Jardine Gerodias digs The Beatles, loves ‘Shake, Rattle & Roll’

Jardine Gerodias – the chief operating officer of the family-owned MMG Corporation – cracks the oft-repeated joke that COO means "child of owner."

With more than 300 employees to oversee, Jardine manages the day-to-day transactions, looks for new investments, and ventures and meets with their clientele. Nestle Philippines, Pepsi Cola, San Miguel and PLDT are some of the companies that employ the services of MMG, which has assets that include 120 trucker heads and 300 trailers.

As COO, 28-year-old Jardine Gerodias is also very much involved with the customs brokerage side of the business: releasing goods from the pier and delivering them to their clients. His many responsibilities also include checking out spare parts requirements, monitoring the number of trips, making sure that deliveries are completed on time and chatting with the drivers to inform them of operational changes.

Born and raised in San Pedro, Laguna, our 5’10’’ bachelor continues to spend half of his week in San Pedro, supervising trucking activities and the motor pool.

On what occasion do you lie?

When people ask me if I own the business, I say I’m a mere employee getting paid like everyone else.

Which living person do you admire most?

I would say The Beatles, whose songs influenced so many people’s lives and changed how the world thinks.

Who or what is the greatest love of your life?

My parents, Marissa and Noel, and my sisters Janise, Jill and Jenilee.

What is your passion?

I am a film buff. I watch a lot of movies, foreign and independent. In a week, I watch about 12 movies at home. I have tried making one but did not have the patience to finish it.

How do you resolve your conflicts?

I stay in one room and don’t talk to anyone. Sometimes I write things down on my online journal, www.blurty.com/clockworkchico.

What sports do you like most?

I run. I know it is a boring sport but I love running every morning in Makati. In the afternoon I run again on the treadmill.

Where are you most comfortable?

As long as I am lying on my couch in front of my TV and not thinking of anything, I am happy. I am basically a city person, a homebody…

What film influenced your life?

Shake, Rattle & Roll, the Pinoy horror movie. There was a scene in it involving a scary refrigerator. And for a whole month after watching it, I could not open my fridge. I saw Seven Samurai when I was in Grade 4 and after that, I realized that I should not limit myself to Hollywood movies.

What book influenced your life?

The Catcher in the Rye. Even though you are eccentric and hate the world, you can still make an interesting story. Holden Caulfield is the eccentric, and yet he is still lovable. Every person has a bit of Caulfield within him. I read Archie, and realized that it is OK not to decide whom to love. He has Betty – the conservative, traditional blonde girl – and Veronica – the spoiled, rich bitch. He can’t make up his mind who to love.

What is your greatest fear?

To not be remembered.

What is your greatest extravagance?

When I am home alone. I really enjoy being by myself. That’s when I feel that I am pampering myself.

Which historical character would you like to have been?

I read a lot of history books. I want to be Saladin, a great Turkish leader from the 11th century when the Turks were fighting the Christians. When Dante wrote The Divine Comedy, he said that only Christians will reach heaven but he made an exception and included Saladin in his list because Saladin was such a good person.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Several years ago, I weighed 230 pounds, finished two packs of cigs a day, ate just about anything and my only form of exercise was flipping the remote. I was supposed to get married but two months before the wedding, my bride cancelled it. So I became determined to make myself look pogi so she would regret having cancelled our wedding. I now run every day. I also became a vegetarian and stopped smoking. I have lost 70 pounds since.

Which famous quotation would you have wanted to be the author of?

"I won’t waste my time fitting in, because I don’t think contrast is a sin." I’d like to think that I live my life like that.

Name a moment that brings back happy memories.

When we were young and lived in Laguna, my dad would bring the whole family to the town plaza at night to eat chicken barbecue. We would go home thinking that there was no way we would have chicken barbecue ever again. But I looked forward to it the next day.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Settling for mediocrity.

Which talent would you most like to have?

Sleeping with my eyes open. Must be pretty cool being in a state of slumber and looking conscious at the same time.

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E-mail: babycamp2@yahoo.co.uk.