Dan and Borgie of "Mag TV Na!"

CEBU, Philippines - Sunday mornings should get more interesting with the addition of not one, but two new male Mag TV Na! hosts: Borgie Cabigas and Dan Harry Genson.

Borgie, 23, is a Secondary Education graduate, Major in Physics and Chemistry at the University of San Carlos. He was crowned Mr. Cebu 2009. Dan, 22, a Nursing graduate of Cebu Doctor’s University, is Mr. Mandaue 2010 first runner-up.

Can the newbies keep up with the infectious energy and spontaneity of resident female hosts Blinky de Leon and Phoebe Fernandez? Will they be up to the challenge of giving entertaining segments to Cebuano viewers?

Here’s an update of ABS-CBN Cebu’s recent discoveries.

The FREEMAN: How many episodes have you taped so far? How was the experience?

Borgie: To be honest, it is not easy being a MagTV Na host. It is a stressful job. Unexpected things will come and you have to adjust your schedule for tapings. However, I so love what I do! I enjoy every moment I am on the camera. I am still learning the tricks to be a better host but so far, I am doing fairly well.

Dan: The experience has been great! Borgie and I are having a blast not to mention the bloopers during the shoots but also the bonding that we guys have, not just with our co-hosts, but with the whole Mag TV family is absolutely priceless. I still am coping to deal with the pressure and the responsibilities expected of us. But in totality, I am enjoying every bit of the experience.

TF: According to the judges and the production staff, why did they pick you as one of the winners?

Borgie: That is difficult to answer because I never thought I would be in this position in the first place. After we were announced as the new hosts, I never asked the judges and the production staff about their decision in choosing me. From the start of the search, my goal was clear. I came not to impress but to express. I do not conform to what others tell me. I do my own thing. I just want to entertain and I think the judges and production staff saw that. I think they want someone with a creative mind but at the same time, someone who’s open to new ideas. Having me as the new host will surely broaden the scope of what Mag TV Na can give.

Dan: Actually, I don’t know. If my memory serves me well, the judges said that I was natural in front of the camera, but little did everyone know that I was actually having a hard time! I kept on forgetting my lines, I giggle and sweat a lot! But maybe because of my optimism, I came out somehow natural. I remembered the judges saying that it seemed like I was one of the people on the streets during our test segment (“Kinabuhi sa Dalan”). I think the reason why they saw me that way was because in reality I am one of those people at the streets. I come from a simple family with simple hopes and dreams, who grew up not having everything in life but contented with what I have. The life that I have somehow came out during the test segment, which helped me throughout the shoot.

TF: Did you have any hosting or TV experience prior to Mag TV?

Borgie: No. Hosting is new for me.

Dan: No. Even in school I never hosted. I was an average student with average grades. I think no one actually thought I’d be doing this because way back in high school, I was a typical student. Always late, no projects, I had failing grades and was always suspended. You’ll always find me at the office of our assistant principal. The same thing during college, but I made sure I no longer failed my subjects.

TF: How do you find your male co-host?

Borgie: Dan is a great person. We have a lot of things in common. Since we are both newbies, we work real hard to improve our hosting skills. He is easy to work with and open to all suggestions. Dan is very much a down-to-earth guy. There is one thing I hate about him and that is his towering height. Standing at 6’2”, I feel so short. Hehehe!

Dan: Borgie? Cool guy! I get along with him just fine. He’s a year older than me but I think we act and think pretty much the same. Disregard the muscles of course! I’ll get mine soon. Hahahahaha! Seriously, Borgie and I learn from each other specially on the set. We have different fields but we both connect perfectly.

TF: What else are you busy with aside from TV work? Do you have a full-time job?

Borgie: Currently, I don’t have other jobs. On my free time, I help my father in his Auto Supply Store. Other than that, I am just focused with my work at Mag TV Na.

Dan: As of now, I don’t have a job. I wanted to have one, but unfortunately didn’t land any. I model part-time and just recently, I enrolled at Southwestern University, where I’m pursuing my Masters of Arts in Nursing. The university welcomed me and (fellow Mag TV Na! host) Phoebe to their Graduate school. But I spend most of my time at home and at MagTV Na.

TF: Is there a sort of healthy rivalry between you and Dan?

Borgie: No, not at all. I never consider Dan as a rival or a competition. I consider him like a brother. I feel that I can work better with people who I consider family. If there is someone that I consider a rival, that would be myself. I want to outdo myself.

Dan: Though we have different personalities and fields, we get along just fine, and we didn’t find it hard to work with each other simply because we’re friends.

TF: What are some of the exciting things we expect to see you do on Mag TV?

Borgie: There will definitely be new and exciting stuff that you will see. We are talking about crazy to bizarre segments.I will not spoil the fun so just check us out every Sunday morning.

Dan: I also ask myself that same question. That really depends on what the MagTV Na family wants us to feature but expect more information, inspiration, and laughter na lang.

TF: How are you getting along with the female Mag TV hosts, Phoebe and Blinky? How do you find the two girls?

Borgie: Wow! The girls are just adorable! What you see on TV are the same people you see off the camera. The energy that they give out just comes out naturally and emanates all throughout the set. It’s crazy and contagious. They are also both beautiful inside and out. I love them both!

Dan: The two girls are so nice and very welcoming! They never made us feel that we’re newbies and they are senior hosts. Both of them are very hyperactive on the set; it’s so hard to keep up with them. If I were to describe both girls, I’d say “fashionista!” I was really surprised to see that their accessories were so many, a classroom of girls can actually enjoy those accessories. Hahahaha!

TF: Are there people who are starting to recognize you in public as the guy on TV? How do you deal with the attention?

Borgie: Hahaha! Yes! Some of them are brave enough to call out my name and ask to have a picture with me. There was even a time when someone just approached me from behind and smelled me while I was walking in the mall. Good thing I wore my perfume that day. Hahaha! I am a shy type of person so I just smile when people recognize me. Flashing my pearly whites is my greatest weapon. Happy is an understatement of what I am feeling everytime I make people smile. My new goal is to inspire young people to pursue their dreams and continue to touch lives beyond what I am doing as a Mag TV Na host.

Dan: Somehow yes. It’s very flattering that people recognize you. Some are friendly, while some are bugalbugalon. I give them a genuine smile and say hello in return because if not for them I wouldn’t be here. The funny thing is that some people admire you from afar saying this and that and it’s really amusing because you can hear them.