Dennis Trillo

It’s still weeks before Christmas but actress Heart Evangelista has already been receiving gifts from “Santa Claus” Dennis Trillo.

After the heart-designed shirt he gave her from his Japan sojourn weeks ago, Dennis gave Heart a necklace from China, where they recently shot scenes for “Mano Po 6: My Mother’s Love.”

“May nakita akong necklace [sa Beijing, China], eh ang ganda, parang Buddha ['yong pendant], tapos sinuot ko pagkabili ko, tapos nakita niya, [sabi nya] ‘Ay, ‘yan ‘yong Goddess of Beauty.’

“Eh hindi ko naman alam 'yong ibig sabihin [nun]. Naisip ko Buddha lang, eh. [Tapos sabi ko] ‘Parang di naman yata bagay na suot-suot ko ‘to. Dapat sa’yo ‘to, eh.’ Nung una ayaw niyang tanggapin [pero] napilit ko din,” Dennis narrated.

Aside from the shirt and necklace, Santa Dennis gave Heart a pair of shoes and a Shaolin cap.

“Binigyan ko rin siya ng shoes at sumbrero ng Shaolin, kasi mukha siyang Chinese. Basta kung anu-ano lang, kasi konti lang din 'yong time namin para mag-shop. Thirty minutes lang kami nakapunta dun sa strip kung saan makakabili ng mga souvenirs,” he related.

And there was the matter of the "heart-shaped box."

“Dun ko rin nabili [sa Beijing]. Narinig ko kasi naghahanap siya ng lalagyan ng jewelry. Hindi naman ako 'yong kausap niya, narinig ko lang. Tapos nakita ko 'yong parang heart-shaped box.

“Gawa siya sa wood tapos maraming naka-ukit na rose. Kulay pula siya na heart. Puwede kang maglagay nang kung anu-ano,” Dennis shared.

But if Santa Claus delivers gifts to houses, Dennis does his gift-giving inside a bus.

“Nauna kasi ako sa bus [galing sa shopping], so nilagay ko lang siya [box] dun sa harap nung upuan na parang net. Tapos hinintay ko siya.

“[Pagdating niya], tinanong ko ‘O, anong mga binili mo?’ Kasi baka may nabili na siyang ganun.. Tapos nakita niya… ‘Ay ano ‘yan?’ Sabi ko, ‘Para sa’yo ‘to eh…’” said Dennis.

He clarified, though, that his acting Santa-like towards Heart doesn’t mean he is courting her.

“Hindi naman porket nag-regalo ka, [nanliligaw ka na]. Kumbaga naa-appreciate mo 'yong tao. Gusto mo lang kahit papaano, matuwa siya. Hindi naman ako nagbibigay ng mga extravagant na bagay, nagbibigay ako nung mga maliliit lang na something,” he said.

That said, Dennis admitted having a long-time crush on her “Mano Po” co-star.

“Oo naman, matagal [ko na siyang crush]. Hindi lang naman ako 'yong may crush dun eh, marami pang iba. Ako lang 'yong nagiging vocal about it,” was his bold declaration.

He revealed how he used to feel intimidated by Heart.

“Nung una [ilang ako sa kanya]. Pero after nung Beijing namin, kahit papano naging komportable na ‘ko. Pero hindi pa rin 'yong talagang [completely comfortable], kasi may pagka-intimidating na hindi maintindihan.”

This intimidation, he surmised, is because of Heart's “rich, kikay girl” image.

“Parang 'yong image na pino-project niya sa mga tao parang sosyal, maarte, ganun.”

Nevertheless, first impressions did not last for Dennis after he got to know the chinita actress better.

“Medyo maarte nang konti pero pag nakilala mo siya, makikita mo na simple lang din siya, natutuwa siya sa mga maliliit na bagay.

“Kaya niyang makisalamuha sa iba’t-ibang klaseng tao. Kahit na minsan [ay] English siya ng English, kaya rin niyang mag-Tagalog,” Dennis confessed, adding that finds Heart beautiful “both inside and out.”

He emphasized that he has no immediate plans of taking their budding friendship to the next level.

“Siguro ‘pag ready na kami pareho [liligawan ko siya]. Kasi nagkaka-kuwentuhan pa lang din kami, and nararamdaman ko na hindi pa rin talaga siya ganun ka-ready para sa relasyon.

“Busy siya sa trabaho, ako, busy din. Kahit nandiyan na, maganda 'yong relax lang muna, magkakilala nang husto,” he said.

The Kapuso star added that, as the song goes, “you can’t hurry love.”

“Ayoko rin siyang biglain, kasi alam niyo naman 'yong mga pinagdaanan niya na di maganda. Sa ngayon, okay kaming magkaibigan.”

Heart is busy with “Full House” while Dennis, with "Darna" in which he plays one of the new characters. 

In the 2005 version of the popular fantaserye, Dennis played Efren, Darna’s (Angel Locsin) love interest. Now, he returns for the new season, which will start airing this December, as the heroine’s childhood sweetheart, Pancho, a policeman. He will complete the love triangle with Narda/Darna (Marian Rivera) and Eduardo (Mark Anthony Fernandez).

While his character Pancho is sure of his love for Narda, Dennis simply enjoys his life sans love.

“Ine-enjoy ko lang 'yong buhay ko ngayon, 'yong pagiging single, pagiging busy, pagkakaroon ng mas maraming time sa pamilya ko,” said he.

And playing Santa to Heart?