Meet Morning & Cute, aka Aga and Charlene

"Sorry!" That would be Aga Muhlach’s last text message to his wife Charlene Gonzales should he find himself at death’s door.

Who would ask such a morbid question? Okay, okay, I would. But believe me, as soon as the words come out of my mouth after the press conference of Aga Muhlach and Charlene Gonzales at Cebu’s Mariott Hotel, I start to panic.

What am I thinking? Have I pissed Aga off? I want to get out of here and run like hell.

"Tama na yan baka umiyak na ako," giggles Charlene. I turn to ask her the same question. She replies with a smile, "No, seriously. I will always love you." Sigh.

Whew, close call! I begin to think they have been offended. But the instant Aga and Charlene smile, I know I am off the hook.

I never thought I would meet Aga and Charlene. While we’re at it, I never would have imagined getting in a plane for Cebu and staying for four days in a classy hotel. I never dreamed our lifestyle editor would give me this assignment. Me, an apprentice?

At The Airport

It is 2:30 p.m. and I am getting anxious. Hard to admit it but, to be honest, I have never gotten in a plane before. Worse, I have never traveled alone. But this is it, the moment I have been waiting for. I’m on a writing assignment.

It is 5:30 p.m. We board the plane. I am beginning to get frantic.

Raoul Chee Kee of Business World sits beside me. He asks me if it this is my first time on a plane. "Yes," I sheepishly mutter. "The reason why I never got to travel is because of my mom. She worries a lot."

I am trying to keep my trepidation down when the plane starts to taxi, so I slouch. But deep inside, I am scared. While I squirm in my seat, Raoul drifts off to sleep. I don’t know if he is just jiving, or trying to make fun of me. But from the looks of it, he is indeed sleeping soundly.

When we arrive at the Cebu International Airport, Menchie Osial of Globe Telecom says to me, "Ah, you will not enjoy Cebu City much. Baka sabihin mo parang nasa Glorietta lang tayo." Indeed, Cebu City looks like Manila, except for the lighter traffic and fewer people.

Morning And Cute

Enter Morning and Cute, the popular endorsers of Touch Mobile. (Morning is the name Charlene uses for Aga on her cellphone while Cute is the name Aga uses to refer to his wife).

Why did Touch Mobile tap Aga and Charlene?

Globe VP for Marketing Ana Singson says, "They’re young, they’re very dynamic, and you’ve met them — there’s nothing insincere about them." I am convinced when I get the chance to interview these two beautiful people.

I ask them who the faster texter is. "Oh, we had a contest! We had a contest!" exclaims Charlene, turning to Aga. Suddenly, Aga becomes silent, then gives me a serious look, and blurts out what I have been waiting to hear, "She texts fast."

Charlene smiles. Aga peers under his eyebrows — smiling, and blushing.

How long would they survive without a phone? "Ah! Mahirap yon," Charlene says. "I would not even last 30 minutes."

I ask them for the weirdest thing they have ever done with their phone. All the people in the room are clueless about my question. "For the housing? Case? Any thing?" I add, hoping to make myself understood.

In desperation, I fish out my cell phone from my pocket. It is in a baby sock. Then everyone says, "Ay ang cute!"

Charlene joins in, "Maybe I could use my babies’ socks"

"Mine would be a diaper!" Aga adds.

Everyone bursts out in laughter. I hastily return my case into my pocket. Now, I am blushing.

If the couple could design a phone, how would it be like?

"Hmm. Basta madaming features, where I can store everyone’s addresses. Similar to the Nokia Communicator. I enjoy using it," Charlene answers.

"Definitely one that works on voice commands," Aga adds.

What’s the sweetest message they have ever received? "Hi lang, okay na ito ," he says, looking at Charlene. Aga moves closer, holds her arm, then smiles.

* * *

If there’s one thing I regret about this whole trip, it’s getting on the plane back to Manila. But for sure, there is one thing about this trip that I will never forget. It’s definitely not the street kids who kept knocking on the window of our van, or the annoying stench of danggit and dried fish. I will always remember the nice people who were with me on the trip.