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PHOTOGRAPHY: DOC MARLON PECJO
INTERVIEW: ALLAN P. HERNANDEZ
STYLING: REY SANTOS;
MAKEUP: TOTO BAGAMASBAD 
HAIR: RUBEN DELLOMOS

Ace lensman Doc Marlon is telling us you’re quite scared to do this shoot—why?
I’m not that afraid. It’s just that I want this shoot to come out really good and very classy. And (looks at the huge fish tank being filled with water)—dahil lulubog ako sa aquarium! I’ve been told you’ve not  done anything like this so it should be very exciting. Besides, I was the one who chose this concept among the pegs you’ve cooked up for this shoot so titingnan ko after the shoot kung nagkamali ba ako sa pagpili. I’m thinking,  “Will I come out refracted in water?” “How long will I have to hold my breath?” Things like that…

To put this in perspective: Most times we interview after shoots, and by then the models are already comfortable. You, however, are like waiting for your turn at the Chinese water torture chamber. The feeling is justified. But being a beauty queen, are shoots like this natural to you? 
Hindi rin, ha ha! Just because you’re a beauty queen doesn’t mean wearing swimsuits, say, for a shoot. I’m comfortable with my body—I can wear swimsuits—but I’m not really comfortable being photographed in one. 

But aren’t pageants weirder? You walk in a swimsuit in front of thousands of people on live television watched by millions more. For this shoot there are only, what, 10 or so of us…
You know what, it doesn’t make any difference to me. Kasi may stage fright ako. It doesn’t matter if I’m in front of a live audience or the crew here. Hindi nawawala yung kaba ko. 

An FHM debut by any actress is viewed as her first step to a bigger, bolder career—is this the case with you?
Hindi naman. I just want to experience how it is to pose on a cover of a magazine in a bikini.