Piolo and Jericho: Seeing i2i

It was a sunny afternoon when I pulled up the driveway of famed retailer and restaurateur Ricco Ocampo’s chic Forbes Park house. The living room of this cool, 1960s-inspired house is full of whimsical details: A purple rug, purple couch, green sofas, an animal-print carpet and larger-than-life flowers. As if those weren’t eye-catching enough, I caught sight of i2i New York’s two hunky endorsers, actors Jericho Rosales and Piolo Pascual.

Changing the way people look one eyewear at a time, i2i New York boasts having over a hundred kiosks in Metro Manila malls. It’s no surprise that just about everyone is wearing them, including actors/models Piolo Pascual and Jericho Rosales, and Phoemela Baranda.

Although the summer heat was blazing fiercely, we enjoyed a rather cool afternoon with a salad of greens, pasta, sandwiches and caramel-filled chocolate cake. Being the hearty eaters that they are, Piolo and Jericho gamely answered questions between bites.

Young Star: People say you will replace Aga Muhlach and Richard Gomez as the two biggest male superstars. What do you think about this?

Jericho Rosales: It’s always what people say: "People say...people say" (bursts out laughing).

Piolo Pascual: It’s always about them... about them... about them... (laughing).

Jericho: Hindi nga? Will replace?

Yeah, you’ll replace daw Aga and Richard.

Jericho: Huh? Generation lang ’yon. Tignan mo, may endorsements pa rin sila di ba? Iba pa rin sila and by the time we get older, ganon din, may papalit na sa amin na mga chipmunks.

Piolo: But honestly, Echo and I have seriously.... magkalaban kami.

Jericho: (laughs) Living together!

Piolo: What’s nice about us is we help each other and we’re comfortable with each other. We don’t compete against each other.

But what if both of you were up for the same role?

Piolo: We’re always up for the same roles. We just talk about it, and anyway it’s not up to us, it’s up to the producers.

Why did you decide to pursue a career in showbiz?

Jericho: I’ve always wanted to become an actor.

Since childhood?

Jericho: Yes. I won this personality contest seven years ago. It was called Mr. Pogi on Eat Bulaga. I kinda liked it. After that, I guested on TV shows and began hosting, then acting. I found out that I have a talent for acting – people believe me when I’m lying (laughs). So, I pursued it and it has brought me a lot of good things. In a way, I guess I found a purpose in my life coz now people and kids look up to me, which is a responsibility that I like. It’s also led me to become an endorser.

How did you become a model for i2i?

Jericho: Years ago, when they weren’t really looking for a model, they invited me to dinner to get to know me. They just asked me if I liked wearing shades, what my favorite was and if I wanted to endorse. We became friends and then sinabihan nila ako that they wanted to know me better, not just the image. It was that dinner that sealed it.

Piolo: I was offered two years ago, but then we got into some problems. When they renewed Echo’s contract, they decided to get me because there’s a different campaign now – it’s more young, hip and trendy – and they also got Phoem (Baranda). I think it’s more….it’s hard to say because Echo’s been endorsing with Donita, but I think they’re more aggressive now in terms of campaigning.

What makes i2i appeal to you?

Jericho: Why do I like it that much...it helps me a lot. First of all, it helps me with my career. It helps me build this connection with people, teens, and people my age. Siguro, I have hundreds of shades like these. I can have a different outfit now with a different shade and then change it later. It’s easy coz i2i shades are affordable and it’s comfortable, plus you have a lot of choices.

Piolo: I like it because it’s a local brand and it’s very trendy. It’s fashionable, you can wear it with anything at any time and they have a wide variety of choices.

So how many of those do you have right now?

Jericho: Madami na, siguro simula nung nagstart ako, I have enough to open my own i2i kiosk! Yung supply lang nila, sobrang dami and the shades are very small (shows me the pair he’s currently using).

Piolo: I own more than 20 at the moment.

How would you describe your fashion style?

Jericho: Free. Anything goes, hindi ako sumusunod sa uso. I like comfortable clothes. I like, um, sometimes I like clothes that are not mine. You know what I mean, clothes that are not my size, clothes that are comfortable. I love forever clothes, those that I can wear every day, every season, that never go out of style. That’s my fashion style.

Piolo: Safe. I’m more of a safe person. I go for casuals. I dress up only when there’s a need like when I go ASAP and I have to do TV appearances.

What’s your idea of a comfort wear?

Piolo: Loose shirt, boxer shorts.

Jericho: Comfort women?

Comfort wear...

Jericho: (laughs) I’d say shorts, board shorts. I love cotton T-shirts, blue jeans and rubber shoes or sandals. If it’s cold, a comfortable jacket and cap, that’s it. Very easy, not so many accessories.

Do you think it’s important for a guy to dress well?

Jericho: Yeah, people will believe you more if you dress well, and you also appear to have more charisma. Men are born to lead, and it’s impotant that they should never lose their charisma. Of course, there’s the porma factor to attract the opposite sex and dressing well is also ego thing – you want to look your best. The bottom line is you just have to be you.

Piolo: I think it’s important to be properly dressed for the occasion.

How about just on a normal day?

Piolo: A typical guy wants to wear something loose, either a shirt or a loose tank top, and walking shorts or boxers

What would you never be caught dead in?

Jericho: Pink suit, I don’t know. The worst siguro pag naging transvestite na ako! (laughs)

Piolo: Seventies outfits.

What’s wrong with the ’70s? You don’t like it?

Piolo: Yeah.

Who are your favorite designers?

Jericho: Hindi ako mahilig sa designer clothes eh.

Piolo: I cannot…I endorse.

What are your favorite brands?

Jericho: Lucky Strike, my sponsor Lee Jeans and, of course, I like the brands that sponsor me because I personally chose them. I like Italian clothes.

Piolo: Hammerhead.

What are your five must-have accessories?

Jericho: Toothbrush, toothpaste, cologne, wax paper, nail cutter.

Piolo: Watch, shades, necklace, lip balm and cell phone.

What is the most expensive fashion item that you own?

Jericho: I don’t really buy expensive stuff coz I’m sponsored. Siguro a pair of shoes that costs P8,000.

Piolo: What comes to my mind is maybe the watch I got from Timex recently. It’s worth P15,000.

How about the most expensive item you ever bought?

Piolo: Prada bag, which I bought when I was in Milan. I bought several bags there. 

You remember how much they cost you?

Piolo: The bags cost 2,900 euros, so that’s around P200,000.

What is the one thing you hate seeing women wear?

Jericho: There’s nothing I hate about women….whatever makes them happy.

Piolo: Loud accessories, big accessories, anythign that’s distracting. I like it simple.

What are you fond of seeing women wear?

Jericho: (smiles devilishly) Biglang napangiti! Lingerie looks good, the cute ‘60s sporty outfits or board shorts or beach wear in summer. During rainy days, I love them wearing wool – wala lang, simple lang. Cute ang dating sa akin ng girl na covered pero hindi naman siya ang init ng dating parang hindi na makakilos. Cute ang button clothes.

Piolo: Bright colors and something that fits her body structure

Do you consider yourself a homebody or a party goer?

Jericho: Homebody….I can always have a party at home!

Piolo: I’m a homebody because of my work. So whenever I get free time, I just go home and sleep, I relax and that’s my comfort time. I just really try to sleep so it’s really boring. I just stay home.

Where do you like to hang out?

Jericho: Beach coz I surf.

Why do you like surfing so much?

Jericho: I love nature. The beach gives me an appreciation for Mother Earth and Mother Nature. It’s hard to explain...it relaxes me a lot. It’s a thing I never get tired of.

Piolo: In my room, in my house.

What are your favorite restaurants?

Piolo: Max’s.

Jericho: I like Filipino restaurants.

Oh, you’re a rice eater…

Jericho: Yes, I’m a growing boy. You cannot deprive me of rice (laughs).

How much rice can you eat in one meal?

Jericho: I eat this much rice (shows an extra large bowl that can hold around five scoops).

Piolo: Four servings in one meal, I can eat that much. I love eating rice. I can eat more than one chicken.

That much? How do you burn all that?

Jericho: I play.

Piolo: I run a lot. I do cardio. I work out only once or twice a month but I run a lot. I run regularly and whenever I have spare time, I work out.

What sports are you into?

Piolo: Nothing really, I’m just training for martial arts, submission. It’s an interesting sport. It’s a type of defense – you do it for the soul. It’s becoming a hobby and I do it regularly with my trainer.

How about when it comes to fast food, what do you like?

Jericho: Popeye’s Chicken.

What is the one dish that you don’t mind having over and over again?

Jericho: It’s always chicken, anything to do with chicken, and lots of rice. Chicken and rice, pakbet and rice! Basta gulay, mahilig ako sa gulay.

Piolo: Chicken. The way Max’s serves it. I can eat more than one spring chicken in one sitting.

What words do you live by?

Jericho: I always say don’t stop dreaming, just keep living.

Piolo: Always go for the best. Always follow the right path and go with the flow.

What keeps you in showbiz?

Jericho: I like it, I love it.

Piolo: My attitude.

How do you deal with showbiz intrigues?

Jericho: I love good reviews. People who spread chismis, I don’t have respect for them. They’re just wasting their time.

Piolo: It’s part of showbiz.

How has fame affected your life?

Piolo: It’s brought me closer to God.

Jericho: Big time. It affected me big time.

Do you still get to go out?

Jericho: Yes. Lumalabas pa rin ako. I have a lot of responsibilities now, but I also try to enjoy pa rin.

(To be continued)

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E-mail me at ice_wave_42@yahoo.com.