The Macho Men of HOO (House Of Obagi)

Check out the new billboards of HOO (House Of Obagi) and what do you see? Pilipinas Gilas member Marc Pingris (of San Miguel Super Coffee Mixers) ogling at a pretty girl presumed to have just gone through HOO treatments, such as Sunshield Matte Broad Spectrum (which provides a high level of protection against harmful UVA and UVB rays) and Elastiderm Eye Complete Complex Serum (helps refresh delicate skin around the eyes) which Marc underwent before doing the pictorial.

Anytime now, the HOO billboard featuring Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas will be turning heads around the metropolis, co-starring another pretty girl. Like Marc, before the pictorial Alfred had himself treated with Obagi 360 system (including Obagi Blue Peel, Obagi Radiance Peel, the works).

Why these macho men as beauty-product endorsers?

“Why not?” said Joey Santos, HOO boss. “As celebrities, they have to look good all the time.”

And not just to their partners but to everybody.

Marc (half-French/half-Filipino) and wife Danica Sotto have two children, Jean-Michel, five years old; and Anielle Micaela, three years old.

Alfred and his wife Yasmine Espiritu (half-Italian/half-Filipino) have two daughters, Alexandra, three years old; and Aryana, two years old.

MARC

• Height: 6’5”.

• Weight: 210 lbs.

• Size of shirt and briefs: XL.

• Size of shoes: 13-14.

• Zodiac sign: Libra.

Is it hard to maintain a player’s body like yours?

“I don’t think it’s hard. You just have to be disciplined. Kailangan talaga sa trabaho namin ‘yung fit and healthy. Sleeping early, getting a lot of rest and eating well are very important. If we take our bodies for granted, we will eventually suffer the consequences. Manghihina talaga.”

Describe your diet (food that you avoid and food that you always crave for) and the workout that you do.

“I try my best to eat clean and healthy, especially during the PBA season. I eat fatty foods in moderation, protein rich foods before and after games and junk food once in a while.” 

How much sleep do you get per night? How do you relax and cope with stress?

“Eight hours of sleep. I relax by playing video games, watching movies/TV or going to the spa.”

Any do’s and don’t’s that you observe before a game?

“The ‘do’s’ before the game: Any soup is a ‘must’ for my pre-game meal, preferably tinola. I drink lots of fluids and I pray with my wife and kids before the game. And the ‘don’t’s’: No stressful activities before the game. Pahinga dapat kumpleto.”

What health regimen do you share with Danica?

“Sometimes, Danica joins me when I go to the gym or when I jog around the village.”

How are you as a father?

“As a father, I’m hands-on, especially when I’m home. Danica usually attends the school meetings since I’m usually in training or practice. So when I’m home, I make sure that I play with the kids, attend to their needs like giving them a bath and putting them to sleep. I’m not a spoiler. I buy them toys and stuff they want but whenever they misbehave I also don’t allow them to get away with it. I explain to them what they did wrong and sometimes may little punishment like no TV-watching, etc.”

How long do you think will you be playing?

“I want to play for five years or even more if it’s God’s will.” 

ALFRED

• Height: 5’10”.

• Weight: 190 lbs. (now; ideal weight is 170 lbs.).

• Size of shirt: Large.

• Size of briefs: Large.

• Size of shoes: 9.5.

• Zodiac sign: Scorpio.

How do you keep up with your tight schedule as a congressman?

“Being a congressman requires 24/7 availability for public service. The schedule is very demanding, especially during election year. But as my per New Year’s resolution, I have so far managed to strictly follow a four-times-a-week training program. I feel stronger, healthier and more relaxed now.”

Describe your diet (food that you avoid and food that you always crave for) and the workout that you do.

“I can describe my diet as a balanced one. My trainer said that for the meantime, I can eat anything but in small portions. When I get used to it, slowly we will adjust it to a high-protein/ fiber/low-carb diet so I can elevate my training to the next level. Chocolate is my weakness. It’s always an uphill battle for me to resist chocolate. I’ve had a sweet tooth ever since!”

How much sleep do you get per night? How do you relax and cope with stress?

“At least six hours. When the day’s work is finished, I immediately go home to fulfill my role as a father and husband. No conversation about work and politics is allowed inside our home. I relax by forgetting about work at that time and spending only real quality time with my family.”

How do you divide your time between politics and showbiz?

“The work of a politician is 10 times more demanding than acting. It requires 25 hours a day, eight days a week from you. But if I manage my time responsibly, I think there can always be room to do my passion as an actor. I can probably only accept one teleserye and one movie a year as compared with before. As a full-time actor, I could do three teleseryes, one gag show, one variety show and two films per year.”

What health regimen do you share with Yasmine?

“Yas is health-conscious. She never gets out of shape. She’s the one who disciplines me with my diet and she even cooks and does the special groceries for me to make sure that I eat right. Before, we used to do leisure walking every Sunday morning around the UP campus. But now, we just choose to spend time with our kids and go to playgrounds and kiddie events.”

How are you as a father?

“I am both a strict dad and a spoiler. I am strict when teaching my kids lessons they have to learn. But there are times that I just can’t resist the smile and the lambing of my kids. That’s when I move mountains to give them what I can to make them happy. Being a dad is a balancing act.”

Aren’t there any cultural differences between you and Yasmine?

“They say that the Filipinos are the Italians of the east. I believe that. We have a lot of similarities in our culture. This helped us a lot during our getting-to-know stage. Right now, Yas is as Filipino as any pure Pinoy. Cut her arm and the blood that comes out is colored red, yellow and blue.”

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