Kiko Rustia: Born to be a free spirit

MANILA, Philippines - Every inch of Kiko Rustia’s body screams free spirit. His dreadlocks-full head makes you want to touch those fig-like creations to see if they’re real. And they are, as real as the fact that Kiko shampoos them ever-so-carefully lest they get hopelessly entangled.

From those dreadlocks, your eye wanders to Kiko’s earth-colored T-shirt with an exotic-sounding name printed across the chest.

“Oh, it’s the name of a tribe in Guam,” he points out.

And the rows and rows of colored bracelets wrapped around his wrists.

“These,” he raises his multi-decorated wrists, “are my treasures. They’re gifts from people who play a big role in my life.”

So don’t ever ask Kiko to give away any of those 30-plus bangles if you don’t want to get disappointed. The guy feels downright sentimental about them. He even wears them under the shower and in his sleep.

The dreadlocked, bangled and flip-flopped Kiko is the new face of GMA 7’s Born to be Wild (Wednesdays after Saksi), now that original host Doc Ferds Recio’s erstwhile partner Romi Garduce has chosen to move towards newer adventures.

Kiko may seem a far cry from the more conventional Romi. But don’t let looks deceive you. Like Romi, Kiko loves the great outdoors and doesn’t mind shooting the breeze with all things wild and exotic.

Kiko had the time of his life clicking his camera away on a sun-kissed island in Tuguegarao. He lugged the same trusty camera to Disneyland, where he took photos of giant flowers in all their vivid glory. He went to Los Angeles and acted like a child let loose in a playground as he took shots of brilliant sunsets.

Kiko went diving 30 feet under the sea to marvel at colorful corals and other types of marine life. He went soul-searching in Boracay, and stayed for three years.

“That’s how I got to met and befriended Bangaw, the head of a boat rowing team,” Kiko recalls.

He so impressed Bangaw and the Boracay islanders with his outdoor skills, Kiko got the island name Langaw, an apparent reference to his potential as the future head of the rowing team.

You can’t blame the guy for thinking he’s a natural as Born to be Wild host.

“I never hid that fact that I wanted to host the show after I joined Survivor Philippines as one of the castaways,” says Kiko.

Now that he finally got his wish, Kiko is making sure he’s as well-prepared like a soldier ready for battle. Kiko has been hitting the gym a lot. He’s been bonding with Doc Ferds and the Born to be Wild team, knowing that “we’re in this together.”

He won’t go pell-mell into any type of adventure and put his life — and that of the crew — on the line. For instance, Kiko — Doc Ferds and the rest of the crew — will make sure they’ve taken anti-malaria vaccines before going to Palawan.

They will first tie up with community NGOs before they step into a remote island. These NGOs will clear the way for them.

Kiko, camera and journal in hand, will always be ready to spring into action. Who knows what secrets of nature he will uncover? What hidden wonders he will unearth? Your guess is as good as mine.

Kiko didn’t reveal just what he saw at Cagayan Valley, site of his first adventure as Born to be Wild co-host tonight.

All he can say is that he’s willing to go to the extreme — wading through inch-thick mud, jumping over steep cliffs, if the job calls for it.

And if he ends up in totally unknown territory because of this, Kiko will not mind. Jurassic Park, after all, is Kiko’s favorite film.