaijian Jaranilla: “My idol since ’09”

Published 24 Aug 2026 at 2:03 PM

by Rose Dabu

3 min read

Gela Atayde shared a sweet birthday greeting for Zaijian Jaranilla through an Instagram post
The actress called him her “idol since ’09” in her short but affectionate message
She also ended her greeting with the playful line, “Love you, sungit”
Zaijian and the young star previously worked together in the ABS-CBN series “Senior High” and its sequel, “High Street”

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Gela Atayde shared a simple but sweet birthday message for Zaijian Jaranilla as the actor celebrated his special day.

In an Instagram post, the actress uploaded photos featuring Zaijian and kept her caption short.

She began her greeting by writing, “hbd to my idol since ‘09.”

Gela then added another affectionate line for the former child star.

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“Love you, sungit ♡” she wrote.

The message stood out for being brief and personal, with the actress choosing just a few words to greet Zaijian.

The reference to 2009 also comes from an important period in Zaijian’s career. That year, he became widely recognized for playing Santino in the ABS-CBN drama series “May Bukas Pa.” The role became one of the actor’s best-known projects and helped establish him as a familiar face on television.

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Zaijian was born on August 23, 2001. He marked his 25th birthday this year.

Years later, he and Gela eventually became co-stars.

Both were part of the ensemble cast of ABS-CBN and Dreamscape Entertainment’s “Senior High,” which premiered in 2023. They later returned for its sequel, “High Street,” as well as the “Life After Senior High” webisodes.

Their friendship has also drawn interest outside their projects.

In recent months, Gela and Zaijian have been linked to each other romantically, although the two have remained careful when talking publicly about the exact status of their relationship.

During the media conference for “The Silent Noise” in March 2026, Zaijian was directly asked about the real score between him and Gela.

Instead of confirming or denying anything, the actor simply replied, “Secret!”

Zaijian has also been seen spending time with members of the Atayde family.

In May, he attended the birthday celebration of Gela’s mother, veteran actress Sylvia Sanchez. ABS-CBN News reported his presence at the family occasion, adding another public appearance involving Zaijian and the Ataydes.

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See Gela's post below:

Sylvia Sanchez is a multi-award-winning Filipina dramatic actress and the Chief Operating Officer of Nathan Studios. Renowned for her powerful portrayals of motherhood, she has successfully transitioned into a major film producer. She is the matriarch of a prominent show business family, including her children Arjo and Ria Atayde, and remains a vital figure in the industry’s 2026 landscape.

As previously reported by KAMI, Sylvia shared a heartfelt birthday greeting for her daughter, Ria, on Instagram, celebrating their close mother-daughter bond. The veteran actress expressed how lucky she feels to be Ria’s mom and affectionately referred to her as “Riapotpot.” She accompanied the simple yet touching message with emojis and tagged Ria in the post, making it personal and warm. Fans quickly reacted to the post, leaving messages of love and admiration for the pair. The post highlighted not only Ria’s special day but also the genuine affection and closeness shared between mother and daughter.