Jessy Mendiola calls Gerald Anderson the Zac Efron of the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines  - Kapamilya actress shed light on rumors that she’s now JM de Guzman’s inamorata by saying he just started courting her.

“Nanliligaw lang siya,” Jessy quipped when Bulletin Entertainment asked her to shed light on rumors that they were an item.

The budding relationship did not flourish as “natatakot siya sa nanay ko. Sabi nga ng nanay ko trabaho muna.”

But she shared what could have triggered the rumors about them.

“Kaya kami nai-isue kasi most of my friends ay magkakakilala. Minsan ‘pag lumalabas kami na magkakasama nai-isyu kami. Ang dami-dami naming magkakasama, nandiyan sina Matt Evans, Xian Lim, Dominic Rocco. Para sa akin, lalabas lang kami na?” she said at the launch of BubbaTealicious Pearl Milk Tea Place which she endorses.

She said she did not turn down JM.

“No, hindi naman pero ang sabi ko 'wag muna kasi siyempre busy siya.”

Jessy also doused rumors that Gerald Anderson also pursued her romantically,

“Close friends lang po kami ni Gerald at saka very professional lang kami,” she said, explaining that their on-set closeness in “Budoy” could have been perceived as romantic by some.

“Kapag nasa set po kasi kami ay nagbubulungan kami, nag-uunahan papunta sa set.”

She was clueless about reports that claim she and Gerald had a date in mall recently.

“Hindi po ako sumama kay Gerald sa mall,” she explained. “I'm not really close to Gerald, ngayon lang na may ‘Budoy’ kami,” she added, sharing that, “Una kaming nag-meet sa ‘Kung Tayo’y Magkakalayo.’”

The actress is clueless about the dish that Gerald wants to court her and not Sarah Geronimo.

“Hindi ko po alam. Hindi naman niya sinasabi sa akin.”

She wasn’t really aware of Gerald’s intentions toward her.

“Sana sabihin niya in person, kasi kung sa iba ko naman naririnig, ayaw ko namang mag-feeling. Kunwari may manligaw sa iyo dapat sa iyo sabihin,” she explained.

“Hindi naman sa hindi ko siya pinapansin. Ewan ko kung nagpaparamdam po ba ‘yung binigyan niya ang kong Christmas gift na pouch na may name ko.  Minsan pinapanood niya ‘yung mga shows na like ‘MMK.’ 'Hoy, napanood ako.’”

But she said Gerald stands to have a good chance as she finds him “very friendly to everyone and very caring.”

Before “Budoy”, Jessy just finds Gerald, whom she calls the Zac Efron of the Philippines, an unexciting guy.

“Aaminin ko po before ‘Budoy’ hindi ko crush si Gerald. Pero puwede naman [siyang maging crush ko]. Medyo naaano na ako, 'ay, ang guwapo naman nito'.

Jessy is quite close to Gerald and knows about the beautiful young women romantically linked to him like Kim Chiu, Bea Alonzo and lately Sarah Geronimo. She even hinted that the young actor tells her about his past relationships.

“Alam ko po 'yung mga yan kasi siya rin naman ang nag-open up tungkol sa mga past niya. Ang masasabi ko lang po lahat sila ay magaganda. Sa kanya naman po 'yun, eh. Kumbaga labas na ako.”

Jessy rattled off some of Gerald’s outstanding qualities.

“Ayaw niyang nagpapa-make-up masyado at number one po ‘yon sa akin kasi mas nakaka-lalaki. Ayaw niya ng foundation. Number two, sobrang sweet niya. ‘Yung sweetness niya as Budoy and as Gerald ay hindi nagkakalayo. Sa tingin ko suwerte ‘yung magiging girlfriend niya.