Dexter prefers younger men

At fortysomething, character actress Dexter Doria is still attractive to men – especially younger men

"My lovelife is more than satisfactory," admitted Dexter during a chat with Funfare at Bennigan’s where she and other senior members of the cast of GMA’s daily soap, Sana Ay Ikaw Na Nga (including the "comebacking" Tita Muñoz, Eric Quizon, Tirso Cruz III and Chinggoy Alonso), were introduced to the movie press. "I have no complaints, no regrets."

When Dexter entered showbiz after finishing AB Humanities at UP (she used to write film reviews for the Variety, Sunday magazine of the old Manila Times), she was already separated from her husband by whom she had a child (now married). The marriage, doomed from the start because Dexter was in her teens, lasted for only two years.

Not one to remain celibate for life, Dexter, being a liberated woman (and brainy, too), didn’t just sulk and erase men from her map. Instead, she greeted the world with a big "hello" and proved to herself and her friends that a failed marriage didn’t stop her from living it up – to the hilt.

"I won’t be a hypocrite," said Dexter who enjoys playing kontrabida roles because goody-goody characters bore her to death. "I have had plenty of boyfriends, all of them several years younger than me, the youngest being 22." She also has two love children whom she is bringing up single-handedly. "The longest relationship I had lasted for seven years."

Her relationship with four other younger men didn’t last as long – including that with a 29-year-old Italian consul – but they were not any less fulfilling.

Today, Dexter has a special, open-ended relationship with a 28-year-old man who is self-sufficient. "I want to make it clear," said Dexter, "that I’ve never been a Sugar Mommy. The men have never been dependent on me financially. In the first place, hindi ako mayaman. I want to believe that they all love me for what I am."

Everytime somebody teases Dexter that she’s mahilig sa bata, she quickly replies half-jokingly, "Hindi. Sila ang mahilig sa akin. I guess younger men are fond of older women because they (the men) can have a nanay, a tita, an ate, a best friend, a teacher and a lover all rolled into one. They also think that older women are harder to get, so natsa-challenge sila (the younger men) to think of a good strategy. Besides, older women have a lot to teach and to pass on to younger men. Mas understanding din ang older women."

According to Dexter, it was she who influenced Elizabeth Oropesa to date younger men. One time, recalled Dexter, Elizabeth saw her with a goodlooking younger man and Elizabeth, who had just separated from Chinese actor Meng Fei at that time, was intrigued. "So I told her, ‘You try.’ Aba, a few weeks later, I met Elizabeth again at mayroon na siyang kasamang younger man. She told me, ‘Okay ang advice mo, ‘Day!’ Since then, panay younger men na ang kinakasama niya."

In Sana Ay Ikaw Na Nga, however, Dexter is playing a mother role so she won’t have any love scene with a younger man (no, the soap has no "incest" subplot).

"I make it a point, though, not to get so attached to the (younger) man," said Dexter. "He might outgrow the relationship and fall in love with a woman his age. In that case, at least hindi ako masyadong nasasaktan."

In defense of Carol

Here’s a reaction letter from readers Lito and Inday Simba of 4 CRM Fe BF Homes, Almanza, Las Piñas City 1750.

This is about your recent item which read: Carol Banawa slipped back into the country quietly Friday last week and went right back to Singapore four days later (with her mom) to resume performing in the musical Ben Hur. By accepting the Ben Hur role, Carol got into trouble with the ABS-CBN Talent Center, forcing her to resign (or was she fired?) from A.S.A.P. where she was given very generous exposure. When Carol comes home after completing her Ben Hur stint, she will resurface on – you didn’t guess it, did you? – GMA 7’s S.O.P.

When Carol accepted her role in Ben Hur in Singapore, it was with the approval and consent of ABS-CBN. In fact, as a gesture of goodwill and utang na loob, Carol has reportedly even shared her fee with them.Carol is not ungrateful for her exposure on A.S.A.P.

Coming from a family of modest means Carol and elder sister Cherry have provided the financial support for their sick father Ben Banawa. As you will remember, her father and brother suffered carbon monoxide poisoning at the SM Megamall parking lot while killing time before fetching Carol. The elder brother, Alex, died and the father is still suffering from the effects of the poisoning up to now.

Carol had to quit her schooling to concentrate on her job and singing career to earn more to support the family. As a friend and admirer of the family of Carol, I would like to thank you for your time and opportunity for us to reply to your column.

Hard news served light

These past few weeks, you must have noticed the trio of Erwin Tulfo, Julius Babao and Cheryl Cosim hosting the Magandang Umaga Bayan news segment of ABS-CBN’s Alas Singko y Medya, doing it in a light manner no matter how "hard" or "grim" the stories are.

"We’re doing it deliberately," said Julius (who continues to co-host Talk TV with girlfriend Tintin Bersola and Ryan Agoncillo). "It’s a morning newscast so kailangan light ang approach para naman magaan ang simula ng araw ng televiewers. Oftentimes, we even exchange jokes. Even the way Pia (Guanio) does the weather report is very light and breezy."

MUB has been keeping its promise to deliver the news in a straightforward, honest and balanced manner. By the time MUB airs, the stories will have moved and developed from the night before. MUB is strong on live interviews to capture developments in a story. MUB also dishes out entertaining and informative feature stories. The showbiz stories are not just entertaining and intriguing, but also enlightening and inspiring.