Single, single, double, double

Who says you can’t find singles in Manila these days?”

Unilever Skin marketing manager Mutya Laxa posed that intriguing question to all of the city’s Most Eligible to jumpstart the grandest match making event this side of town.

Just when everyone wails the drought of singles in this city, an event happens and light up the cityscape with possibilities.

The secret? Just expand your circle, that’s what I always tell my friends.

I was having a ball hosting with my Korean counterpart Sam Oh as we observed the matchmaking revelry that was Pond’s Fete D’ Amour last Tuesday at the Rigodon ballroom of the Peninsula Manila.

Passports were given out at the start of the event, where singles (or those who were “feeling” single) were given several choices — aside from the countless eye candy for the night, you could opt to send drinks, notes, chocolates, flowers, even song dedications (with the Akafellas no less doing the song interpretation!) to the ones you fancy.

A wink here, an air kiss there, and I saw that people were getting along just fine.

Flawless Cupids

Good thing there were Cupids like Carmina Sanchez, Pepper Teehankee, Rissa Samson, Paolo Trillo, Raymond Rufino, Anna Palabyab, Adriano Kartuliares and Divine Lee to facilitate introductions.

Of course, the leader in romance was at the helm of this event, Pond’s challenged its pink-clad guests to take a seven-day challenge for its promise of “flawless white.”

That’s Pond’s latest breakthrough in skin technology, with its VAOB3 (I’ve memorized my script well!)

I never saw so many singles gathered in one room!

If I wasn’t hosting onstage, I told my co-host Sam Oh that I would tirelessly be introducing everyone to each other.

I love doing that, honestly.

I think I’ve introduced a few couples to each other — who ended up getting married!

Speaking of getting married, I was so happy to see newly engaged Mike Huang and Kathy Yap, who just got back from a two year Mandarin course in Beijing.

But another couple won best match, and that was Tina Perez and Aaron Litonjua.

This season’s hottest ramp star Mia Ayesa won as Prettiest in Pink, besting other pink clad singles.

I asked her, “How are you, Mia?”

“Single,” she answered.

Oh well, single is a state of mind.

And happy, not to forget.

But what’s a night of romance without raffling off a trip to Paris? In the end, Renel Cecilio and Merryl Lim of Unilever drew out a lucky winner (I think her name was Bernice) who got a trip for two to my favorite City of Lights.

After that, the party went on and on with the live jive of Tribo Manila.

But even at that chi chi gathering, I saw handcuffs going around, and also a jail booth — goes to show that both love and romance has its kinks — I mean links.