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Mikey Bustos and partner RJ Garcia talk about their seven year love story

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Rhea Manila Santos

<p>After coming out as gay last April, Mikey Bustos and his partner and manager RJ Garcia gamely talked to the local press after the launch of Mikey’s latest music video “<em>I Showed My Parents Taipei</em>” during the #UndiscoveredTaipei press launch last June 14. The couple talked about being in a relationship for the past seven years. </p><p>“We used to be neighbors in Shaw Boulevard. It was like love at first sight. The first night we hung out. We fell in love. I got involved with Mikey’s video production for YouTube when he was starting and then <em>iniwan siya ng </em>manager <em>niya </em>from GMA7 and then I decided to manage Mikey,” RJ shared. Mikey added they are currently building a house together in Cavite. </p><div> </div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx31XEjl-Gh/" data-instgrm-version="12" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"> </div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:100px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding:19% 0"> </div><div style="display:block;height:50px;margin:0 auto 12px;width:50px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx31XEjl-Gh/" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 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563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div><div style="padding-top:8px"><div style="color:#3897f0;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:550;line-height:18px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx31XEjl-Gh/" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div></div><div style="padding:12.5% 0"> </div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;margin-bottom:14px;align-items:center"><div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(0px) translateY(7px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;height:12.5px;transform:rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"> </div></div></div><div style="margin:8px 0 0 0;padding:0 4px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx31XEjl-Gh/" style="color:#000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none;word-wrap:break-word" target="_blank">I have found LOVE to be like a garden. In order for the garden to have its best chance at success, the gardeners must follow a certain formula. They must have WISDOM, applying what they&#x27;ve learned from experience with past gardens so they choose the best soils. They must have the FORESIGHT to select the right combination of plants, the CONSISTENCY to continually water and care for them, and the DISCIPLINE to continue pulling out the weeds. The gardeners need the PERSISTENCE to incessantly trim back the excess overgrowth. During harsh frost and storms the gardeners must work to PROTECT what they&#x27;ve grown, and have the VIGILANCE to eliminate parasites wanting to destroy the plants. When there are dead zones, the gardeners must REPAIR, fertilize and treat the area to ensure it doesn&#x27;t spread and things can grow again. A successful garden requires TIME, hours, days, months, and years of SACRIFICE, DEDICATION, and TEAM WORK. Once all of that is in place, the only thing left is FAITH that the heavens will bring the weather needed for the garden to thrive. Then one day, before they know it, they&#x27;ll look back at the garden they&#x27;ve cooperatively grown and marvel at the beautiful manifestation of their love. This post is for all the gardeners out there growing their own gardens. Keep it growing! 🌺🌱❤ TAG your partner gardener! 📸: @Jeahhh 📍#Taipei 🇹🇼</a></div><p style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mikey_bustos/" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px" target="_blank"> Mikey Bustos</a> (@mikey_bustos) on <time dateTime="2019-05-25T04:39:03+00:00" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px">May 24, 2019 at 9:39pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote><script async="" src="~//www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script><div> </div><p>Early in the relationship, RJ said he had a tendency to get jealous. </p><p>“At first it was me. <em>Kasi siyempre</em> celebrity <em>siya</em>,” he admitted. </p><p>Mikey however explained that it’s not an issue for them anymore. </p><p>“I think after you date for a while, you build this trust and we’re also very open, like we tell each other who our crushes are and all of that so we’re not really so jealous unlike before. As new lovers there’s jealousy but trust builds over time,” Mikey stated. </p><p>Unlike him, Mikey revealed his partner is a little camera shy. </p><p>“Sometimes he’ll appear as an extra in the music video but he likes to be in the background. I don’t know why because his face is so <em>guwapo</em>. It’s better than mine,” he said. </p><p>That’s also the reason why MIkey was the one who initiated the decision for them to stop hiding their relationship. </p><div><a href="https://push.abs-cbn.com/2019/4/23/fresh-scoops/youtube-star-mikey-bustos-comes-out-as-gay-introd-206933"><u>READ: Youtube star Mikey Bustos comes out as gay, introduces boyfriend</u></a></div><p>“Personally, it got to a point where it was affecting na my relationship with my partner and my work as well. I was burning out more, we felt there was a kink in our machine. And so RJ and I went to Puerto Galera to hang out with some friends and we decided, ‘Hey, let’s do this. Let’s come out,” he recalled. </p><p>In honor of Pride Month, Mikey and RJ hope they have inspired other couples in similar situations to have the confidence to come out as well. </p><div> </div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwi821Tgj9r/" data-instgrm-version="12" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"> </div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:100px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding:19% 0"> </div><div style="display:block;height:50px;margin:0 auto 12px;width:50px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwi821Tgj9r/" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 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style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(0px) translateY(7px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;height:12.5px;transform:rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"> </div></div></div><div style="margin:8px 0 0 0;padding:0 4px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwi821Tgj9r/" style="color:#000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none;word-wrap:break-word" target="_blank">Freedom 🏳️‍🌈❤🌅</a></div><p style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mikey_bustos/" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px" target="_blank"> Mikey Bustos</a> (@mikey_bustos) on <time dateTime="2019-04-22T05:29:07+00:00" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px">Apr 21, 2019 at 10:29pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote><script async="" src="~//www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script><div> </div><p>“I guess from our side, since we’ve crossed the line and broken that barrier, there’s a freedom we never knew that exists now. And we thought we were happy being in the closet. We were okay. It was like a nice game for us a little bit. We made it fun. But when we came out we realized, ‘Wow RJ there’s a freedom now, I can call you bhe. I can hold your hand in public and things like that.’ Little things. We feel free and happier. We hope all young LGBTQ out there hear our story and know that it’s okay to come out,” he remarked.</p>

Comedian Mikey Bustos and his manager RJ Garcia were former neighbors who fell in love at first sight.