THE mystery date of President Benigno Aquino III has been identified as Bunny Calica, a 27-year-old teacher whom the president met four years ago and recently renewed ties.
Contrary to earlier reports, she is not a Cebuana.
The president has been begging the media to keep his love life private but his choice of female companions remains a frequent target of speculation for the country’s best known bachelor.
Aquino was photographed bringing the woman to a reunion concert of ’70s band Hotdog at Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City last Monday.
She is reportedly a daughter of a former Boeing executive.
The president’s celebrity sister Kris Aquino told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that her two sons were earlier in the company of Aquino and Calica in a dinner date, and that younger son Bimby bluntly asked “Are you my tito’s girlfriend?”
The President reportedly answered “No, but I hope so.”
Calica’s mestiza features resemble those of a sister of former Bogo mayor Celestino “Tining” Martinez III, a close political ally of the Aquino family in Cebu but Martinez denied any link.
Aquino’s spokespersons said they did not know anything about the woman as they did not bother asking the president about her.
The woman sat beside Aquino in the concert with former senator Mar Roxas and some Cabinet officials. Reporter Marian Z. Codilla