HE HAS not exactly found the Fountain of Youth, but you could say he?s come close.

Maurice Arcache, arguably Manila?s most energetic and daring social butterfly, is well past retirement age, but still has the stamina for a social calendar that simply runneth over with countless trips abroad, hosting events and endless birthday celebrations for his dearest palanggas, aged 16 to 80+. His ability to party from noon till dawn six days a week all year long could exhaust all but the most die-hard of partygoers. But even if they do somehow manage to match his frenetic pace, who among them can actually claim to have partied at the decadent Coco Banana or Velvet Slum clubs in the ?70s, and currently remain a regular at Establishment, the newest ?in? club at The Fort?

How Maurice manages his busy social schedule, maintains a 31-inch waistline, keeps up to date on the latest fashion and social banter, and breezily throws out witticisms at all hours of the night despite countless glasses of champagne or vodka is the stuff of legend.

What?s his secret, really? Does he perchance sup on newborn infants? placenta, bathe in mother?s milk or has he made a pact with the devil?

?Momo,? as Maurice is fondly called, has the energy of a teenager and doesn?t even look close to his actual age, which to this day remains a tightly-guarded secret. As Manila?s favorite social chronicler and dinner guest, his memory for names, faces and social history is uncanny. Recently bestowed the ?Bon Vivant? award by Tatler magazine for being the ?life of the party,? Momo seems tireless and manages to be everywhere at once.

An average day for him begins at 11 a.m., whether or not he partied the night before. This veteran socialite sure knows how to handle his vodka-infused nights out ? by popping a Ponstan right before his 4 a.m. bedtime. This is apparently the only chemical pill he ingests, as he prefers his ?meds? strictly organic.

Maurice?s maintenance routine relies less on the latest surgical procedures and more on a combination of discipline, smart nutrition and the innate knack to ?turn it all off? when the scene gets too loud.

Upfront about everything but his real age, Maurice believes that the top five aging factors are the following:

1) Not eating the proper food. Maurice does not have a sweet tooth and has not eaten beef for over 35 years.

2) Not exercising: The guy walks nine kilometers every day.

3) Smoking: He does not smoke.

4) Drinking too much alcohol: Maurice considers drinking his only vice because once he starts, he can?t stop. But while he loves his champagne, vodka and ice-cold beers, he mitigates the toll that drinking exacts on his system by taking a lot of B vitamins.

5) Not taking vitamins: This social chronicler takes a lot of vitamins everyday ? 48 in all (24 in the morning, 24 at night). He has been taking vitamins since he was 21, starting with 12, and steadily adding on over the years.

Maurice?s healthy eating and workout regimen is nothing really ground-breaking. But one just has to ask ? 48 vitamins?

He whips out his morning dose of vitamins as if to prove it ? all 24 pills in a handy Ziploc bag. As he was popping them into his mouth, a couple fell under the table. You would think that he could spare a few, but no ? this was not the case. He had the whole party scrambling under the table for the fallen pills. Apparently every pill has a designated purpose.

How does one choose this retinue of vitamins? And is it even safe to ingest 48 vitamins a day?

?Yes it?s safe; and even if you happen to take in too much, you?ll just pee it out anyway,? says Maurice. ?My nutritionist, Dr. Helen Fiezer, who is based in Chicago, advises me on what to take, and I also do my own research. It must be working because I hardly get sick ? maybe only once every four years.?

Though Maurice candidly admits to having had his eye bags ?refreshed? five years ago, and having indulged in regular Botox treatments for the last three years, he claims that the elasticity, clarity and smoothness of his skin is more likely due to the arsenal of vitamins he has been taking and Dr. Perricone?s 6-serum facial neck firming tonic adviser crème.

?[Cosmetic surgeon] Vicky Belo saw me after I had been using the cream for a couple of months, and she advised me to cut down on my Botox injection,? he adds.

Before you raid Rustan?s shelves for this wonder cream, however, check your genes. Much as Maurice would want to credit beauty products, dermatologists concur that one?s gene pool plays a huge factor in the characteristic of one?s skin. Maurice?s mother had no stretch marks despite having had 10 children. Maurice also practices smart sun protection, uses SPF 60 sun block, and no longer follows the sun all over the globe for vacation.

Asked where he gets the discipline to lead a healthy lifestyle, his answer is simple enough: He considers his vanity a blessing.

?Others, may think that the party lifestyle is a hindrance to looking good. I disagree, because I make it work for me. It really helps me keep disciplined about keeping fit. If you don?t make the effort to look good, you won?t get invited to these places (he gestures at the venue we were in ? it was a by-invitation only event of Manila?s who?s who), and if you do get in, you will feel out of place ? like a pimple on their ass or a dried-up prune. And nobody wants that.?

Ultimately, his final word on looking ?too young for his age? is to choose a stress-free life. ?Being able to control your mind and attitude is important. Also, making friends with all age groups (especially the young ones) keeps you active and engaged,? Maurice says. ? Whatever you do, you must take the time to enjoy life.?

He agrees that being involved in a fulfilling relationship is a must. And yes, he concurs with all men past 50 that Viagra belongs in the anti-aging pills category for its ability to make them feel like they?re 21 again.

Maurice smiles naughtily, and says in his typically gravely voice, a result of countless late nights: ?No darling, I do not take 49 pills on certain nights of the month although I do what I must to decrease chances of prostate cancer ? which comes from lack of use!? ?