MANILA, Philippines?Sayang ngayon lang tayo nagkatagpo,? goes Claire dela Fuente?s biggest hit.

But although, as in the romantic ballad, Claire and American singer-songwriter Michael Bolton met for the first time only recently, she?s not crooning, ?Sayang (What a pity)!?

?I think I?m in love,? she told Inquirer?like an afterthought, following a detailed account of their ?date? at The Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills early this month.

To the surprise of everyone around them, the usually loquacious ?Karen Carpenter of the Philippines? had been nearly dumbstruck for the most part of the meeting.

She told Inquirer: ?He was very attentive, really listening to every word I said?and a few times, if I wasn?t saying anything, I caught him looking.?

At the end of the hour, Claire gave Michael a kulintang set from Mindanao, which Michael said he could probably use in future recordings. And he gave her ?two dozen long-stemmed pink roses!? (Claire is thrilled to this day.)

?He said I had a beautiful (vocal) tone,? the Pinay hitmaker recalled. How did Michael know? They have a duet on the new ?Claire dela Fuente Christmas Album? from Viva?a velvety cover of the holiday classic, ?The Christmas Story.?

?How am I supposed to live without you?? goes Michael?s best-known pop charter. He needn?t have to, having proposed more projects to Claire?possibly a second duet, plus a live concert series next fall.

Until then, Claire doesn?t mind saying she hangs on to every word that Michael told her. ?He said I was such a doll,? she said, giggling. ?Which doll kaya??