Former PBB teen Bret Jackson is pinoy at heart

CEBU, Philippines - Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) Teen Clash of 2010 sixth placer Bret Jackson may look every inch an American, yet he’s as Pinoy as one can get. And happily at that. While many Filipinos long to live that American dream, Bret’s traumatic childhood in a seedy neighborhood in Omaha, Nebraska spent with her alcoholic and abusive mother just makes his life in the Philippines heaven on earth.

When he was seven years old, his biological mom was given child custody and they both lived in an area that engaged in rampant prostitution, robberies and drug use. Because his mom would hit him a lot, he would often go out of the house and sleep outside. He was finally rescued from that environment when cops took him and brought him to an orphanage. His American dad, who back then was already based in the Philippines, got hold of him and that’s when he decided to live with him here.

Bret recalls that he was around 11 or 12 years old when he first set foot in Dumaguete City where he began a new life with his new family. His dad remarried to a Filipina, and Bret couldn’t be more grateful to his stepmom who has been a real blessing to him. The 19-year-old considers her the mother he never had. As for his real mom, it has been eight years since he had any sort of contact with her.

Before his stint as a PBB housemate, Bret was an incoming third year medical technology student of Silliman University in Dumaguete, where he also spent his high school years. He was president of his Medical Technology batch, varsity player of the swimming team, and a band member.

Not one who watches television, Bret still pinches himself every now and then at his luck in getting his foot into showbiz.

“I just went into PBB to have fun. I never thought this would happen,” said Bret during his recent visit in Cebu with the PBB Big Six. “Now, I’m able to live my dreams. I’ve always wanted to record an album, and I can’t believe it’s happening now.”

Dubbed the “Indie Singer from the United States”, Bret served as leader and spokesperson of the Teenternational group (the group of teens with foreign roots) in Big Brother’s house. Because of his talents in singing, composing songs and playing the guitar that he displayed while inside the house, Star Records signed him up for a two-album record deal barely a month after he exited the reality show.

“I am working on a digital album right now and I’m really excited about it. I’m not sure yet how many tracks it’s going to be, but I think some of my own compositions will be included in the album and other songs that are all original. My compositions are usually about love and anything that happens to me. Like, I could write a song based on our conversation right now,” shared Bret, who is very fluent in Bisaya and very much updated with the OPM scene. In their mall show at the Parkmall Piazza in Mandaue City, he debuted his song, “Blue” to a throng of Cebuano fans.

“I’m into all kinds of music. I listen to everything because I think it’s good to be able to appreciate all genre’s of music,” said the Justin Bieber and Zac Efron look-alike. Asked who his favorite artists are, he enumerates Pinoy acts such as Chicosi, Sandwich, Urbandub, Eraserheads, Taken By Cars and Yeng Constantino.

For a music aficionado like him, his current gig as MYX VJ is an absolute dream come true. The MYX job is the prize he won during a VJ competition judged by MYX VJ’s Bianca Roque and Chino Lui Pio while inside the PBB house. For unanimously winning that challenge, he earned P20,000 cash and a three-month hosting contract with MYX.

“I just love what I’m doing right nowMYX, the guestings, the mall tours. If a show comes along then, great. I’m just enjoying what I can, because you know, showbiz is a shaky world.” (THE FREEMAN)