MANILA, Philippines – It may have been a short-lived romance, but Jake Cuenca reiterated that he and ex-girlfriend Sara Grace Kelley are still friends.  (READ: Jake Cuenca confirms breakup with Sara Grace Kelley)

“Friends pa rin kami. So hindi naman siya yung bad breakup na nag-away. We don’t hate each other anything like that,” Jake told reporters during the press conference for his new endorsement Guitar Underwear Thursday, March 17. Jake and Sara were together for a year.

(We’re still friends. So it was not a bad breakup, or that we fought. We don’t hate each other or anything like that.)

According to Jake, one of the reasons he and Sara, 20, decided to part ways was because of their distance from each other. Sara, who is also a model, is based in the US.

“It just didn’t work out. ‘Yung distance din parang pag dating sa long-distance, parang may mga problema na alam mo na kaya mo ayusin pag magkaharap kayo. Pero dahil sa distansya, text at tawag, ang daming mga bagay na nagiging mas complicated,” Jake said.

(The distance also because when it comes to long-distance, all the problems you have that you know you can fixed when you’re together. But because of the distance, the text and call, there are just things that makes it more complicated.)

Jake said that it was Sara who made the decision to call it quits.

“She’s really special to me, to put it that way. And like I said, all the relationships I’ve been in, nakita n’yo naman (you saw it for yourself), so different… na parang sinasabi ko na (that I said) to me I’m just cherishing that relationship. It was the best that I had. And sana one day, we can meet halfway and continue the relationship but so far right now we have to do what’s best for us,” he said.

He also clarified that Sara was never jealous of his leading lady Arci Muñoz in Pasion de Amor, with whom he shares kissing scenes. However, she did tell him she was not used to it.

“Nakakapanibago sa kanya kasi never pa naman I mean never pa siyang nagkaroon na artistang boyfriend. So pagnakikita niya sa TV na may halikan so it was a bit, hindi siya problema because very supportive naman siya at naging okay naman sila ni Arci. But it was uncomfortable,” he said.

(It was something new to her because she never had an actor for a boyfriend. So when she sees it on TV that there was a kissing scene, it was not really a problem because she and Arci were okay. But it was uncomfortable.)

Asked if there’s a chance he and Sara would reconcile when he goes to New York, Jake said he’s hoping he and Sara could see each other, but that he’s not ready for now to get into a relationship.

 “It wasn’t like a showbiz relationship na binuklat namin nang ganun or inilantad namin yung mga issues namin or mga problema namin (we opened or shared all of our issues or problems). So I want to keep [it that way] and kung sakaling magkabalikan man (if we get back together), I think she’ll appreciate me not talking [about] a lot of things,” he said.

Jake shared that he is set to fly to New York where he will take a short vacation and attend some acting classes for a new role he’s set to do upon his return. He’s also involved with his new endorsement Guitar Underwear where he designed a collection of underwear and shirts.

He’s also set to do an independent film with director Quark Henares, and a movie with his Pasion de Amor co-stars Ejay Falcon and Joseph Marco. – Rappler.com