“The moment felt unreal.”
This was how a Mt. Pulag hiker described the unexpected proposal she witnessed at the summit of the popular mountain, after a photo she took of the couple went viral online.
Facebook user Rachelle Ann Cuales shared the photo, taken at 6:34 a.m. on Monday, January 26, showing the couple against the backdrop of Mt. Pulag’s famed sea of clouds.
“We accidentally saw someone propose at the summit. Don’t know them. Hopefully, the internet does its thing,” Cuales wrote in a public group featuring hikers of Mt. Pulag.
The photo showed a man down on one knee in front of a woman who extended her hand. The couple was surrounded by large, soft clouds as the sun rose.
Cuales’ post has gone viral, with many Filipinos expressing “kilig” or elation at the romantic moment. It has also caught the attention of various publications, with some interviewing the uploader, as well as the couple themselves.
According to Cuales, she had no idea she would witness such a scene after their “four- to five-hour” hike to the summit.
“Everyone at the summit was taking photos of the sea of clouds… Then I glanced to my right and saw a guy on his knees. I immediately shouted, ‘Hala, may nagpro-propose!’ I instinctively captured the moment,” she told The Philippine STAR.
“After hiking for four to five hours in the dark and finally witnessing the sea of clouds… the moment already felt unreal. Seeing a romantic proposal from a stranger on top of that made it even more surreal. It felt like we were all sharing something very special, and I was genuinely happy for the couple,” Cuales added.
PhilSTAR L!fe reported that the couple had planned to share the moment on their fifth anniversary on January 28. However, friends began sending them a photo taken by a stranger that had already gone viral before the date.
The couple was identified as John Rey Zabella and Sophia Nicole Coprada. Both hail from Quezon Province but currently work in Metro Manila.
They met in 2021 after Coprada came across Zabella’s profile through Facebook’s “Suggested Friends” feature, but it wasn’t until a week later that they started talking. A month after that, they met in person.
The couple shared a love of nature and adventure, eventually becoming each other’s travel companions as they explored Quezon Province. They later moved to Metro Manila after starting their respective jobs.
Their Mt. Pulag hike was part of their anniversary celebration, with Coprada inviting Zabella. She was unaware, however, that the trip would include a planned proposal, one that was even captured on drone footage.
“Happy 5th Anniversary, My love! In the middle of the sacred mountain, as the sun rose over its sea of clouds and the sky cleared at the perfect moment, I SAID YES to you, under God’s blessing,” Coprada said in a Facebook post.
In an interview, Coprada admitted that the moment had been a “fantasy” of hers.
“Akala ko nilalamig lang siya nang sobra kasi malamig po doon. ‘Yun pala, kinakabahan na siya,” Coprada said, referring to their hike.
“Sobrang saya ko po nung part na lumuhod na siya tapos nagsisigawan at palakpakan na ‘yung mga tao sa kabilang bundok. Ang saya, kasi hindi namin sila kilala pero masaya silang lahat. Fantasy ko po ‘yun eh, tapos wala akong idea na mararanasan ko pala siya,” she added.
The couple said they plan to start organizing an intimate wedding next year, after Zabella completes his training with the Bureau of Fire Protection.
Mt. Pulag, meanwhile, is the highest peak in Luzon and the third-highest mountain in the Philippines.
