More than just actors

MANILA, Philippines - Managing talents is not a picnic so we’re amazed at Noel Ferrer as he’s one of today’s busiest manager-agents handling 22 talents: Ryan Agoncillo, Paolo Bediones, Bayani Agbayani, Luis Alandy, Marco Alcaraz, Joross Gamboa, Rainier Castillo, Edgar Allan Guzman, Rodjun Cruz, Jeffrey Espiritu aka Mr. Fu, Dingdong Avanzado, Cogie Domingo, Louie Heredia, Kim Atienza, Iza Calzado, Chris Tiu, Simon Atkins, Ardie Bascara, Andrew Miguel, Mark Manicad, Joaqui Valdes and James Blanco. Some of them will participate at Enchanted Kingdom’s 15th anniversary as Celebrity Storytellers. “Reading, literacy and education are part of our advocacy and this is our way of paying back to the public who supports us,” says Noel at the presscon attended by Enchanted Kingdom owners Mario Mamon and wife Cynthia Romero.

Bayani, the storyteller on Sept. 26, is currently controversial after Dingdong Dantes reportedly confronted him at the recent birthday party of Ogie Alcasid for spitting out the milk he was drinking on Marian Rivera in a scene in Show Me Da Manny where he played a Bondying sucking from an oversized milk bottle. “Wag na lang palikihin yan,” he says. “Pareho kaming Kapuso at nagkakaintindihan kami.” He adds that he won’t ever offend Marian as he knows she’s GMA-7 royalty, adding that Dingdong was very calm and what happened was just magnified by some people. He and Marian are also in good terms. Once, they saw each other at a showbiz function and Marian even introduced him to her mom.

Marco is the storyteller on Oct. 3. Does he really forbid his girlfriend former Miss Interrnational Precious Lara Quigaman to go sexy? “No, I don’t meddle with her career,” he says. “She can even pose for sexy magazines. It’s her decision. Hindi rin naman siya nagbabawal na magpa-sexy ako, basta huwag lang daw ako man-chicks. I’m happy for her kasi tuloy-tuloy ang projects niya sa ABS while I’m with GMA. Nasa Endless Love ako at siya naman, nasa Impostor and later, sa Imortal na si Jomari Yllana ang kapareha niya.”

Is he in better terms with former manager Arnold Vegafria? “I haven’t seen him lately but if I do, I’ll say ‘hi!’. Basta ako, okay naman ako ngayon with my new manager, Noel, who gets me a lot of jobs hosting beauty pageants in various regions kaya I have a new career.”

Have Lara and he talked about getting married? “Minsan-minsan, napag-uusapan, but nothing concrete. If ever, we want a beach wedding kasi pareho kaming mahilig sa dagat. Pero matagal pa yun.”

Joross Gamboa, the storyteller on Oct. 8, now sports a very buff physique and is featured in sexy pictorials for Cosmo and X Ray Magazines. Last Sept. 9, he was one of the celebrities presented at the Cosmo Bachelor Bash at World Trade Center as one of the Top 10 Cosmo Centerfolds.

“Talagang kinarir ko for five months ang diet at workout,” he says. “I just eat grilled chicken and camote, no salt, no sugar. I go to the gym twice a day. Sa pictorial ko, I’m just wearing briefs. Ayan, bumukol naman ang dapat bumukol.”

He’s now ready for more daring and mature roles. “Twenty-five na ako kaya I agreed with my manager, Noel, na baguhin na ang packaging sa’kin at tama na yung pa-cute and tweetum roles. Sa X Ray Magazine, kasama ko sa sexy pictorial ang other talents of my manager, sina Luis (the storyteller on Oct. 17), Marco, Edgar Allan and Rodjun.”

He’s in the gay love story, Muli, playing the son of Cogie Domingo. Now that he’s ready to do daring roles, can he do the kind of love scenes Cogie and Sid Lucero did in Muli? “Basta maganda and challenging ang role, I’m willing to do it. I’m ready to do even bad boy roles.”

Mr. Fu, Edgar Allan, and Rodjun will have a special Halloween presentation on Oct. 31. Mr. Fu says he feels hurt when some writers accused him of using Tim Yap for his own publicity. “Never sa akin nanggaling ang anuman about Tim,” he says. “They just ask me about him, like when I guested in Paparazzi and when I had a presscon for Wow FM. Sumasagot lang ako. Ayoko na ngang sumagot kasi nilalagyan ng ibang kulay. It’s good I was able to clear things up with Tim na hindi ko siya iniintriga.”

Mr. Fu is a regular in Tweetbiz with Tim on Q-11 and he also hosts PO5 and Wow, Meganon? on TV5 and Stop, Look & Listen on Viva TV.

Winner of the Mr. Pogi contest in Eat, Bulaga! in 2006, Edgar Allan went daring in the indie film Astig last year as a young father who agrees to have sex with a DOG (Dirty Old Gay played by Arman Reyes) just so he can have money to pay for his wife’s hospital bills. This time, he plays a very gay character on TV5’s mini-series, Lady Dada. “Lover ako rito ni Keempee de Leon, gay to gay kami, pero mas malanding bakla ako kaysa sa kanya,” he says.

It’s just fine with him to do a gay role as he has a Kuya who’s gay. “Pero hindi siya malanding bakla. He works in a call center. Mahal na mahal ko ang kapatid kong yun. He’s 25 and I’m turning 21 naman on Nov. 20.”

In the indie film Magdamag directed by Joven Tan that opened last Sept. 8 after its successful premiere in UP and the CCP, he plays a young drifter who goes to Boracay and has a torrid affair with a much older woman, Rita Avila. “It’s my most daring role so far kasi marami kaming love scenes.”

Unlike other actors who’s secretive with their lovelife, Edgar admits he’s been going steady with Sexbomb Jolan for two years now. “We met when I guested in Daisy Siete and our relationship is going strong.”

Paolo is the storyteller on Dec. 12. Is he happy with his move to TV5 where he now hosts Aksiyon and USI? “Oo naman, no regrets,” he says. “It’s great to see something small growing bigger each day like TV5. I’m happy to be a part of it as it expands rapidly. By next year, we’ll have new business offices in the Fort and six buildings with new big studios at Pioneer St., Mandaluyong. We’re also improving our signal pati sa provinces. By January, covered na ang entire Philippines in coordination with Smart and PLDT that’s also owned by Manny V. Pangilinan. More new shows are being introduced in October, like the new morning show Alas Cinco sa Cinco, the news journal Jorno by Luchi Cruz-Valdes, the game show House Or Not that’ll give away houses hosted by Joey de Leon, and the talent search Star Factor. Our newscast, Aksiyon, will have early and late night editions also using the latest new technology, Avid, which is totally digital.”

All the storytelling sessions are scheduled at 4 p.m. at the Enchanted Kingdom Bandstand. Aside from this, the First Asian Sky Wizardry Fireworks Competition will be held on Oct. 2 to 3, 9 to 10 and 16 to 17, with local fireworks companies participating along with Singapore, Malaysia and China. Also to be held is the Search for Enchanted Kingdom Little Prince and Princess along with talent showcase at 4:30 p.m. on weekends. A new ride, Ekstreme Free Fall, will start on Oct. 17. For Halloween, there will be a special Haunted Village. Now ongoing is the Simon and Silver Magic show at Mascot Elgar’s Tent, to be followed by Imagine, a special musicale on life. Enchanted Kingdom is open from Thursday to Sunday, with fireworks at 8:30 p.m.