Angel Locsin

While Luis Manzano tries to get back on the good side of ex-girlfriend Angel Locsin, she insists that their relationship is “back to zero.”

“Mas okay na ayusin muna namin ‘yong relasyon namin na hindi kami mag-aaway, hindi kami magba-bastusan, kasi ayoko nun eh. Siyempre may pinagsamahan kami tapos bigla kaming mag-aaway. Back to zero kami,” the actress said at the shoot for Christian Bautista’s new music video, “Beautiful Girl,” where she will appear alongside Anne Curtis, Georgina Wilson, and Solenn Heusaff.

Angel also aired her version of the story that Kris Aquino revealed on “Showbiz News Ngayon” about her conversation with Luis’ mother, Vilma Santos, during a dinner at her [Angel] house in Don Antonio.

“Si Luis, katabi ko, tapos si Ate Ruffa [Gutierrez]. Tumawag ba naman tapos nagsusumbong. Hello? Akala ko ba inaayos mo tapos bakit ka nagsusumbong?

“Tapos kinausap ako [ni Tita Vi], ako naman medyo shy-shy. Kinuha ni Ate Kris ‘yong phone tapos kinausap niya,” she narrated.

Albeit she admittedly felt shy during their talk, she cleared that she is never intimidated in the presence of the Star for All Seasons.

“No, never [akong nailang]. Never siyang nagpakita sa’kin ng dapat ma-intimidate ako. Talagang napaka-warm na tao. [Isa pa] kasi fan ako [nun] eh. Kung puwede ngang buong araw ko siyang kausapin eh,” Angel said.

So, did Vilma lobby for “one more chance” for Luis?

“Hindi naman kasi ganun. Pero sabi niya na-miss daw niya ko nung holiday, [tapos tinanong niya kung] kailan daw ako dadalaw,” Angel said.

“Siyempre na-touch rin naman ako na na-miss niya ko. Ang dami niyang ginagawa at ang daming importanteng tao sa paligid niya tapos sinabi niya ‘yon.”

For now, Angel said she is not in a hurry to find the right guy, be that Luis or her latest suitor, CNN hero Efren Peñaflorida.

“Hindi naman ako nagmamadali eh. Kung siya [Luis] naman talaga eh ibibigay naman talaga ni God. Sa ngayon, enjoy lang [muna].”

The two boys may have their own strengths, but Angel declined to compare them.

“Gusto ko lang maayos ‘yong relasyon ko sa lahat, so kasama silang dalawa dun. Ayoko kasing i-compare kasi parang ang sama ko pag kino-compare ko ‘yong dalawa, lalo na si Ef na hindi naman sanay sa showbiz.

“Si Luis alam ko kakayanin niya kasi [nasa] showbiz [din siya], pero ‘yong isa, hindi pa. Buti na lang positive ‘yong pag-iisip nung isang tao,” she remarked.

That, at least, is as far as her instincts tell her. Proof positive is the CNN Hero’s reaction when she texted him about her dinner with Luis and friends.

“Sabi ko ‘Nandito si Luis, baka lang magulat ka.’ Sumagot! Sabi niya, ‘Hi mo ko sa kanya 'tsaka sa Mommy niya.’ O diba napaka-positive na tao! Kung iba ‘yan baka hindi na mag-reply,” related Angel, who is currently cooking up advocacy projects with the Dynamic Teen Company founder.

In an interview aired on “Umagang Kay Ganda,” Luis himself stood up for Efren against detractors.

“No matter what, napakataas ng respeto ko kay Efren. Sa mga taong nagbababa kay Efren, sana ma-realize nila ‘yong ginawa niya para sa mga Pilipino without even thinking of himself,” the TV host-actor stressed.