I had never been one for online dating, but after some coaxing from my friends, I downloaded the latest dating app everyone was raving about. I spent an hour scrolling through profiles, swiping left and right, unsure if I'd ever connect with someone through a screen. But then, I came across a profile that I accidentally swiped right and it's a match!

His name was Mark. His profile picture was of him at a coffee shop in Tagaytay. His bio was simple: “Hindi maporma hindi marunong mambola.”

Mark messaged me first: “Ang ganda mo naman po where are you from?"

Me: Ows! Bolero ka pala.

The conversation flowed easily from there. We talked about our favorites, the books we were reading, and the places we wanted to visit. I found myself laughing at Mark's stories and feeling a sense of connection I hadn’t expected to see on an app.