MANILA — Having reached 10 years as a love team, reel and real-life couple Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla have the distinction of being the longest-running screen pairing among their contemporaries.

Bernardo and Padilla, popularly known as “KathNiel,” marked their first decade as a love team in September 2021. Their tandem was launched via the 2011 teen drama series “Growing Up,” which was followed with consecutive hits both on TV and the big screen, cementing their status as the country’s foremost love team.

Coinciding with their 10th year together on screen, the two will finally make their teleserye comeback via “2 Good 2 Be True,” which is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on May 13, iWant TFC on May 14, and on ABS-CBN platforms on May 16.

During the media launch of the series on Friday, Bernardo and Padilla were asked what they believe has been the “secret” to their longevity.

“There’s no exact formula talaga na, ‘Okay, if you do this, magiging 10 years din kayo ng love team niyo, ito ‘yung secret,’” Bernardo answered. “But I think, if there’s something na since day one, up until now, 10 years after, it’s respect and teamwork. Iyon ‘yung ginagawa namin ni DJ over the years.”

“Iyon ‘yung nag-wo-work for us. So hindi ko rin masabi na gawin niyo ‘yun ta’s iyon ‘yung mangyayari sa inyo. But, kasi, teamwork is very important, na hindi niyo nakikita ang isa’t isa as competition. Dapat nagtutulungan kayo paakyat. With DJ, hawak-kamay kami, through thick and thin, nandiyan kami para sa isa’t isa,” she added.

Bernardo shared, as an example, that during a difficult scene they had filmed the day before, Padilla’s reassuring words helped her manage and overcome her apprehensions.

“Just yesterday, meron akong nahirapan na eksena, kasi feeling ko hindi ako ready doon. Pero sinabihan lang ako ni DJ, ‘Oh my God, na-feel ko na.’ That’s very important na tinutulungan niyo ang isa’t isa to be better. Ganoon ‘yung na-develop ko na relationship with him,” she said.

Padilla, meanwhile, opted for a few words in answering the same question. He echoed his girlfriend’s response, but added that their love for each other, too, has been a factor in their longevity as a love team.

“It’s the same. It’s love and respect and ‘yung support sa isa’t isa. ‘Yung suporta namin sa isa’t isa, sa kahit anong eksena, iyon ‘yung pinaka-importante,” he said.

Fittingly, KathNiel’s milestone as a pair comes with another first for both their careers — and Philippine showbiz at large — the Netflix-first airing of “2 Good 2 Be True.”

With its May 13 premiere on the streaming giant, the Mae Alviar-directed series becomes the first Philippine series to air current episodes on Netflix. Prior to this, local titles on the platform had aired in the Philippines before their Netflix release.

“To create projects and to be given the opportunity to show it not just here in the Philippines but also through TFC, iWant, and now on Netflix, it’s such an honor and privilege for us,” Bernardo said.

The screen superstar expressed hopes that the pioneering feat will open the same doors for other Philippine productions, especially from their home network ABS-CBN.

“Hindi naman lahat nabibigyan ng ganiyang opportunity. Once binigyan ka ng ganiyang opportunity, you want to do something good, something great. You want to inspire more people. And hopefully, after this project, it will open more doors not just for us, but also for the company.

“Kaya natin, na Filipino-made, basta bigyan ng time, bigyan ng tamang mga tao, kaya nating gumawa ng ganitong quality project. Nakaka-proud na slowly, pumapasok tayo, like with Netflix. It’s such a huge opportunity not just for us but sa ABS-CBN. We’re very grateful,” she said.

Padilla, meanwhile, sees the wide reach of the project as a way for Filipinos based abroad to re-connect with their culture.

“Maganda rin na napapanood ng mga kababayan natin, lalo na ‘yung mga nasa ibang bansa, lalo na ‘yung mga kabataan, ‘yung mga Filipino films, dahil punung-puno ng kultura na hindi na natin nakikita ‘pag malayo na tayo,” he said.

“Marami rin akong kilala na nasa ibang bansa na nakakalimutan na ‘yung root ng pagiging Pilipino. So importante rin na napapanood nila dahil mahalaga ‘yung Filipino values and culture natin,” Padilla said.