The ABCs with PeopleAsia Pt. 2

Pencils down, hands up and pass your papers forward!

Here’s the second half of your ABC lessons with PeopleAsia.

Need to backtrack and review? Check out The ABCs with PeopleAsia Pt. 1 here.

F – Pope Francis

After a few millennia of both shining and appalling moments, one would think one has seen it all from the Catholic Church. But then again, the election of 76-year-old Argentine Cardinal and former Buenos Aires Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio proved to be a history of firsts.

He is the first Jesuit and first Pope to take the name Francis, after Francis de Assisi, a saint known for his pro-poor stance. According to the new Pope, after it became clear that the cardinals had elected him on the fifth round of voting (after getting more than 90 votes), fellow elector, Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes embraced and kissed him. A close friend, he also told Pope Francis, “Don’t forget the poor.”

“That struck me… the poor… Immediately, I thought of St. Francis of Assisi. Francis was a man of peace, a man of poverty, a man who loved and protected creation. How I would love a Church that is poor and for the poor,” reveals Pope Francis.

The pontiff of many firsts also seems to be winning the hearts of Catholics across the world with his historic display of humility. As Cardinal Protodeacon Jean-Louis Tauran pronounced the iconic, “Habemus Papam (We have a Pope),” a crowd of 150,000 ecstatic Catholics cheered on. And then, in an unprecedented act, he asked the people for prayer. “Let us say this prayer, your prayer for me, in silence,” he said. And on that moment, the world knew that this is a Pope of a new mold. He even attended his inauguration on a jeepney, not the bulletproof papal mobile, a few days later.

And for the Jesuits, who have always been regarded as people ahead of the times, it could be said that their time has finally come. “Maybe in this age of globalization, the values of the Jesuits have become very timely. The Jesuits believe in finding spirituality in everything, and maybe Pope Francis’ days as Pope will do just that,” shares Fr. Alex, a Manila-based priest and former Jesuit who once had the opportunity of meeting Pope Francis in Argentina.

It is also notable that Pope Francis was elected as the first pope from the Americas and the Southern Hemisphere, at a time when the cardinal electors (around 70 of whom were from Europe), could’ve easily swayed votes in their favor. “Maybe with things like the Vatican leaks, the Church finally wants to send a message of openness. No more insiders,” notes Fr. Alex.

(From A Tale of Two Popes: The Subtleties of Smoke | By JOSE PAOLO DELA CRUZ | PeopleAsia February – March 2013)

Read about Pope Francis’ journey to the Vatican here and his historic 2015 visit to the Philippines in this story. 

G – Gretchen Barretto 

l’ll kill for my career,” says actress Gretchen Barretto, before breaking into laughter on the day of her cover shoot with PeopleAsia. The statement (delivered in jest, of course) was her humorous way of describing how she reacts to the dog-eat-dog world of show business.

For starters, life didn’t exactly give Gretchen everything she has on a silver platter. Regardless of what other people may think, everything that she owns was acquired through years of hard work, sweat, blood and all. Directors have shouted at her and critics have deemed her talents no-good more than once. But she never gives up. “Everyone might think, ‘Yeah, Gretchen lives a charmed life,’ but what they don’t see is that I work hard for it. I stay up late until two in the morning. I sacrifice sleep. It may be glamorous on TV, but it takes a lot of hard work to get there,” reveals Gretchen.

Unlike many actresses, she is a woman of very few words. She is succinct as she is straightforward with her press statements. She guards her privacy with the ferocity of a lioness. “I know I come from the world of entertainment and it’s brimming with ‘plastic’ people. I’m not one of them. When I have something to say, I say it. I show it,” says the outspoken diva.

When asked if critics should be afraid of her now that she has taken acting to an all-new level, Gretchen answers gamely. “Maybe they are. Maybe they should be!” Now, Gretchen has a trophy – not to prove her critics wrong – but to prove that she listens. “Like I told you, I’m tough. Pinch and poke me and I’ll come out stronger. I’ll make you eat your words by striving to be better. Criticism is actually better than empty praises, because the latter can put me in a complacent place – which I hate.”

Feared and revered, Gretchen indeed epitomizes what it is to be a woman who speaks her mind, a person unafraid of being herself despite the public’s discriminating eyes. Will she walk the plank for her boldness, or will history celebrate her as a woman of power? Whatever it is, one thing’s for sure. Just like the fabled females of history, she won’t go down without a fight. “I want my place in the sun. I want many things. And at age 42, I’m just about to start.”

(From Gretchen Barretto: Miss Understood By JOSE PAOLO DELA CRUZ  | Photography by DOC MARLON PECJO | Art direction by Chino Corrales | Styling by MIKE DE GUZMAN and GEORGE PALMIANO (MGP), assisted by SHEILA DANIPOG | Makeup and hair by PATRICK ROSAS | Nails by Nailaholics Nail Salon & Spa | Set styling by Benjo Pacson | Shot on location at W17, La Fuerza Compound, Makati | Special thanks to Ms. Kaye Tinga | PeopleAsia August – September 2012)

H – Hideo Muroaka 

One look and you’ll know that smoldering Brazilian-Japanese model Hideo Muraoka has the face — and the body — to launch a thousand campaigns. Then the 28 year-old talks about his rich past, the lessons he has learned along the way and his dreams as a father. And at that moment, you know, that the man with a pretty face also has a good head on his shoulders.

Hideo, back then, wanted to make his mark as a lawyer. One would have found an 18-year-old Hideo slaving away in school or breaking his back in the law office he worked in. That was until fate intervened by presenting an opportunity he never even once considered. Hideo was approached by a guy who gave him his card as he rode a train to school, asking him to consider a career in modeling.

“I decided to try a new life. When I left everything behind, I learned that life is constantly changing. Most people are afraid of change. They stay in their comfort zone and limit themselves from taking on new challenges. But we should be able to change in order to grow. I also believe we are the creator of our own life.”

With steely determination and a fierce sense of independence, he walked into the unknown world of the modeling agency. “I left my home when I was 18, with $200 in my pocket, not speaking one word in English. Modeling was completely new back then. I never thought that I would become a model. I thought modeling was only for girls. Once I started researching about it, I became fascinated,” he says.

It was during a trip to Thailand that Hideo had a date with destiny, Spanish model Fatima Rabago. “We met through common friends during Songkran, the Thai New Year. On that trip, we got to know each other.” During the hottest time of the year, love was ignited. And since all is fair in love and war, amidst the violent summer showers in Thailand, Hideo conquered the heart of the Spanish beauty. They’ve been together for five years and have a three-year-old daughter named Daniela Sayuri.

We went back to Brazil, where my daughter was born. I didn’t know what to do; if we should stay in Brazil or go to Spain. Then we decided to travel with my daughter. I was the first person (in the industry) that I knew who traveled with a kid,” he shares.

If he could give one piece of advice to his daughter, Hideo says it would be to enjoy life — work and leisure, pain and pleasure, and every other thing in between that it has to offer.

Picture-perfect and profound, Hideo can, indeed, make the world swoon with the smile on his face and the depth of his personality. More than a mannequin, he’s a man who matters.

(From Born in Brazil, MADE in Manila | By MONICA ARANETA TIOSEJO | PeopleAsia June – July 2013)

Want more of Hideo and other hunks like him? Check out this listicle for more.

I – Iya Villania 

The work of a celebrity does not end when she captures the admiration of viewers. Rather, it begins there. For those bestowed with such beauty and talent like Iya Villania, celebrity status serves a higher purpose — to direct the spotlight on issues that truly matter.

Unabashedly open and given to making people feel comfortable with her, Iya imparted that she had no illusions about being an instant success, but she did need a definite amount of time in which to pursue a career. “When I landed, I told myself I had the maximum of a year to make something happen. If nothing happens, then I’d go back to Australia. No hard feelings, because honestly, at the time, the Philippines wasn’t an ideal place for me. It wasn’t home yet. But it certainly is now,” she beams.

“(In college) I auditioned for anything and everything, but nothing stuck!” she chuckles. “My year was running up, I was about to go back home, and lo and behold, I got a callback!”

But with such potential comes a myriad of challenges and stumbling blocks, especially from naysayers who are quick to dismiss her as a serious talent. When asked how she overcomes that sort of pressure, Iya is assuring and calm. “Just remember that there are people out there who love you, and that someone will always have something to say about you, no matter how hard you try to please them,” she says. “Do what makes you happy; you will have that crowd who will embrace you for who you are.”

Recognizing her beauty, talent and her influence on the growing youth sector, Iya was appointed as a spokesperson for the United Nations and a Milennium Development Goal Advocate along with other youth leaders like Bam Aquino, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda and women’s NGO director Iza Abeja in 2012.

Getting married was a thrilling experience, too! I’ve been together with Drew (Arellano) for 10 years and one month now.” (Iya and Drew were married on Jan. 31, 2014 in an intimate wedding ceremony in Nasugbu, Batangas.) Marriage seems to suit this beaming beauty, obviously blooming in her new role as wife. “Our relationship has gotten even better. I really feel that we love each other even more. It is so nice to be so happy in a relationship. Genuinely happy,” she glows.

But Iya expounds on another point ingrained in her concept of beauty. She says, “Beauty is visual, I have to admit. But I have to say the beauty of one’s heart, which is an experiential thing, can definitely enhance the outer shell. So you try to go beyond it as well. No matter how you look or what you say, it is how you interact with people. How you inspire them.”

Now, that’s beautifully said.

(From Iya Villania: A Host of Talents | By IZZY WARREN GONZALEZ | Photography by SARA BLACK | Styling by MIKE DE GUZMAN and GEORGE PALMIANO of MGP, assisted by SHEILA DANIPOG and SIM HORATO | Makeup by MAC IGARTA for Laura Mercier | Hair by BRYAN YOKOTA of Phyto | Set design by 4th Wall Production | Flowers by Benjo Pacson for Natural Art | PeopleAsia August – September 2014)

J – Jinkee Pacquiao 

Thrust into a world of opulence that she never imagined in her wildest dreams, Jinkee Pacquiao eventually learned that the best way to experience the good life is to take everything in stride.(This article was first published in PeopleAsia’s Aug-Sept 2009 issue)

But the life that she leads now did not appear with just a flick of a finger. It was gained through the blood, sweat and tears of her husband. And in Manny’s every bout—win or lose—Jinkee was there to stand by her man. Not a frail flower, this one, even revealing that she’s not afraid of the sight of blood and has gotten used to watching her husband in a fight.

Married for almost 10 years now, Jinkee recalls the first time she met Manny. It was when she was working in a mall in GenSan. One of her uncles was Manny’s trainer and it was inevitable that the two should meet. But for Jinkee, there was no spark on their first meeting.

“Nag-hi, hello lang kami. ‘Noong time na yon may girlfriend siya. Bumibili siya ng gift para sa girlfriend niya. (We only said hi and hello because at that time he already had a girlfriend and he was buying a gift for her.)”

But there was one quality in Manny that won Jinkee over. “Noong nakilala ko siya, tahimik siya, hindi mayabang. Gusto ko yung mga ganon, hindi nagsasalita. Pero ngayon madaldal na! (When I first met him, he was a quiet man, not conceited. I liked it that he’s the silent type. But now he’s so talkative!),” jokes Jinkee.

And though she’s a quiet person herself, the champ’s wife doesn’t pull any punches when she has something on her mind. She shares that there are times when she doesn’t feel like facing a crowd or even going out to big events.

“Ayaw kong mag-pretend na okay kung hindi naman ako okay. Kaya minsan pinagsasabihan ako ng mga kapatid ko na kapag naka-TV ako, dapat hindi nakikita sa mukha ko na galit ako. Kasi minsan daw halata. Ang hirap nga. (I don’t want to pretend that I’m okay when I am not. My family often tells me that I should try to hide my emotions when I’m on camera because I can be so transparent. So it’s hard for me.)”

Though she adds that when the two have a tiff, Manny will be the first one to succumb and plead for her forgiveness by asking her to feed him. But when she won’t budge, the world champ would make her feel guilty by saying “Hindi ka na marunong maawa. Bato ba yang puso mo? (You don’t know how to forgive. Do you have a heart of stone?)”

In the end, Jinkee will often give in. This is her nature. She’s the kind of wife and mother who—amidst all the wealth and opulence surrounding her—would rather be in her hometown, wishing to rear her kids away from the spotlight. But for now, she’s learned to cope, fight her own battles and show that in her own way, she is also a champ.

(From The Lady is Also a Champ | By FATIMA PAREL | PeopleAsia Pacman special issue 2015)

Jinkee is half of a whole. Manny Pacquiao completes the picture in this story.

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