Every Girl's Dream Dates

Piolo Pascual or Dingdong Dantes?

That was the dilemma of those present last Thursday, Sept. 18, at the Crowne Plaza ballroom for the presscon of Pond’s Pinkish White Dream Date Promo.

Both drop-dead gorgeous, Pond’s endorsers Piolo (tagged as “The Philippines’ Finest”) and Dingdong (voted by the E! Entertainment Channel as “one of the world’s sexiest”) are no doubt two of the hottest (in more senses than one) actors today, highly visible not only in both the big and small screens but also in commercials.

They are every woman’s fantasy, no wonder Pond’s dreamed up this kind of promo in which two winners (females, of course!) will be picked, each of them given the option to choose who of the two she wants as Dream Date (plus P100,000 cash prize).

Said Pond’s brand manager Jacqe Yuengtian, “The Pond’s Pinkish White Dream Date activity hopes to give women the opportunity to realize romance in a way that is larger than life.” (Reminder: Entries can be mailed directly to P.O. Box 727, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City, 1135; or dropped off at any Pond’s Dream Date booths at participating malls. Deadline of submission of entries is Nov. 15, 5 p.m.)

Piolo came to the presscon deliciously tanned from his exposure to the sun at the ranch in Bukidnon where he’s shooting some scenes for Star Cinema’s Land Down Under, directed by Rory B. Quintos, in which he and leading lady Angel Locsin play cowboys in love. (The rest of the movie will be shot in Darwin, Australia.) Dingdong was fairer, having shot his scenes for his GMA fantasy-adventure show Dyesebel indoors, his right hand bandaged due to a minor accident on the set.

Is this the first project that you’ve ever done together?

Piolo: We co-hosted an awards night.

Dingdong: We were guest performers at a Side A concert in Japan. That was many years ago.

What have you heard about each other that you tended to believe?

Dingdong: I never believed those ugly rumors about Piolo. All I believe is that he’s a bankable actor, respectable and professional.

Piolo: Dingdong and I have a common friend, si direk Joyce Bernal. She can attest that Dingdong is passionate about his craft, talagang committed sa trabaho, mahusay na aktor. Not just an actor but a director, wow!

How long did it take you to shoot the commercial?

Dingdong: Three days.

Piolo: One day with Dingdong alone, one day with me alone and one day with us together. I looked forward to working with Dingdong again because it had been a long time since we did...in that concert in Japan.

Do you watch each other’s movies and/or TV shows?

Dingdong: I saw his movie with Regine (Velasquez), Paano Kita Iibigin. Hindi ko natapos but I liked it. When I watched Marimar, my TV show before Dyesebel, I would switch channels and watch Lobo, Piolo’s teleserye with Angel (Locsin).

Piolo (Blushing): Naku, I hardly have time to watch movies or TV shows, not even my own. But everytime I was free, I would catch parts of Marimar.

If you have to swap leading ladies, past or present, who would you prefer?

Dingdong: Piolo has had a lot of leading ladies. I have a lot to choose from.

Piolo: Dingdong has one leading lady na naging leading lady ko na rin, si Iza (Calzado)...in Milan (by Star Cinema, also with Claudine Barretto).

Dingdong: Iza was my leading lady in Moments of Love (by GMA Films).

You both have flawless skin. Do you really use Pond’s cream?

Piolo: It’s good for removing make-up. I’ve been using Pond’s since I started in showbiz. It’s very effective. On Lobo, I wore make-up all over my body and I used Pond’s to remove it.

Dingdong: It’s also effective na pampaputi sa tuhod at siko.

Aside from Pond’s, what do you apply on your skin?

Piolo: I wash my face with just soap and water twice a day, first in the morning and then at night before I go to bed.

You’ve been exposed to the sun these past few days during the shoot of the cowboy scenes in (Star Cinema’s) Land Down Under (tentative title, with Angel Locsin as leading lady and Rory B. Quintos as director) at a ranch in Bukidnon. Aren’t you afraid of the sun?

Piolo: I love the outdoors. I love getting a tan but I see to it that my skin doesn’t peel off so I cover myself with petroleum jelly.

In contrast, Dingdong naman is sometimes underwater in Dyesebel.

Dingdong: I want to be darker. Maybe next week, I’ll start staying under the sun.

You have such a beautiful body-to-die-for. How do you take care of them?

Piolo: In-between takes in Bukidnon, I work out. I bought a chin-up bar and medicine balls so I can work out in my room. I do a lot of cardio exercises.

Dingdong: When I have free time, I jog — outdoors. You can do it indoors pero mas masarap if you can smell the flowers and the trees and you inhale fresh air outdoors.

You look perfect from head to foot. Any part of your bod(ies) that needs improvement?

Dingdong: I think...my bones.

Piolo: I’m happy with every part of my body.

What part is most vulnerable?

Dingdong: My head.

Piolo: I won’t say it’s the most vulnerable...the most sensitive lang siguro, and that’s my triceps. It’s because I have a small cyst, as big as a marble, in my tricep bone. It has been there for 10 years kaya medyo alaga at ingat ako sa right arm ko.

Really? Is it inoperable?

Piolo: It can be removed but...I don’t know. It’s not cancerous naman daw, according to my doctor. It’s okay lang daw. I saw it; it’s just a cyst.

What part of your body naman is your favorite?

Piolo: My eyes, which I consider my investment kasi nagagamit ko ‘yon sa trabaho ko.

Dingdong: My mouth. It can do so many things.

Aside from delivering dialogue, I’m curious...What else can your mouth do?

Dingdong: Marami. Basta, marami ang nagagawa ng bibig ko.

Let’s talk about your diet. What kind of diet do you follow?

Dingdong: I take a heavy breakfast. I eat anything. Kahit bagong gising ako, lapagan mo ako ng kahit anong food, uubusin ko talaga. But for lunch, medyo alalay na ako at lalo na for dinner. Snacks? No, I don’t take snacks. I don’t get hungry between meals. I usually take a big breakfast and three small meals the rest of the day.

Piolo: Recently, I have developed the habit of taking just peanut-butter sandwich for breakfast. In Bukidnon, the monks make their own peanut butter and we (Referring to other co-stars Ricky Davao and AJ Dee. — RFL) buy from them. That’s what I’ve been eating for breakfast. For lunch, I eat anything. I look forward to eating, talagang pang-recharge. I love seafood, I love sweets. But I’m not fond of chichirya.

How much water do you take every day?

Dingdong: I perspire a lot so I try to drink as much water as I can.We are in a tropical country at mahirap na ma-dehydrate.

Piolo: A lot. I’m a water person. I bring jugs of water with me everywhere I go...to the set, to the gym, anywhere.

How much sleep do you get per night?

Dingdong: These days, not enough.

Piolo: It’s hard but I try to get eight hours.

What’s the last thing that you do before you go to sleep?

Dingdong: I check my cell phone and charge it.

Piolo: I read The Bible.

And the first thing that you do when you wake up?

Dingdong: I sort of plan what to do for the day. But that may change.

Piolo: I go to the bathroom and do my quiet time; I do my devotional. I spend at least 30 minutes in the bathroom.

And how do you cope with stress?

Dingdong: It’s a “must” to unwind and it’s good to do it with friends or with your family when you can just be yourself and do whatever you want. You can have a massage; it’s very invigorating. Or watch a movie, mag-gimik at kung anuman, as long as you are relaxed and you don’t worry or think about anything else. That’s the best way to unwind.

Piolo: Aside from praying, I surround myself with friends, with my family. It keeps me grounded. But I think that stress comes with the territory. Kapag walang stress, walang job.

Aside from using Pond’s on your skin what other tips can you give your fans?

Piolo: Maintain a healthy lifestyle and take vitamin supplements every day.

Dingdong: Balance everything. Eat what you want and work out. If you wanna party, party hard. But make sure that you also work hard.

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