Tired of swiping? Meet other singles in these events
A sign of good genes and good health is the key to finding love, according to Vanessa Antonio, a United States-certified matchmaker and science-based dating coach.
Better known as Coach Vee, Antonio is the founder of Singles Events Manila (SEM), an 11-year-old company dedicated to helping singles find meaningful connections through events and coaching.
“It’s funny—since I studied the art of dating, I’ve realized that so many beliefs are actually myths. People think men like beautiful women and women like handsome men. But in reality, they’re not just looking for attractiveness; they’re looking for signs of good genes—clear skin, bright eyes, shiny hair, and a healthy weight,” she told Lifestyle.
“What a man truly looks for are indicators of a strong reproductive system—whether a woman can bear a dozen children. It all ties back to health. This is true across all cultures—maging healthy ka at gaganda ka,” she added.
SEM was born out of the challenge many singles face—wanting to meet potential partners but not knowing where to go.
“There was a market gap. Dating apps weren’t a thing yet when we began. People always say they want to meet someone ‘organically.’ But we’re all tired of going to bars every weekend, or to weddings and even wakes just to meet single people. So we thought—why not go to one event where you could meet multiple single professionals at once?” she explained.
In its early days, SEM held meetups just three times a year. Today, events happen almost weekly. “For this year, we’re doing them every two weeks, but bigger,” Antonio said.
Tonight (Feb. 12), SEM is hosting a “Mystery Speed Dating” event at Take Me Back in Quezon City. This comes just a week after “Swipe IRL: A Social Mixer for Singles,” which promised: “No more endless swiping—just real conversations, real chemistry, and real possibilities.”
Success stories
One of the biggest challenges SEM faced was breaking the stigma surrounding dating events.
“People used to think these were for desperate people. But one of my favorite success stories comes from a couple who got married last December. When I asked them for pointers, they said, ‘You’re missing out on so many opportunities if you don’t attend events like this. Here, people are vetted, and you know what to expect.’”
Antonio also emphasized how sensory perception plays a key role in attraction. “The primary sense is visual, of course. When you attend a singles event, you immediately see what they look like.
“The second most attractive trait is the voice—you hear how they speak and can gauge their level of education.
“The third is smell. Our events go beyond simple table-to-table conversations. We create shared experiences. In some activities, you’ll see participants running after each other, carrying one another, or even hugging while playing ‘The Boat is Sinking.’ That’s where the smelling part comes,” she said, laughing.
“Also the goal is to build memories, so when they finally sit down, they already have something to talk about.”
SEM has produced at least a hundred marriages, and Antonio isn’t stopping there. She shared her top 3 success stories—one from each of SEM’s core services: matchmaking, coaching, and singles events.
“One of my most memorable matches was an accomplished foreigner. He was young, fit, and successful but had exhausted all measures to find a wife. He had already hired three matchmakers in the US, two in Europe, and two others in Asia (Thailand and Malaysia).
“I said, ‘Challenge accepted!’ After months of working together, he called me to say he was relocating here because he liked the matches I was sending. A week after he moved, I set him up on another date—and guess what? We found the one!”
His match was a successful TV personality who was hesitant about dating because of her popularity. “I set her up with the afam (slang for foreigner), and they’ve never separated since. Out of all his dates, he found love in the Philippines—through us.”
Next great love story
Antonio then recalled a coaching success story: “A 32-year-old engineer came to me and said, ‘Coach Vee, I’ve found the love of my life, but she doesn’t like me.’ I trained him for six months—teaching him when to approach, when to text, and even what gifts to bring for her and her family. Less than a year later, they were married.”
During the pandemic, SEM’s Singles Social Club sparked hope for many. “A 40-year-old woman who had given up on love joined just for friendship. Meanwhile, a 36-year-old man, also disillusioned with dating, joined as well. Through weekly online events, group chats, and shared activities, their friendship blossomed into love. They’re now getting married this April—and they asked me to host their wedding.”
Antonio is determined to increase marriages in the Philippines and cement her reputation as a love expert. “If someone is tired of toxic relationships or struggling to find the right person, I want them to say, ‘I need to go to Coach Vee,’” she declared.
“I also want to be the go-to expert for love and relationships in Asia. You’ll notice how many afams come here looking for a wife, saying Filipino women aren’t just beautiful and family-oriented—there’s something special about them,” said Antonio, who also shares her insights on her radio show, “Love Konek,” which airs weeknights at 10 p.m. on Radyo 630.
With SEM continuing to evolve and create love stories, Coach Vee seems well on her way to achieving her dream. And for Filipino singles still searching, their next great love story might just begin at one of her events.
