PIA CO: ON TAKING THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED — AND FINDING HER OWN PEACE

What happens when you don’t follow the expected path, not out of defiance, but simply because your instincts lead you elsewhere? For Pia Co, junior partner at GSE Law, it’s not about rebellion or spectacle. It’s about choosing what works; practically, quietly, and wholeheartedly.

Her life has been a series of intentional decisions, many of which veer away from convention. From law school to career choices, and even marriage, Pia has never been afraid to define success on her own terms.

“I just went for it.”

Pia grew up surrounded by lawyers in the family, all of them graduates of the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law. Naturally, she thought that would be her path too. But when she stumbled with acceptance, she made a decision that would set the tone for how she moves through life: she kept going. No dramatic pause. No waiting for another year to try again. She enrolled at San Beda. “I didn’t know anyone who was studying in San Beda, all I knew was that they had bar topnotchers and that the tuition was more affordable than Ateneo Law. I just went for it,” she says with clarity.

That same groundedness guided her early career decisions. Since her father had his own law firm, it would have been easier and, more importantly, expected for her to follow him there. Instead, Pia chose to stay with GSE Law where she’d begun to build something more than just a resume. “I’ve experienced what it’s like to have a family here, separate from the one I was born into and the one I married into. I’ve been here for almost a decade. It feels like home.”

“It was just our personal choice.”

One of Pia’s boldest choices? Marrying outside her family’s cultural expectations. When Pia married Lorenz Corpus in 2022, it wasn’t just a union of two people. It was also a quiet, powerful statement of autonomy. Coming from a Chinese family, there were clear expectations around marrying within the community. “My parents preferred we marry Chinese,” she shares. “But it all boiled down to love and compatibility.” Her sister married a Filipino too, while her brothers followed the traditional route. “It was just our personal choice.”

That commitment to personal truth is perhaps most visible in her marriage. Pia and Lorenz don’t live together most of the time. Though they share a home, they spend the majority of their days apart, each staying with their respective families. To many, it’s surprising. Even confusing. But for them, it’s just what works.

“We only see each other a couple of days a week,” Pia explains. “Sometimes even every other week. The longest we’ve spent together continuously is seven days.” One of those times was during their wedding week. After that, they returned to their individual routines, not out of necessity, but choice. The reasons are simple, and rooted in practicality but also love and support. Both are the youngest in their families and want to be present for their elderly parents who are empty-nesters. Pia’s parents live close to her office; Lorenz works with his dad and carpools with him. Their schedules are packed and it makes the most sense to live in their respective homes for convenience and workability.

“We really love our sleep.”

Another reason separate households work for them? They’re both light sleepers and they REALLY value sleep. “We love being in the same room,” Pia says, laughing, “but when we’re travelling, we’re overjoyed when we have separate beds.” They even wanted to design their master bedroom with two beds but their designer didn’t quite agree. “She insisted on one king-size bed because ‘that’s what married couples should have.’” Pia shrugs. “We still like being together in the same space. We just also really love our sleep.”

This setup isn’t a workaround or a compromise, it’s something they intentionally decided on from the start. There was no tension, no friction. Just two people who knew what they wanted and agreed to honor it. They’re in constant communication, sharing stories and updates throughout the day. “We actually reserve some stories to tell in person,” she says. “It makes our time together something to look forward to.”

There’s a quiet sweetness in the way they care for each other. Lorenz handles all the household tasks (cooking, laundry, fixing things). “He even puts up the Christmas decorations,” Pia says fondly. In turn, she handles the finances. It’s a partnership built on defined roles, mutual support, and trust.

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

When asked about the set-up, whether it’s “absence makes the heart grow fonder” or “familiarity breeds contempt?” Pia smiles. “Absence really does make the heart grow fonder. We get excited to see each other. We cherish the time we spend together. Honestly, we’ve never even gotten to the point of getting sick of one another because we don’t see each other that often.”

In a world that often equates proximity with love, theirs is a reminder that closeness can take many forms. For them, love is found in freedom, not obligation. In communication, not cohabitation. In shared laughter, not shared schedules.

Would she recommend their setup to others? “Only if it fits their lives,” she says thoughtfully. “I’m the only person I know with this kind of arrangement. But for us, it’s the best of both worlds: we get to experience married life and still be fully ourselves.”

“Being decisive is important.”

That philosophy spills over into her professional life, too. As a corporate lawyer, Pia brings the same practicality and clarity to the table. She listens closely, communicates with intention, and focuses on realistic outcomes. “Being decisive is important,” she says. “There are always several legal options. My job is to guide clients toward the one that serves them best.”

Whether she’s structuring a complex deal or navigating family dynamics, Pia approaches life with a sense of calm decisiveness. She doesn’t perform. She lives with purpose and that makes all the difference.

Not everyone understands her choices. That’s okay. “We talked about it, we decided on it, and it works for us,” she says simply. That’s all the explanation she needs. And as for the future? They’re open. Maybe one day, they’ll live together full-time. Maybe not. They’re flexible. What matters is that they’re doing life side by side, even if it’s not always under the same roof.

“We’re journeying through life together,” Pia says. “Even without seeing each other every day. This is our way of being married. It’s built on trust, on love, and on a deep respect for each other’s individuality.”

There’s something deeply inspiring about the way Pia lives. It’s not loud. It’s not dramatic. But it’s bold because it’s hers. In choosing the road less traveled, she’s built a life that makes sense, feels peaceful, and supports the people she loves, including herself. And that, in every way, is success worth celebrating.

(Interview and write-up by: Zeus Earl Roy D. Custodio Jr.)