Jao Mapa to young heartthrobs: Protect yourselves

CEBU, Philippines — March 23, 2003, is an unforgettable date for actor Jao Mapa. After juggling showbiz and college for ten years, the then-27-year-old graduated with a degree in Fine Arts, majoring in Advertising, from the University of Santo Tomas.

“I was at the peak of my showbiz career, but also close to finishing college. I wanted to focus and finally complete it, especially since it had taken ten years to finish a four-year course,” Mapa, now 48, shared with The FREEMAN.

Mapa recalled how he made the tough decision to put his acting career on hold to focus on his thesis.

“It was thesis season, and I had to choose between school and work. I asked myself if this would be worth it in the long run. Would I still have the same momentum in the entertainment industry after college? It was a difficult choice, but I ultimately chose college,” he explained.

When he re-entered the limelight, it felt like going back to square one. “In the entertainment business, everything moves fast,” he said.

Currently, Mapa is signed with Viva, under the management of veteran entertainment writer Aster Amoyo. His recent projects include “Instant Daddy,” starring Jerald Napoles, and “Para Kang Papa Mo,” directed by Darryl Yap.

During the pandemic when acting opportunities were limited, Mapa used his Fine Arts degree to sell his paintings online.

“You had to be in a bubble and couldn’t work in public spaces while shooting,” he explained. “Instead, I sold my paintings, and it provided income. Painting really helped me during that time.”

This month, he will begin his stint as an art teacher at an international school in Manila. As a father of three balancing his passion for arts and sports while working as an actor and teacher, he emphasized that time management is crucial to handling everything at once.

“If a gig comes up, I’ll prioritize it. It rarely overlaps now, unlike before when I was juggling both school and acting,” he said.

Dilemma of new heartthrobs

As a former heartthrob, Mapa has observed that today’s newcomers don’t seem to have the same longevity as his peers did.

“We had so much staying power before. Now, being a heartthrob is treated as a flavor of the month,” he said. “Many come up, stay for a short while, and then people forget their names because the focus shifts to the next heartthrob.”

He added, “It’s great to be in the industry, but what matters is how you manage yourself in the long run. If you’ve made a name, take care of it and use it to your advantage when starting a business or endorsing products. Being a heartthrob isn’t a lasting or lucrative job unless you’re one of the chosen few who are the apple of the eye by the networks.”

Mapa cited Dingdong Dantes, Coco Martin, and Jericho Rosales as heartthrobs with longevity, noting that “they took care of their names, were smart, and played their cards well.”

His advice to newbies? “They should take care of themselves. They should be smart and strong in show business. Ensure they’re in good hands and avoid falling into the traps from monsters who could harm you.”

His words strongly resonate in light of what happened to Sparkle talent Sandro Muhlach as he and his father Niño, filed criminal charges against GMA’s independent contractors Jojo Nones and Richard Cruz for sexual abuse.

Many of the distressing details, including Sandro’s claim that he was forced to take drugs by the contractors in their hotel room, emerged during Senate hearings led by Senator Robinhood Padilla.

A close friend of Niño, Mapa shares the same concern as he wants his three children to enter showbiz one day.

“It’s heartbreaking that the entertainment industry has come to this. We haven’t done enough to protect newcomers like Sandro. He has my full support, and I hope he gets justice,” Mapa said, adding that he keeps Sandro in his prayers.

Mapa also noted that Sandro’s case spotlighted the need to address the culture of sexual abuse in Philippine showbiz.

“It’s tragic what happened to Sandro, but now there’s a voice for survivors. There have been many cases like this in showbiz before, and I feel for those who were victims,” he said.

Mapa recalled a statement from a lawyer from the August 15, 2024, Senate hearing that struck a chord with him.

“I think it was Atty. Lorna Kapunan who mentioned that the burden of proof shouldn’t be on the victims but on the suspects to prove their innocence. It’s true. The victim already has trauma, and then they have to provide proof as well. That’s a point I hope becomes part of the law,” he said.

“This case with Sandro is prompting more people to speak out. It’s shedding light on the boundaries in the employer-employee relationship within the industry. Rather than turning a blind eye, the issue is now being addressed, and people are paying attention,” he added.

Football in the Philippines

Mapa was in Cebu last month for the 18th Thirsty Football Cup held at the Cebu City Sports Center, where he played for Cartets Trading in the Men’s Open. The FREEMAN’s interview with the actor had to be conducted in three parts as he was frequently called to the field, with his team ultimately finishing as first runner-up.

“The owner of Cartets is a good friend of mine, and they have ties with one of the players on the team, so they asked if I could play,” he explained of his participation.

While Mapa has dabbled with basketball and bowling, football gives him a thrill that others sports don’t. “Being a football player requires more skill. I love the whole game, and I enjoy wearing the spikes,” he explained.

He joined UST’s varsity soccer team for a year, something he couldn’t do in high school.

“I never had the chance to be on a team in high school because of poor facilities. It was only in college that I got into the game,” he shared, as he recalled one instance of playing football with his makeup from shooting still on his face.

In light of the recent post-Olympics hype, there has been a growing call for more investment in sports beyond basketball, especially after the historic gold medal wins of gymnast Carlos Yulo at the 2024 Paris Olympic Summer Games and weightlifter Hidalyn Diaz at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

“They’ve inspired Filipinos to get into sports. They’ve shown that Filipinos can be top athletes in the world. They’ve broken barriers, and I hope this encourages more athletes to pursue different sports,” he said.

As a football fan, Mapa is optimistic that the Philippines will be represented at the FIFA World Cup someday.

“The leaders of soccer here in the Philippines, especially in Cebu, are supported by good people I know who are promoting and helping the grassroots movement for this sport. Someday, the Philippines will probably have a top-notch club that can compete internationally and make it to the World Cup. I believe someone will make that dream come true eventually,” he said.  — (FREEMAN)