"It’s fleeting," Echo said, "here today, gone tomorrow. Who knows? I don’t let it go to my head."
But like his contemporaries, Echo has been subjected to every nasty gossip you can think of, to all the indignities every showbiz aspirant (especially if he/she has the looks and the potential) is forced to bite. But the "Walls of Jericho" have proven to be sturdy and strong, hardly cracked by all the sticks and stones hurled at them.
"I’m still whole," smiled Echo. "I’m still all of me in one piece."
A beautiful survivor of the painful showbiz "initiation" and the gossip mill, Echo has endured because, as they’ve always been saying, he has the guts and the stuff and the looks and the talent badly needed for one to stay in showbiz. The cliche is true: Nobody can put a good man down.
A Walker image model (chosen, according to Walker PR manager Eugene Vallejo-Ramos, "because of his sense of style with which the Gen-Y achievers can easily identify"), Echo has just finished shooting his second team-up with his reel (and real-life?) sweetheart Kristine Hermosa, Star Cinema’s Ngayong Nandito Ka, directed by Jerry Lopez-Sineneng, which is another retelling (with new twists and turns) of the rich/boy-meets-rich/girl story. It’s a follow-up to the loveteam’s smash-hit first team-up, Forevermore.
Due to popular requests, Conversation is "dissecting" Echo from A to Z, touching on the many little issues swirling around him these days.
A – Atmosphere. I’d like to be in an entirely new atmosphere, free from any pressure, with no work at all! A work-free atmosphere. Angels. I believe in angels, especially my Guardian Angel Barachiel. Acting, of course! I take acting seriously; it’s not just a game, or a laro-laro, with me. My big dream is to do an international movie, just like my idol, Cesar (Montano), who has been telling me about his wonderful experience while filming The Great Raid in Australia.
B – Beach and Baguio. Everytime I have free time, I hie off to my favorite beach in La Union and I surf. It must be a good idea to live in La Union not only because of the beautiful beaches but because it’s near Baguio City. I finished two of my elementary-school years in Baguio.
C – Church. I haven’t been going to church as often as I used to. When I’m in church, I close my eyes after praying and feel His presence. Cindy (Kurleto, his other girl in Ngayong Nandito Ka) is a nice girl; maganda, mabait. She’s easy to get along with; she’s independent, just like me. One time, since there was no service, she took the bus from Baguio where we shot some scenes. I’d have done the same thing.
D – Dina Bonnevie. Why is she the first one who comes to my mind? Well, because she’s my co-star in Moral (Marilou Diaz-Abaya’s remake of her own movie). No, she doesn’t play my mother; we are lovers in the movie. Darkness. Yes, I used to have a phobia for the dark but I was able to conquer that phobia by scuba-diving. I almost drowned in a pool when I was a kid and I must have gotten my phobia from that experience. It’s dark "down there," isn’t it?
E – Expectations. I have lots of expectations both for myself and for my career. The other day, I was looking at the 13 trophies, citations and plaques of appreciation, and I realized that I’ve been nominated, all right, but the last time I won an award was in 2000. I expect to get another award this year. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. What excites me now is the week-long holiday (maybe in Bali or in Bangkok) I’m planning to have; it’s my gift to myself. I deserve it. Expletives? As much as I can help it, I refrain from using four-letter words. Hindi ako palamura.
F – Family. Nothing is more important to me now than my family. My mom, my sister and my young brother make up my family. What’s my greatest fear? Losing my family.
G – Girls. Hmmmmm. I’m careful these days as far as girls are concerned. Better to be safe than to be sorry. How do I deal with aggressive girls? To be honest, even if I’m makulit, I get tongue-tied, even helpless, in dealing with them. Nabubupol ako talaga! God is the center of my life. I know that He’s there guiding me. I always call on Him. Everyday, I tell Him, "Thy will be done." Everything that I do is for His glory.
H – Yes, I believe in Heaven – and Hell. I think only of heaven, though, and not of hell. Everyone of us has a piece of heaven in him. When you’re in love, it feels like heaven, di ba? You look out of the window and everything looks beautiful; everything sounds like music. It’s heaven, isn’t it? Hero? My father, Santiago Rosales, is my hero; my mother, Rosario Vivar, is also my hero. They gave me life, I am what I am because of them, and I’m forever indebted to them for that. Even if my father is separated from my mother, okay na kaming dalawa. What makes me happy? My cats and my dogs. . .every member of my family. . .spending time on the beach. . . a good role in a TV drama or a movie. . . a friendly smile from somebody, whether a friend or a stranger. Those are the things that make me happy.
I – Inspiration. My brother Jeremiah is my biggest inspiration to me. We got separated and now that we’re together, we’re trying to make up for lost time. The boys in La Union are also my inspiration; they brought me close to where my heart is – nature. Innocence. I lost it when I was 15 – to an older woman.
J – Jesus is No. 1; He’ll always be No. 1 to me. How can I ever forget Jughead Jones (a character from Archie comics)? He’s my alter ego, a couch potato who’s so cool that he does nothing but watch TV and eat. I like his being cool. Jericho. I love my name; it was taken from the Bible – you know, the Walls of Jericho. Kasing-tibay ako ng mga walls na ’yan.
K – Kristine (Hermosa), my favorite leading lady. What’s the real score between us? I don’t know but nobody seems to believe me, or her, when I say that we are just special friends. Honest. We’re only the best of friends. What’s the key to my heart? It’s one thing that also starts with the letter K – Kindness. Show me a little kindness, just a little, and I melt.
L – How do I define Love? It’s something, a great force, that can make you walk on your hands. I know that I’m in love when, 1) my eyes glow, 2) I feel beautiful, and 3) I do a lot of crazy things. Lust? It can destroy a person. Love satisfies the heart but lust satisfies only a small muscle in your body. I look at life the way I would a book. If you just stay in one place, it’s as if you’re opening only one page of your life. See the world, man! Travel! That’s life.
M – Money is important but it’s not everything. Too much money can destroy a person, just like lust. I can go on with life without having too much money. Having too much money can give you a lot of problems. You know, what will I do with all this money? Everytime I make a little money, I try to invest it in real estate. What I plan to do is do my soap for one year and then I’ll stop and travel – see the world! I treasure memories, both the good and the bad, the sad and happy ones. Speaking of memories, what comes to my mind now are the faces of the street kids I saw last Christmas. My heart really bled for them. I was a poor kid and I identified with them. My dream is to put up an organization that will help all those kids wandering in the streets. My Mom. She’s the best! I love her more now than ever before. The best thing about her? Her love. . .it’s unconditional. She walks now with great effort because of her arthritis but she continues to serve us.
N – Nature. I love nature. I’m a nature-tripper. As soon as I get my Jeep, I and my Dad will take a long trip from Manila to Mindanao, just the two of us. Despite what happened, close na kami ng father ko ngayon.
O – Opera. One day, I want to do opera. It must be something exciting, something challenging.
P – Prayer is the best tool against anything. I pray in my own way, in a very personal way. Yes, I have a lot of unwritten poems in my mind. If I get down to writing them, puwede na akong mag-publish ng book of poems.
Q – Do I have a queen in my heart? What do you think? Until now, I have all sorts of questions in my mind, such as. . . What lies around the corner? Or, When will I get the strength to follow what my heart dictates? So many questions, so few answers.
R – I want to create my dream room if and when I build a house on the lot that I bought. It’s going to be a different kind of room. My bed will be shaped like a boat. . . No, I’ll buy an old boat, as wide as a King-size bed. . . I’ll have it re-upholstered and hang it on chains from the ceiling. Underneath it is white sand, lighted from below and covered by fiberglass. The lights will create crazy figures around the room which will be lined by an aquarium. Nice, isn’t it?
S – The sea. I love the sea. On the beach, I’d sit alone and watch the sea and everything seemed so peaceful. There’s a certain rhythm in the waves that is very soothing, that has a calming effect on me. Soon, I must go down to the sea again and listen to that rhythm in the waves. Submerged in the sea, ang feeling ko I’m a dolphin. Sex? You just don’t do it; it should come with responsibility. I’ve learned my lesson; I should know.
T – Temptation. Oh, temptation! It’s hard to resist – because I’m only human – but I try hard to. Mahirap na, di ba? But the temptation that I find hard to resist is owning my dream car – Avalanche (a Cadillac pick-up). That would come long from now. Meanwhile, I’m saving for the Jeep which my father and I will drive during our cross-country trip. Time. It’s a luxury to me. I hardly have time for myself! Time is gold.
U – Understanding. That’s what I look for in my ideal girl – among other qualities, that is. Malawak na pang-unawa. I’m understanding, so I expect my girl to be understanding, too.
V – I feel victorious because I’ve overcome the odds; I’ve been able to rise above my humble beginnings. I felt victorious when I won as Mr. Pogi (a contest in Eat, Bulaga!) because that was my stepping stone to showbiz. Vain? No, I’m not vain, but I do take care of my looks.
W – I have a weakness for cars – food and pleasure. Sometimes, when I enjoy doing something, I get so engrossed in it that I forget the passage of time. What do I consider my wealth in life? Yes, my family. . . and other people close to me. Also, my talent. Nobody can take that away from me.
X – Xenophobia. It’s the fear of foreigners, isn’t it? I used to have this fear of anybody and anything foreign, anything strange. Xylophone. My life is like a xylophone. Maraming high notes and low notes. But you can adjust those notes to come up with a melody, a beautiful sound. My life is like that. Madaling i-adjust, madaling mag-harmonize with the rest of the world.
Y – I used to be a Yes-man; yes lang ako nang yes even against my will and my wishes. I’m forever young-at-heart; it shows in my playfulness.
Z – Zany? Oh, yes, I have a zany side. Sometimes, kahit ano pinagtri-trip-an ako. At home, sometimes I wear my mother’s clothes. Trip lang. One time, I drove alone for 14 hours to Pagudpod (in Ilocos). I drove back as soon as I got there. What for? Trip lang. I just wanted to see the place.