New year, new Asia

Asia Agcaoili is out to turn over a new leaf for the new year. The controversial sex symbol who made headlines with her bosom-baring act on national television now wants to be known as a TV host. This means making heads turn, not because of her eye-popping physical assets, but because of her witty way of asking questions from guests.

This, she wants to prove starting Jan. 7, when her show, iPBA will be launched on ABC 5. The weekly show, to be aired on Sundays, 3:30 to 4 p.m., will see her interviewing PBA superstars with her trademark humor and naughtiness.

"I can ask questions you never dared to ask," she reveals with a wink. "I can push the boundaries."

Coming from her, the words sound more like a tease and a threat at the same time. You wonder, will Asia lock horns with MTRCB (Movie and Television Review and Classification Board) chair Consoliza Laguardia again?

She brushes off your concern with a laugh.

"Our show already has an MTRCB permit. Ms. Laguardia and I have already talked and she understands that it’s just a job for me. It doesn’t reflect what I am as a person."

She adds, "Compared to what I’ve done before, this is mild." No wonder Asia wears her self-confidence like a badge of honor these days.

After all, she has moved on after breaking up with her Australian boyfriend of four years. The guy has packed his bags and is now working in the UK.

Asia says work – his and hers – got in the way. Their everyday conversation revolved around work it got boring in the end. But Asia insists she doesn’t take this against her ex. She understands, since she is as driven as he is. And she doesn’t want to stand in the way of his career and his growth. She’d rather her boyfriend grab every opportunity he can get while he still can.

It’s enough that Asia felt pangs of guilt for making him stay put in the Philippines because of her. Besides, she’s not ready to settle down yet. So she set him free, sans regrets.

With the romance is over, Asia can concentrate on her career more. The Viva Hotbabe has just signed up as endorser of Premiere Condoms, for which she is doing a tri-media campaign. And, for starters, she appears in the company’s 2007 calendar.

Yes, she maintains her monthly column on FHM and a thrice-a-week show on Magic 89.9. But with it comes Asia’s goal of taming her sex symbol tag. The come-hither image, she now admits, was just a stepping stone. Asia’s real target is something a lot less skin deep. And that something else is to be recognized for how her mind works, not how her body makes men feel.

"I love talking. I love exercising my mind," she reveals. And she promises to prove this to televiewers, as she goes from one segment to another of iPBA. Besides exclusive footage of PBA players in and outside the hardcourt, the show will give a peek on the hottest intrigues and controversies around the league in the segment PBA Insider. Another segment, Eye PBA, recaps previous games, complete with other related news and tidbits. Shocking Asia is the portion where the host tries to pry out answers from the PBA players regarding ticklish issues.

The Viva Hotbabe can fire off questions to her PBA player-guests because she herself is a basketball fan. Her favorite teams are Ginebra, San Miguel and Shell, in that order. And she admits men who tower over her like PBA players do make her heart skip a beat.

So it’s on to a new life for Asia in 2007.

"I’m evolving, you see," she points out. "I don’t want to be tied down to just one thing. I can do three things at a time."

And, as she has proven after that temporary setback courtesy of the MTRCB, Asia is not one to let anything put her down. She will pick up the pieces and surprise you with a rebound.

"I’m a strong woman. I learn fast," she proclaims.

But, she has, by her own admission, mellowed. She has put her FHM cover girl days behind and exchanged it for the more tamer role of a TV host.

Yes, you’ll still see her in those sexy clothes. But there will be no more baring this time. The shock value will come, not from her clothes, but from questions she asks guests on the show.

Now, will the public like the new Asia they will soon see? That’s for us to find out, two days from now.