28 lessons from recent ‘Supreme’ covers
All covers produced by DAVID MILAN
MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine STAR’s Saturday section, Supreme, stands for the best in pop culture and trends, and every week’s edition is a reflection of the times. From the people who matter to the issues that ignite on social media — you’ll find them all on our pages. See, it’s never a dull week in this country, and we at Supreme are honored to be both witness and chronicler of the super-charged and strange era that we live in.
For the 28th anniversary of this broadsheet, we look back at our most memorable recent cover stories, and mine them for 28 lessons on life, love, dreams, careers, and what it means to be a Filipino in this day and age. Actors, artists, politicians, and legends — we’ve gotten up close and personal with them all. From them, we hope you find insights and inspiration, and look ahead to a future that is bigger, brighter, and supreme.
Vice Ganda on advancing the LGBT movement in the mainstream
Being perhaps the most prominent gay man on Filipino television today, with segments like “That’s my Tomboy” and “I am Pogay” introduced into Showtime, Vice Ganda hopes these help in advancing the cause of LGBT.
“I think that these segments have brought knowledge to people that there are many of us (in the LGBT community) and we have so much to offer. People are like that in this world — they won’t appreciate you until they realize what they can get from you. When I make people laugh on television, people realize that, “Ah may magagawa palang mabuti sa akin itong baklang ito. Napapagaan niya ang buhay ko.” And when they see the contestants on “That’s my Tomboy” and “I am Pogay,” they realize that, “Ah, we can learn from these people. There are values that we can pick up from them. And there’s strength that we can get from them, as they used to be discriminated against and deprived.”
— Cate de Leon
Angeli Bayani on the secret to collaboration
You may know her as the woman who beat Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos for Best Actress at the Gawad Urian this year — or, you may not know her at all. But Angeli Bayani is a name you must keep in your head from this point forward. “She deserves the A-list treatment better than any of her contemporaries,” wrote Don Jaucian for our Supreme cover story on the actress. “She’s walked the Cannes Film Festival’s red carpet — twice — with both of her films bathed in the warm applause of the giants of world cinema. Ang Lee called her our “national treasure”— and no, not the Nicholas Cage kind.”
We spoke to Angeli about working with the great filmmaker Lav Diaz, who directed her in her Urian-winning performance in Norte: Hangganan ng Kasaysayan, a film that received a standing ovation at Cannes last year, and has been playing sold-out screenings on limited release in the Philippines. Angeli’s answer taught us the secret to collaboration — an important lesson, not just in the arts, but perhaps in any endeavor.
“Lav is the kind of director who trusts you to do your job,” she said. “Yung ibang directors kasi ‘Angeli, so this is the scene, so I really need you to ...’ (With Lav), walang ganon! Yung ibang directors, specific talaga kulang na lang pati hand gestures ipakita sa akin. Ang dating tuloy sa akin, wala silang tiwala. Eh si Lav, sobra yung respeto sa’yo bilang actor. Yung tiwala na ibibigay mo yung kailangan niya. Kaya ikaw, you [have to] step up.”
The best performances are born out of trust.
Sandara Park on being dumped
By audiences, that is. Philippine showbiz is a fickle beast, and we all remember how the Star Circle Quest graduate charmed fans with her honest attempts at speaking Tagalog, karaoke hits such as In Or Out, and awkward kilig scenes with fellow Questor, Hero Angeles.
And then, like a child who had grown tired of a new toy, people just flaked. And no amount of posing for cheesy men’s magazines and crying to Sharon Cuneta during an interview could appeal to love gone cold. And so she left.
Today is a totally different story, and this goes without saying. The 2NE1 member seems to have found her global niche, and now, she can simply waltz into our country practically unannounced, and still find herself being pulled in all directions for guestings on Showtime and Gandang Gabi Vice.
The lesson? Move on. Thrive. Make them want you back. Be big enough to forgive your fickle Filipino fan base, and then oblige by paying them little visits every once in a while. — Cate de Leon
Marian Rivera on the Bottom Line
“The words ‘suplada’ and ‘mataray’ follow Marian Rivera, in a culture where people are so used to having their egos given the spa treatment,” wrote Supreme’s Cate de Leon in her profile of the actress. Marian’s answer? “Totoo naman! Totoo naman kasi eh. I think it’s OK to be suplada as long as you’re not power tripping.”
It’s refreshing to hear someone so frank; someone who isn’t afraid to be herself; and Marian is perhaps one of the few in local show business who have been able to find success without the aid of pretense. She has been able to do it by virtue of a simple realization — that there is work life, and there is real life, and the simple solution to intrigue is to focus on what really matters: your own happiness.
“Hindi mo naman maiiwasan ang issue eh. Kahit nananahimik ako, kung merong gusto akong gawan ng issue, gagawan at gagawan ako eh. So ang kailangan ko lang gawin, wala deadma. Ah, ah issue? Ahhhhhoookay! Deadma!’” Marian laughs. “What’s important is at the end of the day, when I’m about to sleep, masaya ba ako sa buhay ko?”
Richard to son Zion Gutierrez on fatherhood
For Supreme’s Father’s Day issue this year, Richard Gutierrez wrote a touching letter to his newborn son, Zion. “When I first found out about you, I was both nervous and excited,” Richard wrote. “It was something I had been waiting for all my life, so there was definitely joy. But it was also nerve-wracking, because I didn’t know how to handle things yet. I have since learned how to change your diapers, make milk, and make you burp in the middle of the night without sleep. It’s all worth it. It seems like life has meaning now. There’s a greater purpose than just me living on this earth by myself. Now, I really am caring for someone. Your being here makes me complete.”
Ellen Adarna on rape
While Ellen Adarna was in China with her dad for a business meeting, a man got onto the elevator with her and grabbed her as soon as they got out. “When the (Chinese man) held me, he was really tall, my reaction was just — she garbles a sound — I couldn’t scream. Wala. Nothing came out. But thank God, an angel — a white guy opened his door and went out of the room and I ran away.”
She cried to her dad about it, who then proceeded to blame her for wearing skimpy outfits. “Ako pa yung pinagalitan because I was wearing sexy outfits. But it was winter there. I was in jacket, pants, boots. Ok ka lang?”
Don’t blame the women, Ellen says with conviction, straightening her back. “If anything, blame (the rapist’s) f*cking dirty mind.” — Cate de Leon
Lea Salonga on generosity
Lea Salonga’s storied career, from the Philippines to the West End to Broadway, should allow her to kick back and never work a day in her life — except, what she does on the stage and screen, she doesn’t see as work. After returning to the Philippines, Lea has devoted her time to sharing her talent with other artists. As a judge on The Voice of the Philippines, she says, “It’s really fun, not to mention rewarding, when you and your artist have a breakthrough.”
When Supreme’s Gabbie Tatad spoke with Lea, we learned what a living, breathing icon such as herself still has to dream of: “Building a theater that was properly built with great acoustics, the best sound system, the most comfortable seating, and really comfy hotel-style dressing rooms. For guest musicians, a Steinway baby grand in every room. And another would be to collect every single recording made of Filipino music and digitally restore and archive whatever was deteriorating, and make that accessible to the public in order for them to truly appreciate the music of their motherland,” she said.
Dream of giving back — something for all of us to keep in mind.
Kathryn Bernardo on celebrations
For legions of teenage girls, Kathryn Bernardo is queen. They listen to her every word, imitate her style, and swoon whenever her Prince Charming, Daniel Padilla, displays the tiniest bit of attention. The power Kathryn has over her fans isn’t something that’s lost on the young star, though. We spoke to her as she was preparing for a big, televised debut (something that wasn’t her idea — “Kailangan daw eh, so gagawin ko ‘to para sa fans,” she says), and we asked her whether she’s concerned about girls who will watch her debut on television and aspire for such a lavish celebration. In her answer, we learn what a real celebration needs:
“If you don’t have money, you can make even a small house party grand. It’s not about the gown you’re wearing,” Kathryn says. “It’s about how you enjoy your life and your party. You don’t need a lot of money, nice clothes, or the perfect place. All you need is the perfect company.”
Don’t stress your parents, girls. The teen queen has spoken.
Sarah Geronimo and Coco Martin on the pitfalls of celebrity
We often look up to celebrities and their lavish lives, but we tend to forget that Filipino celebrities are often workhorses. With 24-hour shooting schedules, juggling films, daily TV series, and other side projects, they barely have time for themselves. This is what we realized when we interviewed Sarah Geronimo and Coco Martin this May, as they were promoting their Star Cinema romance-movie-of-the-month.
Sarah was hard-pressed to say what her favorite vacation spot in the Philippines is, having only been to Boracay for work. “I haven’t been able to appreciate the beach,” she said. We asked Coco if he’s ever able to smell the flowers and he said that he isn’t. “It’s only when we’re on set and we’re in character that we appreciate the beauty of our surroundings,” he answered. “But in real life, we’re on location from morning to night, it’s all work. It’s only when we’re in character that we allow ourselves to feel. I don’t really rest from work. In real life, I don’t really live. When I act, I experience life.”
Perhaps this is why Sarah and Coco are able to perform as they do — they live vicariously through their work. Their fans may be happy, but this is the price of celebrity.
Sen. Grace Poe-Llamanzares on the latest revolution
For Supreme’s EDSA anniversary issue this year, we went to the halls of the Philippine Senate for an interview with one of its most respected names, Grace Poe-Llamanzares. We say “most respected” at a time when respect for the Senate is at a low, of course, but we mean it in the most positive of terms. The neophyte senator has done in a matter of a few months what others haven’t been able to do in years — that is, usher the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act through the Upper House and get it passed. In our conversation with the Senator, we learned that FOI is one of the biggest things we citizens need to fight for these days.
“FOI is our very basic weapon to ensure that government is doing its job,” said the Senator to us. “If we don’t have the right laws in place like the FOI, we might succumb to another leader who is not as honest as the leader that we have now. It doesn’t matter what reforms we have if this very basic tenet of how government is run is not available.”
The Senator is counting on Filipinos to be an active citizenry. “Because of people’s interest in politics, I think things are moving faster. For example, because of people’s interests, we have the PDAF hearings, and what did that bring about? Now, there’s no more pork barrel. That is phenomenal,” she says. Now, for FOI, she asks us to be just as involved. “Call the attention of people in government to pass it already. Appeal to your congressman to vote for FOI. You know, social media keeps us on our toes. Once you start criticizing — tao lang kami. We can feel it.”
Photos by JC CERILLA (Marian Rivera),
JOSEPH PASCUAL (Coco Martin
and Sarah Geronimo),
MAU MAURICIO (Angeli Bayani
and Zion Gutierrez),
MELSON BOLONGAITA (Kathyrn Bernardo), MILO SOGUECO (Grace Poe-Llamanzares),
MJ SUAYAN (Sandara Park), and
RXANDY CAPINPIN (Vice Ganda,
Ellen Adarna, and Lea Salonga)
Bianca Gonzalez on social media angst
“That is what social media is there for — to share opinion,” Bianca Gonzalez told Gabbie Tatad in an in-depth interview with Supreme last December. “(People) are welcome to unfollow if they dislike my points, and they are also entitled to bash me for whatever I post kasi post ko yun and I am responsible for that.”
However, for Bianca having opinions means more than just bashing — despite the fact, of course, that bashing is one of social media’s favorite pastimes. “I can relate to frustrations about how we wish things were done a certain way, but again, I guess as a positive person, I choose to focus on the beauty of bayanihan and how so many are doing something in their own way,” Bianca says.
“I think Filipinos are generally hopeful. We may rant a lot, complain a lot, mema — as in “memasabi lang,” — but deep down to our core, we are a happy, hopeful people. I believe. I think what would work would be for all of us to regularly take time to stop and breathe and think and listen to ourselves. To drown out all the noise and social media flooding and try to tap that hope deep down inside. Cheesy ba? I am no beauty queen pero baka pwede na ang sagot! (Laughs.)”
Atom Araullo on journalism and heroism
Atom Araullo became television’s unexpected leading man when his fearless reporting in the midst of Typhoon Yolanda won him the hearts of many admirers. His coverage literally put his life and the lives of his camera team on the line, and when Supreme spoke to him for a cover story last November, we asked him how they were able to see the story through. In his answer, we find a few basic tenets of journalism, that are sometimes, unfortunately, forgotten — the responsibility to help, and the triumph of ethics over network wars.
“There is no way you can separate the journalist from the human being, as any reporter will tell you. It is not only impossible, it is inhuman,” Atom said. “When people are hungry, thirsty, desperate, despairing, looking to you for help, how can you stand behind an imagined force field of ethics and neutrality? At the same time, however, you have to be reminded that the best way you can assist them is by doing your job as a journalist. It is our responsibility to tell their stories, to share what we see and perhaps, as importantly, what we don’t see. In this way, we hope to move people into action.”
“I was working with two amazing cameramen: August Pineda and Chris Panlubasan. Both are experienced journalists, sharing valuable insights that shaped our coverage. With us were two dedicated assistant cameramen as well: Mitchell Bermudo and Eugene Dizon. Many more media workers were also in Tacloban during those times, from many various organizations. They all deserve credit. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our colleagues from other networks who did not think twice about helping us during those trying times. Jiggy Manicad and Love Añover from GMA 7, in particular, relayed a message on air that our crew was fine when we still didn’t have communication with Manila. That means a lot to us.”
Atom’s field reports, which gripped viewers across the country, gave rise to Internet memes wherein he was called “Superman” — a tag he vehemently turned down, teaching us a lesson in heroism. “A hero is a person who has little to offer but gives so much without hope for renumeration or recognition. Hotel staffers who kept working despite being typhoon victims themselves are heroes. Doctors manning bombed-out hospitals in Tacloban are heroes. Ordinary folk working extended hours to revive the hard-hit areas of the Visayas are heroes.”
Rufa Mae Quinto on working silently
When Ruffa Mae made a comeback with her multi-genre bender movie, Ang Huling Henya, last year, she was understandably asked about what had been keeping her so quiet — especially since this was the woman whom we’ve all come to know as the loud, sexy, and bodacious Booba.
“I haven’t really been quiet,” she answered with ease. “It’s just that ngayon lang naging “todo na to” ang mga ganap ko, especially now that I will celebrate my 20th anniversary in show business. It’s bound to be a pasabog year. I believe in the saying, “Work hard in silence and let success make the noise.”
Something to keep in mind for all those who waste too much time obsessing over their social media pages. —Cate de Leon
Jeric and Jeron Teng on brotherhood
While their rivalry on the court was a spectacle for collegiate basketball fans, Jeric and Jeron Teng knew well enough to turn off the heat at the end of each game. While the pressure of the finals may have heated things up, they saw this as nothing more than the heat of the game between two competitors who weren’t backing down from each other. Here, there were no more inhibitions. “But that’s just during the game,” said Jeric.
And while spectators lapped up their occasional altercations on court as entertainment fodder, the brothers themselves didn’t even see it as that. “I really don’t know what happened there. I think we were just going for the rebound,” Jeric laughed, not taking it personally at all.
“We were just fighting for position,” Jeron confirmed. “You can’t avoid those things.”
And while the brothers admit to measuring themselves up against each other, they consider it a win-win situation for both of them, because they both end up stepping up and getting better. They use their perceived rivalry as motivation to keep improving.
Indeed, whether it was dealing unapologetically but gracefully with the competition, or never forgetting who their family is, the Teng brothers embodied these values well, both on and off the court. —Cate de Leon
Carla Abellana on pushing LGBT rights
People will remember Carla Abellana for her role in GMA-7’s My Husband’s Lover, the first Philippine teleserye about a gay couple. The show was groundbreaking in that it placed LGBT themes by the dinner table, turning gay rights into a national discussion — a feat in a conservative Catholic country. But it didn’t come without risks. A few prominent Catholics spoke against the show, and there was always a fear of a backlash. So, we asked Carla how she and the rest of the cast and crew were able to navigate these rough, unchartered seas, and we learned the key in pushing LGBT rights: That LGBT stories are human stories, and when you present them on the human level, people begin to understand.
“We had to watch our every step,” Carla told us. “If we did something that was in favor of the gays and lesbians, the Catholic Church would get angry… But I’m just really glad that people were open-minded and that they somehow understood. A lot of them could even relate. I’m grateful that even though we are a conservative country, in all fairness, even the most conservative Filipinos watched the show. They still understood.”
Rachelle Ann Go on leaving your comfort zone
While it was a dream come true for Rachelle Ann Go to fly to London and strut the stage of the Prince Edward Theatre in Miss Saigon, the role she got was honestly not one she felt comfortable with. Deemed too mature to play the ideally 17-year-old Kim, Rachelle got cast as Gigi Van Tranh — the head prostitute at the club. This came as a shocker to the conservative Rachelle, who even consulted with her pastor’s wife as to whether or not to accept the role.
And yet, despite her candid self-consciousness at donning a two-piece on stage and the character not being one she exactly dreamed of becoming, or even playing, she got on that plane and marched right on. She latched onto the faith that other people put in her and faced the music, joining the ranks of esteemed Saigon Pinays, Leah Salonga and Isay Alvarez. —Cate de Leon
Sam Milby on creativity
Supreme caught up with Sam Milby in the lead-up to his primetime series Dyesebel, and we found more than what we expected to see on his surface. While he first came to the Philippines to play the artista game — never mind that he didn’t even speak a lick of Tagalog — these days, Sam has taken a turn for the serious, having learned the language and taken the plunge into the craft of acting. He told us what he learned under renowned acting coach Ivana Chubbuck, and the insight that he gained surprised us:
“Sometimes we can be close-minded when it comes to our thoughts, especially since our culture is very conservative,” he said. “But when we do art — and acting is an art — you can’t limit yourself to the culture you grew up with because that will give you a very neutral and common attack. If you want to do art, you have to be risky. You have to think outside the box. You have to open your mind and allow the good, the bad, the nasty, the disgusting — let it all in so you can deliver an interesting performance.”
This is good advice, perhaps, for anyone in the creative field. It’s important to expand our horizons by reading, by traveling, by getting hurt. Our work is only as interesting as how deep we are.
Ruru Madrid on being a nice guy
“In showbiz, you have to be nice to your fans; you have to make an effort to give them attention because even the smallest slips — like if you don’t mind them — can cause trouble,” Ruru told Supreme. “Pero lumalabas naman palagi yung natural. My handlers say that after tapings, I look like I’m running for office because I greet all the staff, the crew. OA daw. But that’s how I am, and that’s what I have to do. Before I entered showbiz, I was the shy type. I had to learn to be more outgoing because that’s what this business calls for.”
Nice guys don’t always finish last.
Abra on his unlikely creative fuel
23-year-old Raymond Abracosa is the voice of a generation. The rapper known as Abra has broken records on YouTube with a brand of music that is not only entertaining but is also loaded with meaning. His lyrics speak of love, country, politics, and disappointment, and his music skewers the tropes of Pinoy rap, attacking such concepts with a playfulness that gets young ears to listen.
Supreme caught up with Abra and found a young man driven by pure excitement — “like a kid reliving the step by step of figuring out what to put on the canvas; a kid who knew what he was doing, but was also just having fun the whole time,” wrote Cate de Leon — and we asked him where he finds his fuel. The answer surprised us.
Abra devours books, movies, and TV channels like National Geographic and Discovery. “Mas marami kang natututunan sa mundo, mas marami kang nakakausap na tao, mas marami kang mabubunot,” he says, calling them his “tools” that he can “unleash” anytime, especially when rapping freestyle. “It’s important to learn every day. Good rap is informative, with cleverly constructed lyrics, but at the same time very melodic and smooth.”
He’s putting the “art” in “smart,” we see.
Photos by
BJ PASCUAL (Rufa Mae Quinto and Sam Milby)
CHOLO DELA VEGA (Abra)
EDRIC CHEN (Ruru Madrid)
JOSEPH PASCUAL (Atom Araullo)
RXANDY CAPINPIN (Rachelle Ann Go,
Teng brothers, and Carla Abellana)
Piolo Pascual and Toni Gonzagaon the importance of real life
While director, Olivia M. Lamasan cites the story, the characters, and the chemistry between actors as the recipe for achieving that kilig effect, the final and perhaps most important ingredient is real life. “Filipinos want to see themselves on screen. Our audience is very high on relatability and character identification. When they see themselves (on screen), that’s when they say, ‘Ang ganda ng movie.’ (‘The movie is so nice’).”
“Art imitates life,” Piolo Pascual said when we interviewed him and Toni Gonzaga for their romance film, Starting Over Again. “We use lines we hear in reality in our movies.” This was backed up by Star Cinema writer Carmi Raymundo, who shared how her daily commute on jeepneys, taxis, and buses allowed her to pick up material. “That’s how I hear people.”
This is how Star Cinema produced nine out of the 10 highest grossing films in Philippine box office history. It just goes to show that even with cold, calculating market research and figures to bring in, nothing can replace the value of being real and relatable. —Cate de Leon
Maja Salvador on the limits of love
It’s been a good year for Maja Salvador. Her unexpected debut album “Believe” has hit gold, her television series The Legal Wife has produced top ratings and Internet memes, her relationship with Gerald Anderson is sailing smoothly, and, if The Buzz is to be believed, she has also made peace with her ex-BFF and ex-nemesis Kim Chiu. All this is cute, but let’s not forget that it was only recently that she was in the news for something else — a little love triangle involving Gerald and Kim.
So, for Maja’s Supreme cover story, Irish Dizon pressed her on the sensitive subject of love, and we learned about drawing lines when it comes to matters of the heart. “Hindi ko kayang manira ng pamilya,” Maja told us, as she plays a mistress on The Legal Wife. “Ang love grabe mang biktima, walang pinipili. Kaya sa bawat desisyon na gagawin mo, dahan-dahan lang.”
Gerald Anderson on remembering where you come from
Gerald Anderson’s turn in the critically-acclaimed Erik Matti film On The Job was getting him attention here and abroad, and after the film premiered in Cannes, he told us how wide-eyed he was about the experience. “Ni hindi ko naisip na makakarating ako dun because of acting. I was at the biggest film festival in the world and (the movie) was well received. It was a very surreal moment. And I learned a lot, being in a city that was all about movies and acting. You could see that the people there were very passionate about it.”
“When I was in Cannes, I was recalling the time nung Pinoy Big Brother pa lang ako,” he confessed, bringing to mind his time on the “Teen Edition” of the popular reality show slash ABS-CBN talent search. Here’s a lesson in the value of remembering where you come from, because it pushes you to go further. “(Now), I think just being a heartthrob, being a matinee idol, there are limits to that. I want to be a good actor,” he declared.
Jasmin Curtis-Smith on learning and maturity
With a self-titled miniseries on the air and an award-winning performance in the Philippine Oscar entry, Transit, the last 12 months have seen Jasmine Curtis-Smith’s career blossom. She’s no longer just the sister of Anne — you know, the Anne with 6.6 million followers on Twitter. Jasmine has come into her own. When we caught up with her this May, we found a young woman taking charge, and she gave us a few insights on what maturity means for her.
“Many people in our generation think being mature is acting all ‘party-people’ and going out every night,” she told us. “But I’ve encountered people who are, say, 18 years old but think like 25-year-olds. They make great decisions and they’re already independent and live on their own. That’s what I strive to be, to think for myself.”
This is why Jasmine has taken control of her career, picking serious roles to portray instead of the cutesy, cookie-cutter characters that are common for actors her age. We asked her how she does it — how she finds the courage to go in this direction — and the answer she gave contains another lesson: The more you challenge yourself, the more you learn.
“The projects that I’ve accepted are ways of me learning about acting,” she said. “It started with Transit. I had no freaking clue that I would be able to give justice to my role (but) I was with great actors — actors who’ve been in this industry for years. After that, I was able to develop my confidence.”
Andrea Brillantes on dealing with haters and getting ahead
There are child stars like Amanda Bynes and Lindsay Lohan, and there are child stars like Andrea Brillantes. The 11-year-old girl has more wisdom than her age should allow, and when we caught up with her last December, we found a good head on her shoulders as well.
In her acceptance speech for Best Child Performer at the PMPC Star Awards for Television last year, Andrea teared up, saying, “Thank you rin sa mga nangbu-bully sa akin, sa mga nagsasabing pangit ako, na hindi ako mananalo, na hindi ako sisikat.” So, we asked her why she addressed her haters like that, and what we learned was a lesson in perseverance.
“If (people are) trying to pull you down, that means you’re above them,” she told us. “I’m happy that I proved to them that I can. They said I couldn’t, pero nagawa ko.”
The bigger lesson we learned from Andrea, though, is finding proper motivation. “Hindi naman ako nag-artista para sa kanila,” she said, referring to her haters. “Nag-artista ako dahil gusto ko.” There’s a popular saying that goes, “You can’t get ahead by trying to get even” — what a tremendous insight to gain at the age of 11.
Vhong Navarro on bravery
To say that Vhong Navarro has had a tough year would be an understatement. The comedian’s personal life went on public display a few months ago after he was beaten up and dragged out of a Bonifacio Global City apartment, prompting a scandal that involved shady characters, allegations of rape, and his swollen mug being blasted on the nightly news. We caught up with Vhong in the midst of this scandal, and while his management would not allow us to press him on the specifics of his case (the matter is now in court, and a few people have been arrested for it), we did ask him about how he’s able to cope in the most trying of times. His answer: God.
“Siguro ngayon mas mapapalapit ako lalo kay God. It turns out being brave isn’t so much a physical thing as it is spiritual. You need that to face the challenges you meet in life.”
Photos by
BJ PASCUAL (Jasmine Curtis-Smith)
MELSON BOLONGAITA (Maja Salvador)
MJ SUAYAN (Vhong Navarro)
ROY MACAM (Piolo Pascual and Toni Gonzaga)
RXANDY CAPINPIN (Gerald Anderson
and Andre Brillantes)
