The Boys from Brazil

AKIHIRO SATO, 23

• Height: 6 feet

• Weight: 170 lbs.

• Size of shirt: Medium

• Size of briefs: Medium or large

• Size of shoes: 10.5

• Color of eyes: Dark brown

• Color of hair: Dark brown

• Parents: Ichiro Sato (Japanese) and Clea Maceda Andrade (Brazilian)

• Siblings: Two (an older brother and an older sister)

• Birthday: Sept. 9, 1986 (Virgo)

• Birthplace: Sao Paulo

• Education: Physical Therapy (sophomore)

• Religion: Catholic

• Shows on GMA: Moshi, Moshi... I Love You (with Rufa Mae Quinto), Darna and Panday Kids

• Movie: Survivors (an indie directed by Adolf Alix Jr.)

DANIEL MATSUNAGA, 21

• Height: 6’1”

• Weight: 170 lbs.

• Size of shirt: Medium

• Size of briefs: Medium or large

• Size of shoes: 10.5

• Color of eyes: Dark brown

• Color of hair: Black

• Parents: Paulo Mitsuo Matsunaga (Japanese) and Gerarda Silva (Brazilian)

• Siblings: Two (one brother and one sister)

• Birthday: Nov. 28, 1988 (Sagittarius)

• Birthplace: Brasilia, Brazil

• Education: High school graduate

• Religion: Catholic

• Shows on GMA: The Last Prince and guestings (Sweet Life, Show Me Da Manny, etc.)

• Movie: Survivors

 FABIO IDE, 23

• Height: 6 feet

• Weight: 160 lbs.

• Size of shirt: medium

• Size of briefs: 32”

• Size of shoes: 10

• Color of eyes: Dark brown

• Color of hair: Black

• Parents: Luis Ide (Japanese) and Ana Maria Ide (Brazilian)

• Siblings: Two sisters

• Birthday: Dec. 26, 1987 (Capricorn)

• Education: Publicity & Marketing (sophomore, Mackens University)

• Religion: Catholic

• Shows: Comedy Bar

• Movies: Survivors and You To Me Are Everything (GMA Films/Regal Films, with Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera)

They are three of the newest crop of imports who are making waves not on the hardcourt like their counterparts but on the ramp and in showbiz. They offer drop-dead good looks and, yes, talent, and if Filipino fans appreciate them, well and good, the boys from Brazil are glad, thank you.

I suppose that their countrymen are proud of them in much the same way that we Filipinos beat our collective breasts with the same degree of pride when our kababayan make good and make a name in other countries. Some (very few lang naman) local talents frown at “imports” for “stealing” jobs from Filipino talents but is it the imports’ fault if they get noticed and they stand out in a highly-competitive field?

The competition should be on the level, as in matira ang matibay.

Did American talents make a similar “accusation” against Lea Salonga when she ruled Broadway (and romped off with a Best Actress grand slam for Miss Saigon)? No, they did not. Did the Japanese grumble when our very own Marlene dela Peña attained the stardom and success that proved elusive to her back home? No, they did not; in fact, they embraced Marlene like their own.

Local artists mount shows abroad and draw not exclusively Filipino audiences but foreigners as well and they come home bragging about it, so why begrudge the same chance to talents coming here to do the same? In the performing arts, there shouldn’t be any cultural discrimination; lines should not be drawn on a criterion of nationality. All talents must be treated as equals, regardless of country of origin.

Akihiro Sato, Daniel Matsunaga and Fabio Ide are only three of the 52 talents in the quadra of Mercator headed by Jonas Gaffud, a geographer (that’s why his agency is so named). Most of Mercator talents are Filipinos (some have won beauty titles), including Victor Basa, Survivor Philippines winner JC Tiuseco. It may be just luck that the Brazilians (Eat, Bulaga! co-host Daiana Meneses, who is lovable and speaks Tagalog fluently, is one of them) are getting a good share of the limelight.

How has your life in the Philippines been so far?

Akihiro (here for almost two years): I am enjoying a lot because of my work and the people are very friendly. I’ve been studying how to speak Tagalog and English. And also, I’m learning Filipino culture.

Daniel (here for one year and a half): Everything is amazing --- the food, the people and the culture. Everything, including the weather, is like Brazil. It feels like I never left home at all.

Fabio (came in 2005, comes and goes but has decided to stay): The people here are very mabait, very friendly and very hospitable.They make us feel comfortable. The language helps a lot. The weather is like back home and the religion, too. There’s a positive vibe everywhere.

You’ve been all over Asia. Before the Philippines, what other Asian countries did you work in?

Akihiro: I worked as a model in Thailand for three years, almost one year in Hong Kong and also in Singapore.

Daniel: I’ve been to more than 20 countries for modeling, not only in Asia but also in the US, Europe and South Africa. I’ve been to Thailand and Singapore. Before I came to the Philippines, I lived in Hong Kong for two years.

Fabio: My first trip was to Hong Kong. I’ve been to five different places in China; I lived in Singapore and in Tokyo. I’ve been here four times but every time I came, I would stay for only three months.

What are the other similarities between the Philippines and Brazil?

Akihiro: The weather pareho lang — mainit! Hahahaha!

Daniel: The religion. Brazil is mostly Catholic. Filipinos drive on the same side as Brazilians.

Fabio: They already mentioned everything. But I think the most important similarity is that the Philippines and Brazil are both Third World countries. Traffic is the same. Like Brazilians, Filipinos are smiling all the time even if sometimes life is hard.

What kind of family did you come from?

Akihiro: I’m a beach boy. My family lives near the beach, three and a half hours drive from Sao Paulo. It’s like Boracay and it’s a very peaceful place. Our life is simple lang.

Daniel: We are a very close family. My family is very simple. We exchange stories all the time; we pray together every day. It’s good to be in touch with people you love and it’s what I do. Whether far away or with my family, I always try to be in touch with them.

Fabio: Sao Paulo is a very big city. I wanted to but I didn’t have the opportunity to live on the beach --- you know, you wake up and go surfing every day. When you live in a big city, from the time you wake up, there’s already traffic. My childhood was good and happy. My family is very humble and down-to-earth. Thank God my family was able to give me good education.

Did the three of you know each other before you came to the Philippines?

Akihiro: We became friends in Thailand. We met there for the first time.

Daniel: Everywhere we go, we meet different people so we make many friends.

Fabio: I met Akihiro in Thailand in 2005 and Daniel, in Hong Kong two years ago. It’s good for us because when we came here, we were already friends.

How similar are you to or different from each other?

Akihiro: We are very simple and very humble. The difference, I think...I don’t think we are very different from one another.

Daniel: We love sports, we love hanging out with the same people.

Fabio: We are very athletic, we love to play soccer and going to the gym, and also boxing. Not much difference among us, so that wherever we go and whatever we do, we have fun.

Do you live together?

Akihiro: Daniel and I used to share an apartment in Makati.

Daniel: Now I live with my sister. She’s a model. Her name is Vanessa Matsunaga. She started modeling ahead of me.

Fabio: I now live alone.

Do you like the same type of girls?

Akihiro: I like different types. Sometimes I like tall and then not-too-tall girls. She has to be good inside. If she’s good inside, it’s a good combination. She must have nice hands and nice feet, and they must be clean.

Daniel: She has to be smart. It’s good if she can make good conversation, if she can give intelligent answers to your questions. She must have a good smile.

Fabio: The eyes. That’s what I first look at in a girl. I don’t like really tall girls; I like funny girls, very athletic who know how to enjoy life. I like girls with a big butt.

(To Fabio) 2006 Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Lia Ramos was your girlfriend. Tell us more about her.

Fabio: She’s not so tall; she’s only 5’7” but she has a big butt. She’s very smart, very funny, very down-to-earth. I met her in 2005, the first time I came to the Philippines. That was when she won Bb. Pilipinas-Universe. After that, we started going out together and then we started going steady.

Who is fastest with the girls?

Akihiro: I think Fabio is the fast one. Hahahahaha! Me, I’m very shy with the girls.

Daniel: I think these two guys are hard competition. I’m more conservative. I have to know the girl very well first.

Fabio: When you are single, you expect to meet somebody; you don’t necessarily think about sex...you just want to be friends with her. But if a one-night stand happens, it’s gonne be nice.

How many girlfriends have you had so far?

Akihiro: Seven. No Filipino girlfriend. Now, no girlfriend.

Daniel: Five. Four Brazilians and one Hungarian. No girlfriend now.

Fabio: Lia and I are no longer together. We broke up six days ago. (This interview was done on April 20. — RFL) We were together for three years and six months. We lived together here and anywhere we went --- Japan, Los Angeles, Brazil, South Africa (Where Lia is a popular model. --- RFL) Why did we break up? Kasi, I think it’s because we’d been living together for such a long time, we were fighting too much, we were always together so we didn’t have a chance to miss each other. So we decided to have a break.

What is your favorite pick-up line?

Akihiro: Haven’t we met before?

Daniel: Would you like to drink something? (Adding jokingly) I would get her drunk first.

Fabio: Can I buy you a drink? Or, I miss you the same way that the desert miss the rain. Or, I offer her a vodka Red Bull. If she smiles, I will invite her to a nice, quiet place where we can talk.

How are Brazilian girls and how are Filipino girls?

Akihiro: Brazilian girls are more aggressive. Filipino girls tend to be more conservative.

Daniel: Brazilian girls are taller and harder to approach. They play hard-to-get.

Fabio: Akihiro is right. Brazilian girls are more aggressive but once you get to know them they can really take care of you. Filipino girls are very caring and very loving. They will take care of you 100 percent. I should know. I had a very caring and very loving Filipino girlfriend. Brazilian girls are sexy but I think Filipino girls are the sexiest girls in Asia. Their energy is muy caliente.

What do you find sexy in a woman?

Akihiro: The body, at saka mata, cute face. Lahat-lahat na!

Daniel: She has to be slim-fit. The butt! And a nice smile.

Fabio: The way she touches her hair (tossing backward). The eyes. And the butt.

You have met many Filipino actresses. Who among them do you find sexy (name one)?

Akihiro: Iza Calzado. She can kill a guy by just looking at him.

Daniel: There are a lot of beautiful girls here and it’s hard to choose. But I think Bianca Manalo (2009 Bb. Pilipinas-Universe) is very sexy.

(They are together in the PH Care commercial. --- RFL)

Fabio: Lia would be the first one I would mention. Sigurado ‘yon. But aside from her...yes, Isabel Oli. I worked with her and she seemed to be smart and adorable.

Your fellow Brazilian, 2004 Miss Earth Priscilla Meirelles, is, according to reports, getting married to her Filipino boyfriend, John Estrada, in 2011. If you found a Filipino Miss Right, would you marry her?

Akihiro: Of course, of course! Why not?

Daniel: Oh yes, I would!

Fabio: Sigurado, yes! I’ve experienced living with a Filipina in the last three years of my life and I loved it. It was amazing!

What qualities do you want in a girl?

Akihiro: Humble, nice, funny and, very important, charming.

Daniel: Simple, honest, funny, smart, beautiful and tall.

Fabio: Simple, funny, adorable, talkative...someone who can understand my thoughts.

(E-mail reactions at [email protected] or at [email protected])