ROBERT MARION EUSEBIO DOMINGO–A MAN FOR OTHERS

YOUNG AND FAMOUS! ROBI IN PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER!

Young and Famous
By Jessica Mendoza
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 07:15:00 11/23/2008

MANILA, Philippines - “Robi? Can I please take a picture with you?” the young woman asks shyly in Filipino. Robi Domingo, the heartthrob runner-up on ABS-CBN’s hit reality show “Pinoy Big Brother (PBB): Teen Edition” and a winner of the 2008 MYX VJ Search, responds with a smile and a nod. With a squeal of delight, the young woman takes as many shots with her camera phone as she dares, thanks Robi and makes way for the rest of the crowd gathered around him. Another girl then steps up and asks the 18-year-old for an autograph. Again, Robi agrees graciously, something he has done for the last 20 people who have approached him and something he will do for the next 20 waiting in line.

How many teens would kill to be in Robi’s shoes? How many would jump through hoops of fire and post the video on YouTube for just 15 minutes of fame? And yet, how many of these teens actually bother to think about what it means to be famous? How many of them, placed in the same situation, would have Robi’s patience, smiling and signing autographs despite being exhausted from school and TV taping all day?

Even Robi, who says he loves what he’s doing, readily admits that “life as a celebrity is not all good.” Unlike a nine-to-fiver who answers only to the boss, celebrities live in a fishbowl, their flaws magnified by the public glare. As 22-year-old Aaron Atayde puts it, “[Knowing that everyone is watching your every move] is the worst thing that could run through your mind.”

Known to late-night listeners of FM radio’s Magic 89.9 as DJ Josh Strike, Aaron started his career in 2007 as courtside reporter for the Adamson University Falcons during the 70th UAAP Men’s Basketball season. He stayed with the team for another year before moving on to his current job as host of ABS-CBN’s newest sports program, “Wildcard.”

Being on-air exposes one to judgments that the listening public indiscriminately hurl, notes Aaron. “There are people who dedicate their lives to criticizing us for whatever we do,” he says, recalling how UAAP fans slammed him in online fora, particularly on PinoyExchange.com, for being the only male courtside reporter in the country’s college basketball circuit. “Someone even said that no matter how good I was, they couldn’t care less because I’m a guy,” Aaron says. “That sucks because I really tried my hardest to make my reports as in-depth as possible.”

It’s impossible to please everybody, agrees Robi, who notes that this is particularly true in the entertainment industry. “It’s like, out of a sea of a thousand people, 999 would be okay because you’ve signed their notebooks and taken pictures with them. Now that one person you didn’t approach will complain.”

Aside from criticism, there’s also gossip to contend with, says 21-year-old Andi Manzano, also known as DJ Andi-9 on Magic 89.9 and winner of last year’s MTV VJ Hunt. The worst rumor she’s heard about herself was one that reported her as being pregnant. “I wasn’t really affected by it though,” she says, laughing. However, she adds on a more serious tone, the rumors sometimes get too personal, “like when they involve your family or your personal life.”

Aaron recalls rumors that romantically linked him to several women when he was still a courtside reporter. He denies ever having dated any of them, and adds that rumors don’t really bother him. “I was totally aware that thing like that would come up, so I just didn’t mind them.”

Privacy is definitely a casualty of life in the limelight, says Robi, whose fan base is composed mainly of PBB viewers. He recalls being mobbed every time he appears in public. During a campus tour with other MYX VJ Search finalists last September at the University of Santo Tomas, the three bodyguards hired to watch over all 12 finalists had their hands full with Robi alone. With a look that is both wistful and amused, Robi says, “No more malls for me, except for mall shows.”

Time is another commodity that’s in short supply for young celebrities, especially those who are unwilling to quit school for their careers. Andi, a fifth year Communication Arts student in Miriam College, admits that her work has affected her academic life. “The disadvantages include being unable to graduate on time, having less sleep than everyone else and having problems finding group mates because your work schedule gets in the way.”

Robi, a freshman taking up BS Health Science, a pre-med course, at the Ateneo de Manila University, knows this only too well. Life since PBB, he says, has been “pure work, pure study. There was this whole week when I didn’t get to talk to my parents at all, because I had no time to.” He recounts how he sometimes has to be in school from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m., rush over for a shoot from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m., and be back in school three hours later.

And though Aaron graduated this year from De La Salle University, the memory of juggling two jobs and his thesis is still fresh in his mind: “There was a time when I had classes, then games after class, then study and research, my radio program from 12 midnight to 3 a.m., then classes at 8 a.m. the next day. Man, I still can’t believe I was able to do that.”

One thing fame does bring is a lot of is fair-weather friends who, like planets to a sun, tend to gravitate towards the brightest star in the system. “Sorry to be honest, but there are people who want to befriend you for what they can get from you,” says Andi. Aaron adds, “People I hardly know suddenly think they’re my best friends.” Robi agrees: “They’re all after some fame and the free stuff.” The true friend, these young celebrities muse, is a rare find in their line of work.

But if celebrity sucks, why do the three of them-as well as countless others-strive to stay in the limelight?

Despite all the pitfalls of their job, Aaron, Robi, and Andi admit to loving what they do. The perks they get from being in the public eye don’t hurt, either. Aaron says of courtside reporting: “It wasn’t about the money, although the money is fine too. But it’s really just for the love of it. The thought of getting paid to do something that I really like is always a good thought.”

Then there’s the equally humbling and ego-boosting experience of having one’s work publicly appreciated. Having a lot of fans is a bonus unique to celebrities. Andi says, “When people visit the Magic 89.9 booth, I’d understand if they wanted DJ Mo Twister’s autograph, but when they ask for mine too, I’m like, are you sure about this? Are you sure you want my autograph? It was such an uplifting experience.”

Robi recounts having received presents from fans during his birthday. “It was weird,” he says of the experience, as well as enjoyable. After all, not everyone can say they receive gifts even from strangers.

Meeting all sorts of people and getting free stuff are fun as well, the three admit. Their clothing sponsors make sure they never run out of outfits: Bench for Robi, Nike for Aaron, and Adidas for Andi. Then there are the free concert and movie tickets, backstage passes, the interviews with both local and international celebrities, gift checks for restaurants, and the occasional all-expense-paid trips abroad. Endorsements also make fame a celebrity’s cash cow. Robi has done ads for Skechers sneakers and mobile phone Nokia Philippines, while Andi has come out in commercials for Cream Silk shampoo, Vaseline Lotion, and Ellips Cologne.

Nothing beats on-the-job experience as well. “You learn to take the good things and forget the bad,” says Robi says, while Aaron reveals that he’s learned to keep smiling no matter how tired, hungry or annoyed he gets. “Mo Twister has taught me that being plastic is the biggest thing you need to know in this business,” he adds.

In the end, being in the entertainment industry is like going into a business venture: it’s all about risk. “Showbiz is like a reaper,” Robi says. “It chooses who it wants.” Audiences, he adds, will always look for someone new so it’s unwise for a young celebrity to bank on being famous for longer than two years. Finishing a college degree is still important, he says, adding that once he’s done with show business, he hopes to become a surgeon like his father.

Aaron shares a similar lesson from his mentor Boom Gonzales, a bigwig in both sports television and FM radio: they can take away the money, they can take away the shows, but they can’t take away your college degree. As long as a person has his degree, he will never run out of opportunities, Aaron quotes his mentor as saying.

Andi meanwhile cautions would-be celebrities to practice prudence. “Be sure you know what you’re getting into, because fame can give you a lot of things, [but] it can just as easily break you.”

All things considered, is fame worth the price? For these three young celebrities, the answer is unquestionably yes. Says Aaron: “I think it’s a small price to pay for doing what I love.” He adds, “Every job has a trade-off, no matter what you do.” Robi says as much: “It’s an outlet for me to enjoy life.” What he loves most about his job, he adds, is “making people smile.” Andi, however, says it best: “I love my life now, I love what I do, I love the people I work with. I don’t think I could ever trade this for anything else.”

http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/…***-and-Famous

EXCLUSIVE: A day in the life of Robi Domingo

Sem break has just started and Robi Domingo is happy to share that he did well in his first semester in college despite his newfound career as an actor-model. After his stint in Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition Plus, there have been a lot of changes in his life, including the fact that he can no longer spend his vacation with nothing to worry about. So what is a typical day for Robi these days? How does he spend his spare time? Find out as ABS-CBN.com follows him around for a whole day.

7 to 10 am, AteneoHigh School

After dropping off his brother Maro at school, Robi proceeds to the chapel to hear the daily mass. Then he approaches Father Eli and some students to goof around for a bit before excusing himself from the ABS-CBN.com crew to make a private confession.

Afterwards, he takes ABS-CBN.com on a tour of his favorite hangouts which includes the Campus Ministry Office (where his good friend and teacher Brother Jomari tells us that Robi almost joined the priesthood), the cafeteria, the field where he used to play baseball (his favorite sport), and the “Post” area where misbehaving students are required to stay for hours at a time. Not that Robi has ever been given that particular punishment during his high school days, but he only dropped by to say hi to some of the faculty. His boy-next-door charm has also apparently won over even the typically strict security guards.

But as much as he misses the simple life of a high school student, Robi is happy that he’s past the stage of being trapped in the classroom the whole day, just like the bored HS boys who comically scream his name when we passed by.

10 am to 12 nn, Home Sweet Home

Robi and his family just moved into their all-white dream house in a quiet but peaceful subdivision about a month ago. But his hectic schedule hardly gives him time to enjoy their spacious two-storey house complete with pool. In fact, he didn’t even know that they had an outdoor shower room near the pool area when StarStudio Magazine featured the house in its October issue. And he’s yet to discover the purpose of the understated cupboards upstairs.

No one else is at home when Robi shows ABS-CBN.com the house (even their trusty caretaker Manang had an appointment with a dermatologist). Unlike in their old townhouse, Robi and Maro now have their separate bedrooms. But years of habit and a secret passage through their closets mean Maro often ends up in Robi’s room, using the phone extension there for hours. When his brother takes over the phone and the bed, Robi ends up sleeping on the floor which he says he doesn’t mind.

Robi eagerly plays for us some of his favorite classical and modern songs, including Second Hand Serenade’s “Fall For You” (which he dedicates to his special someone) on the piano and Parokya Ni Edgar’s “Harana” on guitar. Later on, his three pet dogs (a chow-chow, a Maltese, and a mini-pinscher) beg for his attention so he gladly plays with them for a while before set out for lunch.

12 nn to 3 pm, Lunch and shopping at Trinoma

While eating heartily at a Japanese restaurant, Robi shares how his handler Luz Bagalacsa has filled his sem break with lots of activities, events, and special occasions to attend so he needs to pick up some new clothes. After enjoying a filling lunch, Robi orders an Angus burger for takeout (what for, you’ll know as you read on) from an American fast food joint before heading to the Bench boutique where he bumps into former My Girl co-star and fellow Bench endorser Gerald Anderson. The two briefly catch up in between requests of photo-ops from awestruck students before Gerald has to leave. Robi meticulously looks for shirts and sweaters that fit his casual style. He soon makes his way to the cashier but first he gamely mirrors Gerald’s pose in a Bench poster.

3 to 3 pm, Flowers and a burger for Robi’s special gal

“It’s not about the flowers, but the intention,” says Robi after admitting that he hasn’t learned what’s the favorite flower of the girl he’s been courting. This happens to be his first time to send flowers to someone other than his mother, Mary Ann.

Looking excited and nervous at the same time, he looks through the flower shop’s catalog of floral arrangements to see what suits the love of his life whom he describes as the “perfect girl.” But as usual, he remains elusive about her identity and even asks the shop clerk to keep their transaction confidential. He orders half a dozen white roses (to convey his pure intentions and sincerity) to be delivered at the girl’s house together with her favorite food which happens to be the burger Robi bought earlier. Robi believes that the old adage that “the fastest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” also applies to women.

3:30 to 4 pm, Pinoy Big Brother House

Aside from using its convenient reserved parking space, paying homage to the big yellow house has been part of Robi’s routine whenever he’s in the vicinity. “Masarap lang bumalik sa pinanggalingan. Literally, [in-apply ko] yung Filipino saying na, ‘Ang ‘di tumingin sa pinanggalingan ay ‘di makakarating sa paroroonan.’ At saka I promised naman them (PBB staff) na every time I go to ABS-CBN that I’ll pass by here,” he explains. True enough, PBB Operations Manager Billet Sanggalang quips that Robi always makes a pest of himself there. But it’s pretty clear that the staff is happy to see that Robi has stayed the same long after his stint as a teen housemate.

4 to 5:10 pm, ABS-CBN compound

Robi has to record his updated KRing for his KText at the ABS-CBN Interactive offices where he meets the whole ABS-CBN.com. A current MYX VJ finalist, Robi takes the ABS-CBN.com crew to the MYX offices and the ABS-CBN Publishing offices next door. His naturally warm and friendly manner is greeted with smiles by those he meets and even the security guards seem to know him well.

5:10 to 7 pm, fetching his mom

It’s rush hour by the time he picks up his mom Mary Ann from her office at SSS (Social Security System) where she’s a resident doctor. Though she was ready to go home by 4 pm, she didn’t seem to mind that Robi came an hour late. As Robi’s self-confessed number one fan, she gives him her all-out support and understanding when it comes to the demands of the business.

Robi’s mom proudly shares stories about her oldest son as well as the challenges of spending quality time with him and Maro. Arriving home, mom Mary Ann gives ABS-CBN.com a more detailed tour of the house while offering some refreshments and a relaxing chat.

7 to 8 pm, ABS-CBNTalentCenter

Since he wasn’t able to catch his handler at the Star Magic office earlier, Robi returns to ABS-CBN to fix his calendar of activities. Though tired from doing errands the whole day (as he has been doing in previous days), Robi still opens up about matters of the heart and the things he’s willing to do to impress a girl.

Then he switches to serious mode while listening to handler Luz update him about his upcoming engagements. Afterwards, he drops in on an ongoing workshop of Star Circle Batch 16 and some of his ex-housemates Valerie Weignmann, Alex Anselmuccio, and Ejay Falcon.

For the last stop, he brings ABS-CBN.com to the MYX studios where he hopes to be after the MYX VJ Search Finals on October 21. He reveals that he would really feel heartbroken if he loses the chance to be a VJ on his favorite music channel.

8 pm, home again

Robi finally calls it a day and heads home.

Robi on being pressured: ‘It brings out the best in me.’

“I’m trying to be superman right now,” humored Pinoy Big Brother Teen heartthrob Robi Domingo, in reference to his hectic schedule involving work and school. The former PBB housemate said that he wants to make the most of the opportunities that are generously coming his way. “I hate regrets, so I’m doing my best,” he said.

Although he is just getting just five hours of sleep at the most for balancing his college education and show biz career, Robi said that multi-tasking is not something new to him. “If I’m stressed, it brings out the best in me. I’ve got a handful of stuff in my palm and I have to execute each one perfectly,” he shared.

Aside from pursuing a biology course in Ateneo de Manila, Robi is establishing a career in acting. He did his acting debut in the recently concluded teleserye, My Girl and has been tapped as the first local endorser of Nokia Philippines. Robi now has his eyes on being a VJ. He has made it to the finals of the next MYX Channel VJ search. “It makes me feel great. Being one of the 12 is just one overwhelming experience,” Robi said of his stint for MYX.

He also auditioned to be a VJ on Studio 23 and is pitted against other fellow Star Magic talents and fellow PBB housemates such as Nicole Uysiuseng and Valerie Weignmann. When asked about his desire to get a hosting job, Robi admitted that it has always been a dream of his.
“Since I was a child, I’ve been into hosting like crazy. Come to think of it, I like hosting and I like working so why can’t I get the best of both worlds?” he shared with a laugh.

Robi Domingo reacts on controversies surrounding the MYX VJ Search

Joining a reality show such as the MYX VJ Search is like Pinoy Big Brother all over again for ex-teen housemate Robi Domingo. The only difference now is that he becomes self-conscious when in front of the camera. For one, talking to a multitude of viewers takes a while in getting used to especially for a newbie like him in hosting. But as usual, Robi’s sense of purpose once he has set his mind on something drives him to give this competition his best shot.

Nothing will stop him from pursuing his goal to become a VJ even amidst other people’s criticisms. Apparently, there are those who are saying that he shouldn’t have been a part of MYX VJ Search because he doesn’t really need it, that his budding career as an actor/model is already enough. “Iba-iba naman yun eh. Everyone has a right to pursue their dreams right? I want this thing so I’ll compete for this thing,” he exclaimed in an interview with ABS-CBN.com yesterday. Once again, his detractors are making a big deal out of his privileged status in life just like what happened during his supposed rivalry with Ejay Falcon in PBB Teen Edition Plus.

“Compared sa kanilang lahat (MYX VJ Search finalists) ako lang ang walang backround sa hosting eh. Sila, to be honest, almost everyone is a DJ and a host there so yun talaga yung profession nila. Ang sa akin lang, yun ang edge ninyo, so ‘eto naman ang sa akin. Kanya-kanya lang ‘yan,” he said in reference to his showbiz stint.

Rather than stressing himself out with those controversies though, the young heartthrob concentrates on accomplishing all the difficult challenges of the competition. “Yung pinag-spiels kami in the middle of Quiapo, I guess yun yung pinakamahirap. Nung na-realize ng mga tao na may shoot kami dun, pinagkumpolan kami dun sa harap mismo ng black Nazarene. Yung MYX staff nahirapan talaga sa pag-control ng crowd. Ang ginagawa ko na lang is to protect my fellow VJ finalists,” he recounted.

The former My Girl star admits that being a witty and natural host is definitely no mean feat. “Mahirap siya sobra lalo na kung impromptu. You have to make your own hirits and birits. Pero the good thing is na-enhance na yung spontaneity ko,” he beams. Add to his oozing charm and dashing looks, Robi is truly giving the other strong contenders a run for their money. “Ayun, I just wish that all my friends and supporters will help me fulfill my dream to become a host like Kuya Luis (Manzano),” who happens to be one of his biggest idols in the industry.

Robi Domingo overjoyed with his win in the MYX VJ Search 2008

By winning in the MYX VJ Search 2008, ex-Pinoy Big Brother teen housemate Robi Domingo became part of another “Big Four.” He and Monica Yncierto, Chino Lui-Pio, and Bianca Roque are the newest VJs of MYX who were revealed last October 21 at Trinoma.

When asked about his victory, Robi said that there are simply no words to describe the joy he felt at the moment. “Siyempre ang sarap sa pakiramdam kasi finally nawala na yung tensyon ‘di ba? Pero nung unang tinawag yung name ko, nagkataon lang yun. It doesn’t mean na ako yung first place,” he revealed during an interview with ABS-CBN.com right after the announcement.

Despite the popularity that being part of Pinoy Big Brother brought him, Robi still did not expect he would win. “Oo, apprehensive ako at the very start ng program kasi wala talaga, feeling ko wala ako’ng laban. I thought I was just a face in a crowd, eh sila they have voices. But for me, now I’ve proven everyone na I can be both,” he beamed. With his budding career in showbiz, some people couldn’t help but wonder why he joined the contest in the first place. To which Robi was quick to explain, “It’s all about passion. Kasi hosting is not something that I want for myself. Ganon naman yun ‘di ba? If you really want something, go for it. It doesn’t matter if you’re going to win or lose.”

Robi further stressed that there’s no point comparing his recent victory to what happened during his PBB stint. “Well about the second placer, dapat kalimutan na natin yang issue na ‘yan. We’re all winners in PBB naman. Here, it’s a different thing,” he wisely said. As a matter of fact, he was grateful to his fellow housemates who extended their all-out support to him by attending the MYX event. “Kita ninyo naman, pumunta pa dito sila Ejay (Falcon), Nicole (Uysiuseng), and Valerie (Weignmann). Sobrang thank you talaga guys,” he reiterated.

No matter what, Robi said that he’s determined to juggle his studies and his career as an actor-host just like his idol Luis Manzano who’s equally all praises for him. “He’s a good guy… Hindi base yun sa kung sino ang idol niya. He’s going to make his own mark. Nakita ko na yung potential niya when he was still inside the house. Now it’s going to be a totally different ball game na makaka-trabaho ko siya through MYX. So congratulations and welcome to the family,” Luis remarked. And, hopefully, the two will also be able to work togetherin Mars Ravelo’s Komiks Presents Flash Bomba which Robi auditioned for recently and which Luis is a part of.

Robi Domingo feels being responsible isn’t only for grown-ups

Can you imagine Robi Domingo becoming a priest instead of the young heartthrob-slash-rising star that he is now? Lots of girls will surely die from heartbreak if it comes to that but such a scenario is not really next to impossible according to the ex-PBB teen housemate. “When I was a kid, dalawa lang ang pinupuntahan ko parati: simbahan at saka school. Sa school naman, makikita mo lang ako sa classroom, cafeteria, and library,” he divulged to ABS-CBN.com.

Though he never wished to become a man of the cloth, most of his trusted mentors in AteneoHigh School used to urge him to enter priesthood. “I was in third year high school nung sinabi nila na pwede ito’ng mabait na bata na ito. Natawa lang ako kasi ‘di ba, bakit nila ako gusto mag-pari, papagalitan ako ng nanay ko. And naii-imagine ko pa si Robi junior eh,” he admitted with a laugh.

No one can deny though that this True Blue Atenista truly upholds good values worthy of his position as youth spokesperson and consultant of Department of Education. But aside from learning how to become a ‘Man for Others’ from his Alma Mater, Robi mainly thanks his parents for his admirable upbringing. “Lumaki ako na marunong maglinis ng bahay. My father wakes me up in the morning to wash the cars. Tinuruan nila kasi kami ni Maro (his younger brother) maging versatile and independent,” he further shared.

Involving him in the household chores though has made him a better person and closer than ever to his family. In fact, living on his own has never crossed his mind as opposed to what the usual teenagers hope to experience once they are old enough to do so. “Gusto magka-apartment on my own? Never. Hindi naman sa ano ha, kasi if you’re living alone, lalo na kung nandyan pa naman parents mo, parang sinasabi mo na hindi ko kayo kailangan. Sa akin kasi dito (sa bahay) ako kumukuha ng strength sa kanila. Sa family talaga nagsisimula or makukuha yung fulfillment ng isang tao,” Robi exclaimed. His parents also served as his role models while growing up to the point that he decided to follow their footsteps in pursuing medicine as a field of career as well.“Sa school nga kung may dissection ng palaka, ako na gumagawa lahat. Pati puso pinaglalaruan ko,” he added.

How come he joined PBB when in fact he can’t wait to practice medicine? “Yung nanay ko pumilit sa akin para makabawi daw ako sa kanya. Actually pangarap daw niya kasi mag-artista,” he quipped. Seriously though, his mom Dr. Mary Ann encouraged him to try out, knowing that he would excel not only in school but even in the world of show business as well. “It’s not easy balancing my time for school and work. Usually sa school na ako nakakapag-aral lalo na nung My Girl na talagang inu-umaga yung tapings. But I won’t give up schooling. Iba pa rin kapag nag-aaral ka kasi mas paniniwalaan ka ng tao, kumbaga meron ka’ng credibility,” he proclaimed.

short bio of our big winner!!!!

ROBERT MARION EUSEBIO DOMINGO: The True Blue Atensista