Is Dingdong ready to marry at 30?

MANILA, Philippines - Dingdong Dantes’ personal and professional life has been sailing on calm waters. Rough time is out of sight. But his affection for Marian Rivera is not something that as “a whirlwind swoops on an oak, love stalks my heart” as a poet put it. Even if many believe Dingdong can start his own family at 30, the young actor wants to be ready for marriage.    

“It’s better if I’m equipped with what I need,” he answers when asked about plans of walking down the aisle with Marian.

“I have to be mentally (and emotionally) prepared. I think it’s easy to get married. You can do it anytime, any age.”

After all, tinseltown’s fairest couple still has a lot of things to do before settling down. Work is taking up most of their time. Dingdong just signed up as endorser for Asia Yaosho-Japan. 

“It’s a convenience store in Japan (selling local products for) Filipinos,” shares Dingdong. “They got me to represent it. I’ll be gracing print ads. There are also talks of me going to Japan to have personal appearances. I’m looking forward to that because it’s been quite a while since I last visited Japan. I miss the food there.”

Dingdong is the perfect face for Asia Yaosho-Japan because he has also been tapped locally to endorse products and brands with emphasis on being Pinoy. He is also the national convenor of a youth foundation in mobilizing this sector to effect change.

Every Pinoy living and working in Japan will feel as if they’re in their kitchen back home as Asia Yaosho sells dried food, fruits,

With Asia Yaosho president Masaki Sato during the contract signing

vegetables, canned goods and cosmetic items from the Philippines. The brains behind the store share Asia Yaosho “satisfies (Pinoys’) craving for anything Filipino and makes them feel as if they’re just home.”

However, life is not as sweet as a box of chocolates. There are times when rumors get in the way of enjoying a happy day.

“With or without tension, it’s important that I’m able to deliver as an actor at the end of the day. Whether you like the people you are working with or not, you have to be professional,” says Dingdong about the issue that he and GMA 7’s Endless Love co-star Bela Padilla are not that close.

Dingdong also says there’s no reason for Marian to get jealous of Bela, who plays his girlfriend in the primetime soap. They have even talked about it between themselves. Dingdong says that the Endless Love cast is “doing okay on the set because we are able to finish 35 sequences a day even more than what is required. There are no problems. We meet what the director and the production people want.”

As for Dongyans who think Bela is flirting with Dingdong, he has this to say, “Maybe there are requirements for her portrayal. But we cannot please everybody. What matters is you are able to deliver. My primary concern is myself and my character Johnny. We are all focused (about our work) on the set. It is all work.”