If He Were If She Were

"He’s very steady...kalmado...level-headed. I like his being into his Christianity. It really amazes me! He encourages people to pray before we start the day or a ‘take.’ I’ve never heard him say a bad word."

That’s the best thing Judy Ann Santos can say about Piolo Pascual, her perennial screen sweetheart with whom she’s paired anew in Don’t Give Up On Us, Star Cinema’s first offering for 2006 opening today in Metro Manila theaters, which is their fifth movie team-up (coming after Esperanza, Kahit Isang Saglit, Till There Was You and Bakit Di Totohanin).

"But," added Judy Ann, "he’s a more impulsive buyer than I am. OA ‘yan mag-shop! He usually buys things that he can use in the house, not so much for, you know, luho sa katawan."

And that’s about the "worst" thing she can say about Piolo who is a bona fide member of the Victory Christian Fellowship.

"What’s the best thing I can say about Juday?" asked Piolo. "A lot! She has remained grounded, she’s humble. She’s a strong woman; she has a high threshold of pain. Magaling humarap sa problema."

And the worst?

"She easily trusts people and that makes some people take advantage of her."

Directed by Bb. Joyce Bernal (who was also behind the loveteam’s hit Star Cinema starrer Till There Was You), Don’t Give Up On Us is about two strangers, both trying to find themselves (she as a problematic girl and he, an aspiring folk singer, that’s why he sports long hair) in the cool air of Baguio, Sagada and Banaue.

It’s a wonder that the Juday-Piolo loveteam clicks even if they’ve never been and never will be sweethearts in real life. They have the same chemistry and magic that Susan Roces and Eddie Gutierrez had in the ’60s, a popular loveteam that caught the fancy of the public even if the romance between them was all make-believe. ("Susan and I are good friends up to now," said Eddie.)

"Piolo never courted me," admitted Juday who’s going steady with Ryan Agoncillo. "I guess what makes us tick is the friendship. Maybe if we crossed that line (of friendship), we wouldn’t be this close."

Let’s find out more how the Juday-Piolo friendship endures by letting them play the If He Were/If She Were "association" game.

• BIRD

Juday: I’ll be a dove. It’s clean, the symbol of peace and freedom.

Piolo: A lovebird. Sweet, di ba?

• FLOWER

Juday: If you asked me then, I’d say a tulip. But since masyadong mahirap mabuhay ang tulip, I’d be another flower. According to Ryan, I’m like a wild orchid. I agree. A wild orchid can survive anywhere.

Piolo: A rose. It’s the most appreciated flower.

• CAR

Juday: A 4x4, yung elegant. I don’t want to be an Expedition because it consumes a lot of gasoline. I want to be a 4x4 so I can be driven in the city and in the countryside. When somebody is riding me, he can see the smaller cars beside and behind me.

Piolo: A Jaguar. My dream car.

• TREE

Juday: Pine Tree. It’s fragrant, very refreshing to the eye. If you place pine combs in the fireplace, ang bango-bango!

Piolo: A Bamboo Tree. The taller it grows, the lower it bends.

• PART OF THE HOUSE

Juday: The bathroom. When I have time, I spend as long as an hour and a half in the bathroom. There, nagmumuni-muni ako. I send text messages. I tinker with a lot of things. I can stay until dawn in the bathroom. It’s the most quiet place in my house.

Piolo: The bedroom. That’s where people rest.

• CITY

Juday: San Francisco. It’s so romantic! (That’s where she and Ryan posed for a lovey-dovey magazine pictorial. – RFL) If I had a choice, San Francisco is where I want to live.

Piolo: Rome, the Eternal City. You can do many things in Rome. I love ancient ruins. Before I became a Christian, I used to visit different churches. Gusto ko ‘yung structures nila. I love the ‘oldness’ of Rome.

• PERFUME

Juday: Armani White. The scent stays longer in your body. Very subtle.

Piolo: Versus by Versace (green). That’s what I’ve been wearing for many years. It’s a cologne. I’m not fond of perfume.

• MOVIE

Juday: Fantasy. I love the idea of being able to do many things, anything!

Piolo: Fantasy. That’s where you can make your wishes come true. I’m a Peter Pan at heart. That’s why I love Never-Ending Story and Indiana Jones which I just watched again (for the nth time). I love movies for kids.

• SONG

Juday: Alternative. The songs of Norah Jones. Also, reggae.

Piolo: Pop-rock. Songs by The Calling. My favorite is All I Want Is You by U2.

• FURNITURE/APPLIANCE

Juday: Table. It’s useful – for writing, for dining, puedeng sandalan. For me, a house without a table is not complete.

Piolo: A couch or a sofa. Malaking factor sa akin ‘yung furniture na may comfortable level.

• ANIMAL

Juday: A koala. It’s very cool, isn’t it?

Piolo: A bear. I haven’t seen one in my whole life. Where can I see a bear kaya?

• FRUIT

Juday: Mangosteen. Hard on the outside, soft in the inside.

Piolo: Kiwi. Rich in vitamin C.

• COMICS CHARACTER

Juday: Niknok (of Pinoy Komiks). That’s what Piolo loves to call me, Niknok. He also calls me Miss Tapia. I’d also want to be Betty Cooper or Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.

Piolo: I’ll be Niknok.

• TIME OF DAY

Juday: Midnight. That’s when I’m alive, buhay na buhay while the rest of the world is asleep.

Piolo: Morning. You can do a lot of things if you’re up early. Besides, I love to watch the sunrise.

• BOOK

Juday: Any book by Paulo Coelho (The Alchemist, etc.).

Piolo: The Bible, of course! Everything you want to know is in it. I read one chapter every day.

• HOUSE

Juday: A big house with a garden and big kitchen. I want a house na pagpasok mo sa sala, you can see the kitchen and the dining room. I don’t want a house na maraming pasikut-sikot. I love the house where we shot Don’t Give Up On Us.

Piolo: A multi-level house with a swimming pool.

• PIECE OF JEWELRY

Juday: A watch. I’m time-conscious kasi, eh.

Piolo: I’m not fond of jewelry.

• HEAVENLY BODY

Juday: A shooting star. Palaging inaabangan.

Piolo: The sun. ("Mainit ‘yon," quipped Juday.)

• IF HE/SHE WERE SOMEBODY ELSE, WHO WOULD HE/SHE BE?

Juday: Mother Teresa. If I could only do even a little bit of what she had done, masaya na ako.

Piolo: I’d be President of the Philippines so I can eradicate graft and corruption which is rampant in our government today. Bahala na kung mamatay ako basta maayos ko lang ang graft and corruption at maayos ko ang economy ng Pilipinas.

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