Ways to Woo a Lady

Ever wanted a girl to be your special someone but never had the nerve to make the moves? Don’t fret just yet! Let the reigning Mr. Pogi show you how. “Kailangan, honest ka,” says Eat Bulaga’s last Mr. Pogi winner, Edgar Allan Guzman. Honesty, he stresses, is the most important thing in a relationship. Since winning the male pageant in the longest-running noontime program in the country, Edgar Allan has signed on to GMA’s Artist Center, joined the Studs, and appeared in numerous television shows—most prominently in the afternoon hit-making anthology Daisy Siete. Has fame changed the way this celebrity views dating? Or is he still a believer in good old-fashioned courtship? Courtship 101 “Una kasi tine-text [ko] lang,” the young actor says, explaining that he wants to see if there’s even a slight chance of things working out with him and the girl—whoever she may be. “Kukunin ko ‘yung number, [para] ako ‘yung magpapakilala. One week after [namin magkakilala]—hindi lang one day—[yayayain] ko siya kung saan niya gustong pumunta. Siyempre, ‘wag mo siyang dadalhin sa place na alam mong matu-turn off siya.” Edgar Allan also warns that a guy should never take advantage of a girl in any way. He adds that respect is very important when starting—and maintaining—any relationship. Being true to oneself, says Edgar, is another factor in a successful courtship: “Kailangan ano ka, totoo.[Kailangan] sabihin mo kung ano ‘yung nararamdaman mo, ‘yun lang naman.” The actor says that he is always up front with his feelings. “’Pag gusto na kita, sasabihin ko na. Prangka kasi ako.” Edgar also revelas that he’s still one true-blue traditional Filipino male because he prefers to do the courting himself. No aggressive predator-type gals for him, please. But while Edgar is an oldie at heart when wooing his ladylove, he’s grateful for today’s advanced technology. E-mail and SMS definitely make it easier for everyone to get in contact with each other. Still, he says that nothing beats professing your love in person: “Makikita niya kung ano talaga [ang nararamdaman mo] kasi ‘pag sa text, pwede niyang sabihin na nambobola ka lang. ‘Di ba?” Although Edgar admits to having done some courting through text messaging, he cheekily adds that he would much rather do it face to face: “[Kasi] sa personal, parang dagdag points ‘yun.” The First Date After the courtship comes the first date. And here, Edgar shares with us a very interesting tip: one way to getting to your intended’s heart is through her parents. These days, although couples on their first date usually see a movie, have a romantic dinner or hang out in a bar, Edgar says it’s a good idea to think of the girl’s family first. “Pupunta na lang ako sa bahay [niya], doon na lang kami magdi-dinner kasama ‘yung pamilya,” he says. And it’s not because he’s being cheap; Edgar says he just wants to make a good impression on the girl’s parents. And what better way to do it than to hang out with the ‘rents right in their own place? “Okay lang [ang] labas, kain. Pero ako, sa ngayon [ang] gusto kong gawin, ‘yung sa bahay [ang] unang-una. Para makilala ka ng parents talaga,” he adds. After making that all-important good first impression, Edgar advises that guys should never get too clingy with their girlfriends. Girls love being asked if they’ve had lunch or dinner, how their day went—little things like that. These are sweet things to do, all right, but should never be overdone. Be thoughtful, Edgar says, but not annoying: “Para ma-touch siya, [pero] hindi ‘yung mahigpit. Okay lang ‘yung mga two hours after [seeing her], text mo siya or tawagan mo.” - Text by Jason John S. Lim. Photos by Mitch S. Mauricio and Jillian Q. Gatcheco. Want more dating tips from Edgar Allan? Just key in EDGAR on your mobile phone and send to 4627 for all telcos! (Each Fanatxt message costs PhP2.50 for GLOBE, SMART, and TALK 'N TEXT, and PhP2.00 for Sun subscribers.) Or talk about his “short course” on courtship at the iGMA Forums! If you’re not registered yet, register now! You can catch Edgar Allan Guzman every weekday afternoon on Daisy Siete: Prince Charming and the Seven Maids, after the program that launched his career: Eat Bulaga!