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Piolo feels
blessed
 This
young man is a born-again Christian and grateful for God’s
blessings
No doubt about it. Piolo Pascual is one of
the hottest matinee idols in local showbiz, and he is enjoying
every bit of it.
I don’t feel like working when I’m
in front of the camera,” he says of his career. “I
feel blessed and lucky, and I know a lot of people would like
to be in my shoes, to have the opportunities I’ve had
in life.
Piolo returned recently to ABS-CBN, his home
network, to act in a new daily soap. The teleserye, entitled
Mangarap Ka, is a light drama with elements of adventure and
action. It is the network that has perfected the genre over
the years.
Mangarap ka represents a memorable turn in
the rising star’s career. It is a show in which he is
the only attraction. In Sa Puso Ko, Iingatan Ka, his previous
teleserye, he shared top billings with Judy Ann Santos.
Set in the teeming district of Quiapo, Mangarap
Ka spotlights the colorful sights and sounds of downtown Manila.
The life of Oslec (Piolo), a street-smart young man, takes
an unexpected turn when he meets a lost young boy named Tikoy
(newcomer Steven Christian Fermo). It is the first soap assignment
for the six-year-old Steven.
“Oslec is a fascinating character,”
says Piolo. “He’s not the typical underground
character. He does have a dark past, but he fights the bad
guys and helps the poor. He’s the Robin Hood type.”
“I’ve always wanted to do something
like it,” he adds. “The show has a fresh theme.
It is a mix of mystery and the supernatural but very contemporary.
Kids will enjoy watching it day after day.
 Piolo
is also a singer. He has been taking voice lessons for more
than a year now. And just recently, he strutted his stuff
in his own concert at the Araneta Coliseum.
“My voice instructor is very good,”
he says. “I intend to continue taking singing lessons
from her because there’s a lot more to learn.”
He admits, though, that he is more comfortable
acting than singing.
Piolo has been with ABS-CBN for almost six
years now. He is so happy with the network that he has inked
another two-year contract with the network.
“The staff does a lot of things for
me,” he says. “The people at the network make
the research and tell me what I can and cannot do. I trust
ABS-CBN the way I trust my record company, Star Records.”
Outside showbiz, Piolo is just a simple guy
with simple tastes. He prefers jeans and T-shirts during ordinary
days, even when he has people to meet.
“I do dress up when the occasion calls
for it,” he explains. “And that’s why I
shop for clothes when I travel, in the States and other places,
where there are lots of choices.”
For hygiene and skin care, he uses plain
water and ordinary soap. He doesn’t go to any dermatologist.
And he cannot imagine himself undergoing plastic surgery.
“I don’t believe in it,”
he says. “I can understand why women would do it, but
I don’t see the need for guys to undergo cosmetic procedures.”
But he watches his diet. And he regularly
works out. He has a martial arts trainer who teaches him the
art of self-defense. He insists on doing most of his stunts,
and the training helps a lot.
Has he changed since he first entered showbiz?
“I used to be hot-tempered,”
he recalls. I’m a lot more mellowed now. I’ve
changed, not because of acting but because of Christ. I’m
a born-again Christian. I’ve realized I need the Lord
beside me.”
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