Body Talk with Aljur Abrenica

Silent water runs deep.

That best describes Aljur Abrenica, the Piolo Pascual look-alike Kapampangan who won the Ultimate Hunk title last year in the GMA talent search StarStruck (in the same batch with Mart Escudero, Jewel Mische and Kris Bernal who is Aljur’s leading lady in the all-young-star-cast Regal romantic flick Loving You).

Even when confronted with the nastiest rumor, he simply smiles. But when it was reported that his father has “several” families, Aljur was forced to speak up.

His father, Alfonso Abrenica Jr., who’s into his early 50s, is a musician. He used to be a member of the metal-rock group Smashers which played in Olongapo, later changed to Lover Boys when the group’s sound turned mellow. Aljur’s mother, Amor Guiang, was a member of another band. She and Alfonso met in Japan when they had (separate) stints there. They now own and manage a music bar/lounge in Pampanga.

“My father is palikero, musikero kasi, eh,” Aljur admitted. “Playboy talaga, lapitin ng chicks. At 17, may love child na siya. He lived-in with a few women, but he went straight after he married my mom. Kami ang legal niyang pamilya. Mayroon kaming mga kapatid sa labas and my mom knows that. In fact, we treat them na parang tunay naming kapatid. They even come to our house.”

Aljur turned 18 last March 24 (Aries). Asked if he could break his dad’s “record,” he smiled. “Mahirap siguro,” he joked.

First seen in the GMA youth-oriented show Boys Next Door (together with the other StarStruck discoveries), Aljur then co-starred with Dennis Trillo and Marky Cielo in Zaido, and is now in the cast of Dyesebel, both also on GMA.

He finished grade school and high school at the Don Bosco Academy in Mabalacat, Pampanga. Until he landed in showbiz, Aljur dreamed to be a pilot. “I still want to enroll in Aeronautics when I have the time,” he said.

The new endorser of Cotton Club, Aljur stands 5’9”, weighs “just enough for my height,” has a 29-inch waistline, and wears medium/large-size shirts/briefs (by Cotton Club) and size-10 shoes.

Are you as busy as the other StarStruck guys? How much sleep do you get per night?

“There are some weeks when I’m very busy, talagang walang pahinga, and some weeks that my schedule is not so tight. When I’m so busy, I get only as many as three hours of sleep but I try to make up for it by taking power naps. My body clock has gotten used to that routine. Wednesday is usually my free day.”

What’s your favorite sleep wear?

“Cotton Club boxer shorts and sleeveless T-shirt.”

Never in the nude?

“I’m not used to it.”

Do you sleep with the aircon turned on full blast?

“Only for a while. When the room temperature is cold enough, I turn off the aircon and turn on the blower but never facing me. It’s bad daw for the health, di ba?”

How many pillows do you sleep with?

“Four. One under my head, two on my sides and the fourth one I hug.”

Do you snore?

“Yes, but only when I’m dead tired.”

Do you talk in your sleep?

“Sabi nila. Hahahahaha!”

Do you sleepwalk?

“I hope not!”

Last thing that you do before you go to sleep?

“I pray.”

What do you usually pray for?

“I thank God for giving me a good day and for my protection. I live only with my driver at a pad in the scout area in Quezon City, so I also pray for good health for my family na nasa Pampanga. I ask God to keep them away from harm. I miss them.”

And the first thing that you do when you wake up?

“I wash my face. Then, I play my guitar.”

What workout do you do?

“When I have enough time, I go to the Gold’s Gym. I do the treadmill and lift weights for one hour, four times a week. Otherwise, I work out at home. When I was competing in StarStruck, I would go to the gym almost every day because I wanted to win the Ultimate Hunk title, which I got.”

What part do you think needs improvement?

“My abs. Gusto ko maging more firm. So I do sit-ups and push-ups. I tried the training that Manny Pacquiao usually does, pero hindi ko kaya. Matindi!”

What part is vulnerable?

“None!”

And what part is your favorite?

“My arms. They are strong.”

What part of a girl’s body do you look at first?

“The whole face. Type ko ‘yung medyo may panga, medyo matangkad but not taller than I am at balingkinitan.”

What about your diet? Do you take three square meals a day?

“I eat anything but not too much. For breakfast, I take mostly cereals which are easy to prepare. You pour it into a bowl of hot water at okay na, with orange juice. Sometimes, bread or brown rice with eggs done sunnyside-up. When I was on a high-protein diet, I would take as many as 12 eggs for breakfast, but only the whites. For lunch, the usual — rice with ulam. Sometimes, steak, pero bihira. Mahal, eh! For dinner, something very light. Tonight, I’m having only a piece of apple.”

Food that you avoid?

“Sweets. Mahilig ako sa vegetables. My favorite is sinigang with plenty of kangkong. My favorite fruit is apple. I take as many as three pieces a day.”

How much water do you take per day?

“Not much; only five glasses a day. I’m trying to take more, at least eight glasses. But when I was on a high-protein diet, I would take as many as two gallons a day.”

Do you take hard drinks?

“Mahilig ako d’yan — Jack Daniels, Black Label, Matador, Emperador, Remy Martin...I have tasted them all. But I avoid drinking too much. Otherwise, when I have one drink too many, I start to cry because I feel as if I’m dying and it scares me. But even if I’m drunk, I’m in control of myself. When I get sober, I remember everything that I’ve said or done.”

Do you smoke?

“No, I don’t.”

What vitamins do you take?

“Multi-vitamins.”

How do you cope with stress?

“I just don’t let it bother me. Dati, kapag na-i-stress ako, nagkaka-pimples ako. Other people get a massage to de-stress themselves. But me, I try to get my mind off it; hindi ko na lang iniisip na stress ‘yon. Or I listen to music...make music with my guitar. It’s in music that I can better express myself.”

Any hobbies?

“I read romantic novels. I just finished reading The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks.”

Favorite hideaway?

“Pampanga. The moment I see the face of my youngest brother light up when he opens my pasalubong, masaya na ako.”

How’s your love life?

“None.”

How many girlfriends have you had?

“Just a few. Mabibilang pa naman sa mga daliri ko.”

Are you vain like most good-looking guys?

“Not really, although I make sure that I look good when I’m out. Artista ako, so people expect me to look good.”

Does it take long for you to fix yourself?

“No. I do it fast. Our dad trained us to do things fast, kasi sabi niya ang taong mabagal kumilos ay hindi umaasenso. Maraming alam na kasabihan ang dad ko; I learned a lot from him.”

Name three guys you think have nice bodies.

“Piolo Pascual. Dingdong Dantes. Dennis Trillo.”

And three women...

“Alyssa Alano. Diana Zubiri. Rufa Mae Quinto. Make it four... Angel Locsin.”

Using only body language, how would you make a girl know that you admire/like her?

“I just keep on looking at her. If she looks back again and again, aba, ‘yon na ‘yon!”

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