Beat the Challenges of Dating. Do What You Do.

The wedding month is about to end. Single guys aren’t as lucky as single girls to evade the question of the not-always-meaning-well elders: ”Why are you still single?” or “So… when will you be the groom/bride?” (Read: Napag-iiwanan ka na –The train’s left the station and it’s never coming to town again.)

Your answer. “I’m single/not married/not engaged because…

1. I’m focusing on my career.
2. I just haven’t met the right guy/girl.
3. I want to wait until I’m (we’re) financially stable.
4. Ugh. Ask my boyfriend why.
5. Even God is single. So stop giving me a hard time
6. It’s complicated.
7. A 100 more reasons.

Rinse and repeat. (Guess which answer is mine.)

Given the 30 (or more, much more) hours you spend in front of the computer reading blogs, programming, digg-ing, you might want to spend 15 minutes going through online dating sites and forums.

Sean Bennett, co-founder of free Filipino dating site Pinoy Struck, is one-half of the many online romances that just make you go “aaawww”. (Well, the girls anyway.) The dating site is free and exclusively for Filipinos (even the registration form only has Philippines in the Country options).

Launching its beta version only in May 2008, already more than 1,000 users are trying their luck with love on Pinoy Struck. Maybe there is hope for dating sites. Registration is not far from other online matchmaking sites, with questions about your looks and preferences.

I just wish there was a generator for taglines to help users come up with “Looking for Love in Lipa” or “Buff Programmer Wants Good Conversation and Pretty Smile”. Freelance job sites and dating sites tell users to ‘be catchy’ and ‘be creative’ but being cheesy and honest is not everyone’s talent.

A Facebook or Friendster widget could produce a viral effect for the dating site. The interface is uncluttered. Requisite functions of search and private messaging are present. Profiles have a “hot or not”-ish button. So far that’s all. Right now, the site has sparse Google Adsense but with its growing usage, I’m sure restaurants ;and party venues, even salons and gyms should see Pinoy Struck as a new venue to reach the single and looking.

Pinoy Struck is raffling off P1,200 to a lucky new user who sends feedback. There’s also PHP 60 cellphone load as guarantee (or consolation) to those who dare to try the site but don’t get a date in 14 days.