Derek Ramsay clarified that girlfriend Angelica Panganiban isn’t a pasaway and that she is just being true to her feelings. “I don’t know if you remember when you asked me kung anong nagustuhan ko kay Angel… she keeps it real, totoo siyang tao, katulad ko,” Derek said to members of the press at the grand press conference of his upcoming teleserye, Habang May Buhay held last Tuesday, January 26. He further explained that there is a fine line between being pasaway and being honest to one’s self. “That’s not an attitude. She just speaks her mind. Hindi siya plastic and she’s like that with me also. If she wants to say something, she will say it, hindi niya itatago.” The Fil-British actor said that Angel may look “mataray” but she is professional when it comes to work.

Derek admitted that with their busy schedules, they don’t get to spend much time together like they used to but their relationship is very much intact nonetheless. To make up for lost time, they’ve scheduled an outreach program on Valentine’s Day, where they will visit an institution for autistic kids in Alabang. “Gift namin sa isa’t isa na we’re going to throw a party for autistic kids. We do that every year, we promised the kids that we will go back this year,” Derek revealed. “Mas masaya kung ‘yun ang gagawin namin kesa sa magdi-date kami.”

Tagged as the universal leading man, Derek is currently busy taping for the last few episodes of Habang May Buhay, which premieres on February 1, where he is reunited with Judy Ann Santos whom he worked with in 2007’s Ysabella. Aside from being vocal about his tandem with Judai in Ysabella being the factor that gave his career a big boost, Derek added that the Teleserye Queen is every actor’s dream leading lady. “She gets better and better as an actress. Personality-wise ganun pa rin siya, down-to-earth, kalog… And she’s very caring,” Derek described. He said that Judai treats all members of the staff equally, from her co-actors down to the production crew. “Napakabait niya. Acting-wise she just gets better and better in everything that she does and makes it easier for me,” related Derek.

Since Habang may Buhay took more than three years to make, Derek has mixed emotions now that they are down to the teleserye’s last few episodes. “Nakakalungkot na tatlong taon na pinaghirapan namin. Naninibago ako na hindi ko na sila makikita. Pero we’re also satisfied na makikita namin ‘yung trabahong pinaghirapan namin.”