9 Mornings (2002)

More than a decade since his girlfriend died in a startling accident, Gene Ynfante (Piolo Pascual) still clearly remembers that fateful day and is haunted by it. Flashforward to the present and Gene is nowhere near his former self. He's nonbeliever and a cynical, obsessive-compulsive event organizer, and his life revolves around sex and money. So it's not surprise that he's thrilled to learn that he will inherit his late grandmother's wealth--IF he is able to complete all 9 of the "simbang gabi" of Christmas. What Gene does not know is that he will find love in the most unlikely place. Elise (Donita Rose) is the compassionate preschool teacher of an orphanage. Pristine and simple, she is also nursing a broken heart; she is devastated that her fiance of several years dumped her for no reason. Still hurting, she exerts her best efforts to love her students, the most special of whom is frail but sprightly Sandy. Together, they conscientiously attend "simbang gabi." Then Elise meets Gene.