Aljo still adjusting to big-city life

He’s one of the most visible TV guys around, co-anchoring with Katherine de Castro the news segment of the ABS-CBN early-morning show Magandang Umaga Bayan (MUB) and field-reporting for the early-evening newscast TV Patrol (which he used to co-host with Korina Sanchez and Henry Omaga-Diaz who now co-hosts the late-evening newscast Headlines with Karen Davila), Monday through Friday, with a 30-minute weekend show (Sapul Kayo D’yan) on Saturdays.

And yet, Aljo Bendijo is hardly, if ever, seen in Manila’s frenetic social whirl, members of which (especially matrons and rich gays) not-so-secretly fantasize about the 28-year-old hunk from Davao City, very macho at 5’11" and 160 pounds but very promdi (as in from the province) at the same time, something the soft-spoken and self-effacing Aljo is not embarrassed about.

"Until now," admitted Aljo, "I haven’t really gotten adjusted to the Manila lifestyle. I am used to the laid-back, slow-paced life in Davao."

But even if he wants to (socialize, that is, which he isn’t fond of anyway), Aljo doesn’t have the time because his work schedule is oh-so-tight that he can hardly find time for his usual monthly visits to his folks (his parents and two younger sisters) in Davao, especially after he was assigned to MUB (the segment name recently used to replace the original one, Alas Singko y Medya, or ASYM).

"The truth is that I don’t have any social life at all," added Aljo who, I want to make it clear, wasn’t complaining since when he got assigned to Manila from ABS-CBN Davao one year and five months ago, he was determined to "just work" and never to take it easy.

"I usually wake up at 3 a.m. By 4 o’clock, I should be at the studio to prepare for MUB. And then I monitor the news and read the morning papers. Then, I do field work for TV Patrol. I rush to the crime scene for coverage. And then I go back to the studio to prepare my report for TV Patrol. If there’s nothing else to do, I go home and monitor the late-evening newscasts. By 11 p.m. if I’m lucky, I should be in bed. I tape for Sapul Kayo D’yan on Wednesdays."

Hard work is nothing new to Aljo who supported himself through school, working as a waiter and as a janitor, and hawking puto which especially the women must have regularly bought so as to be close to the hawker. The Bendijos, according to Aljo, are poor and they must not be mistaken for the Bendigos who are well-to-do (the same clan where beauty queen-actress Marilou Bendigo came from).

Born Alexis Joseph R. Bendijo in Davao City on Feb. 6, 1974, Aljo finished elementary at the University of Mindanao (1980-86), high school at Southeastern University (1986-90) and AB Masscom at Holy Cross of Davao College (1992-96) after starting the same course at the Ateneo de Davao (1990-92). Before he was recruited by ABS-CBN Manila, Aljo worked as executive producer and director of Maayong Buntag Mindanao (Good Morning Mindanao) for MBM for which he also worked as news reporter; anchored Hoy Gising, Magandang Hapon and Lupang Pangako (a 30-minute investigative and in-depth report); and main anchor for TV Patrol Mindanao, Banat and DXAB Radyo Patrol 1296.

Asked how he would assess working in Manila so far, Aljo gave himself an "8" – a passing grade, no doubt.

"In Davao," he shared, "there were also intrigues on the job but not as bad as the intrigues in Manila. It’s understandable because ABS-CBN Manila is far bigger than ABS-CBN Davao. I don’t let myself be affected by intrigues. I let the tsismis in in one ear and let it out in the other ear, never out of my mouth."

There was a rumor (unfounded, it turned out) that he was malakas (influential) at ABS-CBN Manila because a lady executive (unnamed) happened to be his padrina (as in "fairy godmother"). Shrugging it off, Aljo insisted that he’s getting the breaks because management sees his potential.

"I’ll never use my body to get ahead in my career," he smiled.

Yes, that body to die for, found attractive enough by Davao designers who put him on the fashion ramp (that’s a cue for you, Manila designers!). Aljo used to work out regularly but lately, he doesn’t even have time for that anymore. He has cut down, though, on beers which he would consume six bottles at a time (now down to just one, "Just to put me to sleep").

Now, what type of a woman would get his attention?

"She should be mabait, not too sexy because if she is, you can’t leave her in the house alone. Gusto ko, pagdating ko sa bahay," he continued half-jokingly, "dalawa pa ring paa ang aabutan ko sa kama, hindi apat. I want a woman who is pure-hearted and good-natured, at may konsensya. Not so pretty and not naman ugly. Most important of all is that she should know how to take care of a husband, also a promdi like me."

Hasn’t he found one such woman in ABS-CBN which is teeming with beautiful women (among them, as pointed out by Aljo himself, are Cherrie Mercado, Connie Sison, Nona Corpuz and Cheryl Cosim)?

"Every pretty girl in ABS-CBN is spoken for," conceded Aljo. "Lahat mayroon nang may-ari."