MANILA, Philippines—An alternative title for the new ABS-CBN morning show “Ruffa and Ai,” co-host Ai Ai de las Alas says, would be “Beauty and the Best.” Which is which? “Pareho kami,” Ai Ai quips.

People may wonder what the two have in common. The girls insist they share an unpredictable sense of fun. Ruffa recalls, “On our first day, we kept laughing. Ai Ai finds my favorite expressions hilarious.” Ai Ai agrees. “Ruffa keeps saying ‘Oh my gosh’ and she can stretch ‘gosh’ for 30 minutes!”

They admit they can learn from one another. “Ai-Ai can teach me how to prepare longganisa; I can give her tips on fashion,” notes Ruffa. Ai-Ai jests, “I can also teach Ruffa how to change an alternator.”

They currently co-star on “I Love Betty La Fea” and, 15 years ago, they top-billed the sitcom “13, 14, 15.” Ruffa recalls, “Ai Ai played yaya to me, Aiko (Melendez) and Carmina (Villaroel).” Ai Ai’s version: “I mediated whenever they quarreled off-cam.”

A reunion of that cast would be a dream episode for Ruffa, but she admits it’s an impossibility “because Carmina hosts rival show ‘Sis’ on GMA 7.”

One thing Ruffa and Ai Ai don’t quite agree about is Kris Aquino. Ruffa says she has no problem with Kris, but Ai Ai differs: “If Kris guested on the show, I’d be absent. In the same way that, if Yilmaz Bektas were to guest, Ruffa would probably be a no-show.”