MANILA, Philippines?On the GMA 7 show ?Celebrity Duets,? Filipino-British football player Phil Younghusband is the resident hunk?taking over the slot of last year?s breakout stud Hayden Kho.

Just like Hayden, Phil isn?t a Concert King just yet.

What the 21-year-old athlete seriously lacks in tone and timbre, however, he more than makes up for with grit and gumption?which come in handy both on the football field and in show town.

He says he practices regularly with the videoke in his living room?his favorite part of the condo unit. ?When I?m home, I would often be in front of the TV?singing, or watching DVD and football on ESPN.?

Another choice spot is the computer nook.

Since mom Susan and little sis Keri are back in London, the Internet is the best way to keep in touch, he says. ?It?s too expensive to call, so we just e-mail or chat with family and friends on Facebook.?

Another fave is the king-size bed that is just perfect for the 5?11? hunk. ?I spend a lot of time sleeping.?

He confesses that he?s been neglecting his sport lately. ?I?m singing more now than playing ball.?

But he tries to work out regularly?running around the neighborhood, lifting weights at home, or doing cardio routines at the gym.

?It?s important to keep fit,? says Phil, who joined the Philippine national team after concluding his contract with the Chelsea Football Club.

London souvenirs

Older brother James is the only family with him now, and he has filled the bachelor?s pad with little reminders of London: a photo of baby sis Keri in the foyer, Timberland boots and Adidas jackets, football jerseys of Chelsea and Real Madrid (his favorite Spanish team) in the closet.

He insists he?s no clutter rat, though. ?I?m neither messy nor obsessive-compulsive. I?m somewhere in the middle.?

He?s encountered no difficulty adjusting in this new home base. ?Actually, we visit the Philippines every year, so right now my brother and I are doing well?especially since we love the Philippines and Filipinos.?

And Filipinas, too.

E-mail: bayanisandiego@hotmail.com