Allyzza Kay Trinidad

Why “Gloria”? Coco Martin explains Julia Montes’ new identity in “Sigabo”

Article (news)

Mary Ann Bardinas

<p>After weeks of waiting, avid viewers of &quot;<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/sigabo" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u><em>Coco Martin&#x27;s Sigabo</em></u></strong></a>&quot; and fervent shippers of the CocoJul tandem have finally reached one of the most exciting parts of the well-loved ABS-CBN Studios primetime series! </p><p>Although there are still intense scenes packed with action and drama, just like what we&#x27;ve seen in the earlier episodes, the recent ones have been relatively lighter, featuring the kilig and comedic scenes between lead characters Gabo and Sam, impressively portrayed by reel-and-real-life couple, Coco Martin and Julia Montes. </p><p>Just as many of us have probably imagined scenarios about how they&#x27;re going to end up together following their not-so pleasant first encounters—first during the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2026/6/22/sigabo-gabo-hindi-napigilan-at-hinalikan-si-sam-episode-1-2255" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>bus robbery incident</u></strong></a>, when they immediately got into each other&#x27;s nerves, and then when <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2026/7/23/sigabo-gabo-at-sam-matagumpay-na-natapos-ang-misyon-upang-masukol-si-mr-chan-episode-24-2255" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>Gabo helped Sam and her team finally catch notorious criminals Victor &quot;Tigre&quot; Zafra (JM de Guzman) and Mr. Chan (Mike Castillo)</u></strong></a> — little did we expect that Gabo and Sam would meet again in such a random and unlikely manner.  </p><p>As soon as she regained consciousness the morning after crashing onto the roof of Gabo&#x27;s bedroom, Sam realized that she was under the custody of the very man whom she accused of taking advantage of her and being affiliated with notorious criminals Victor &quot;Tigre&quot; Zafra (JM de Guzman) and Mr. Chan (Mike Castillo). Thus, in order to confirm that her assumptions were correct, she pretended to be suffering from amnesia, acting as if she didn&#x27;t know who she was or even remember her own name. </p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2026/8/25/sigabo-sam-naisip-na-magtago-muna-sa-puder-nila-gabo-episode-47-2246" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>WATCH | Sam, naisip na magtago muna sa puder nila Gabo | Sigabo </u></strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>Unaware of Sam&#x27;s plan, Gabo also made a spur-of-the-moment decision to put up his own show by introducing himself as her husband and telling her that her name was &quot;Gloria,&quot; leaving both Sam and his family stunned.</p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2026/8/25/sigabo-gabo-ipinakilala-ang-sarili-bilang-asawa-ni-sam-episode-47-2247" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>WATCH | Gabo, ipinakilala ang sarili bilang asawa ni Sam | Sigabo</u></strong></a> </div><div> </div><p>But of all the alternate names that could have been given to Julia, why &quot;Gloria&quot;? Direk Coco enthusiastically revealed the story behind the significant choice in this exclusive behind-the-scenes interview with CCM Film Productions. </p><div> </div><div><iframe width="916" height="543" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Gxv4rusd6MY" title="Direk Coco, ibinahagi ang inspirasyon sa likod ng karakter ni Julia bilang Gloria | CCM Exclusives" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><p>Since Gabo considers Sam &quot;hulog ng langit,&quot; or blessing from heaven, after she suddenly fell beside him while he was imploring God to finally bless him with the woman he would love for the rest of his life, it could have been presumed that it inspired the name &quot;Gloria.&quot; However, Direk Coco confessed that there was actually no deep meaning behind it. </p><p>&quot;Everytime naman—from &#x27;[Ang] Probinsyano&#x27; to &#x27;Batang Quiapo,&#x27; gigising lang ako isang araw and then kung ano &#x27;yong naisip ko, &#x27;yon na &#x27;yon. Wala siyang plano, wala siyang ano. Basta kung ano &#x27;yong nararamdaman ko no&#x27;ng moment na &#x27;yon,&quot; he related.  </p><p>Aside from the alternate name, Direk Coco also shared that he came up with the totally unexpected Gabo-Gloria narrative upon waking up one day. Although he could have turned it into something serious or followed the cliché plot of fighting cats and dogs, he instead thought of putting a different gimmick or element into their much-awaited reunion. </p><p>&quot;I think, sa mga kinukuhanan namin nagwo-work kasi kahit kami-kami, kahit ‘yung writers namin everytime na pinipitch ko &#x27;yong kuwento, &#x27;yong lines, natatawa sila. Sabi ko kasi, ang pinaka importante naman dito is ma-cater natin &#x27;yong mga manonood,&quot; he imparted.  </p><p>He added, &quot;Ako naman, ang lagi kong iniisip, hindi lang kami eh. Ang iniisip ko lagi &#x27;yong mga tao e, kung saan sila mag-e-enjoy. Kasi sabi ko nga, ang trabaho namin ay makapagbigay ng saya at ng inspirasyon at ng entertainment sa lahat ng mga manonood.&quot; </p><p>Direk Coco wrapped up the interview by reiterating the promise he made before the series premiered months ago to—bring &quot;Sigabo&quot; into the realms of comedy and romance.  </p><p>Watch out for more romantic and comedic scenes between Gabo and Gloria in the upcoming episodes of &quot;<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/sigabo" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u><em>Coco Martin&#x27;s Sigabo</em></u></strong></a>,&quot; weeknights at 8:00 PM on ABS-CBN sa ALLTV2, Kapamilya Channel, TV5, A2Z, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), or stream anytime on <a href="https://app.iwanttfc.com/dFR6MWHAcVb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>iWant</u></strong></a>!</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>More on this story: </strong></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2026/8/28/coco-martin-opens-up-about-julia-montes-influence-on-his-life-and-career-0035" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>Coco Martin opens up about Julia Montes’ influence on his life and career</u></strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2026/8/27/coco-martin-and-julia-montes-kilig-off-cam-moments-on-the-set-of-coco-martin-s-sigabo-0232" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>Coco Martin and Julia Montes’ kilig off-cam moments on the set of “Coco Martin’s Sigabo”</u></strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2026/8/25/coco-shows-sweet-support-for-julia-behind-the-scenes-of-her-intense-action-sequence-in-sigabo-0035" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>Coco shows sweet support for Julia behind the scenes of her intense action sequence in “Sigabo”</u></strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2026/8/24/cocojul-shares-sweet-revelations-about-long-standing-relationship-in-finish-the-sentence-challenge-0115" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>CocoJul shares sweet revelations about their long-standing relationship in this fun “Finish the Sentence” Challenge</u></strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2026/5/16/from-masungit-to-meant-to-be-a-timeline-of-how-coco-martin-and-julia-montes-love-story-started-1421" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>From ‘masungit’ to meant-to-be: A timeline of how Coco Martin and Julia Montes’ love story started </u></strong></a></div>

<p>Lead actor-director Coco Martin reveals why he gave Julia Montes’ “Sigabo” character the alternate name “Gloria” and how he came up with the unexpected Gabo-Gloria story arc.</p>

Lead actor-director Coco Martin reveals why he gave Julia Montes’ “Sigabo” character the alternate name “Gloria” and how he came up with the unexpected Gabo-Gloria story arc.