MANILA, Philippines?It?s been two and a half years since cherubic 16-year-old David Archuleta won hearts and votes to place second in ?American Idol,? possibly the biggest talent contest on television.

There?s been no rest for the adorable, as Archuleta has since released a pop album and a Christmas album, and toured the world. He even made a Manila pit stop in 2009 for a back-to-back concert with ?Idol? 2008 first-placer David Cook, yielding the hilarious event poster that read, ?Cook David Archuleta.?

He?s back on a promo tour for his third album ?The Other Side of Down,? which promises a sound that?s ?older, wiser, with faith still on his side, and an eternally optimistic, wide-eyed outlook.? A very young-looking 20, Archuleta is the very definition of wholesome. Asked at a press con on Wednesday about his favorite memory of the Philippines from the first time around, he claimed that mangoes, not girls, stole his heart. ?I ate so many! The mangoes we get in the [United] States are really stringy. Here, they?re so fresh!?

It?s not that girls aren?t on his horizon, ladies. But David Archuleta is one of the few people in show business past puberty who can get away with blinking innocently when people ask about ?a special someone.? It actually seems refreshing, and he can go on and on in admiration of his favorite female peers?like Charice Pempengco, with whom he has a duet on his holiday album, ?Christmas from the Heart.?

?I keep in touch with her,? Archuleta says of Charice. ?I?ll see her on Sunday; we?ll be performing in an event. When I heard she?d be there, I was like, great, that?ll be really fun.?

But is he following her into acting? ?It?s not something I initially felt I?d be very good at. But when I took roles in ?iCarly? and ?Hannah Montana,? I had a really great time. I really enjoyed it. So... who knows??

Fellow tween stars

Fellow tween starlets are also treated with much respect by the ?Idol? star. ??iCarly?s? Miranda Cosgrove was really nice and sweet, and more quiet than I thought she?d be.? He glosses over the troubles of Disney starlet Demi Lovato, who recently went into rehab for emotional issues, and with whom Archuleta toured in 2009. ?At 18, Demi is so talented. She acts, she sings, she plays instruments and writes songs. It was a real treat watching her perform. And she?s really smart.?

He credits this respect for women to being surrounded by women. He has three sisters of whom he feels protective. ?They taught me how to care and look after someone. At home, I?m like, ?Who?s that boy?? It?s important to have a lot of respect for girls and to value them.? And when he does pursue a girl romantically, Archuleta says, laughing, ?I probably wouldn?t wanna tell people.?

Watching ?Idol?

Now, another thing he?ll be doing when he gets home is watch the new and?maybe-or-maybe-not?improved new season of ?American Idol.? For those who just got out of a Chilean mine, the show recently underwent a major revamp with the departure of the show?s best-known judge, Simon Cowell, who is launching the US version of his very own UK franchise, ?The X-Factor.? (It should be pointed out that this killed the original ?Idol? franchise, ?Pop Idol.?) With the axing of Kara DioGuardi and the resignation of Ellen DeGeneres, last judge standing Randy Jackson will be joined by Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler at the judges? table.

Says Archuleta, ?People have gotten used to seeing Simon and hearing his opinions, but Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, being artists and performers, would give an additional element to the judging. [There are now two artists who] have gone through the whole process? fame and performing and making albums and... doing what they want to do to music. I think they?ll be giving good advice.?

He himself is getting used to the demands of his career. ?I trip all the time, but it?s not embarrassing anymore?the first few times, it was like ?Oh, no, I?ve shown people I?m imperfect!? After the thirtieth time, I figured people know I fall down a lot. And that?s okay.?