Tom, the game show host

MANILA, Philippines - Tom Rodriguez is trying his hand at hosting starting tomorrow, Sept. 22 as the main man of GMA 7’s game show Don’t Lose The Money, although he is still seen as Lucas Matthew in My Destiny weeknights. The bedimpled actor will simply guide the two competing teams of three members. The players have to keep as much money as they can until the end of the show, while performing different challenges.

“I’m having fun,” says of the first-time game show host. “It’s a new experience. I’m learning so much. It’s challenging. It’s not easy. I’m rolling with the punches. I think I can handle it.” Tom is also referring to how things are going right now in his career. Tom is doing a soap, a movie and now a day-time show. “It’s a good feeling na pagod ka sa trabaho kaysa nung dati na wala. I will choose this.”

According to Tom, it’s been a challenging month because practically every day he is shuttling from one work to another. He has little time to sleep. After taping some drama sequences for My Destiny, he will proceed to the set of Don’t Lose The Money set. Then, Tom heads back to My Destiny location and after, crosses over to shooting a movie.

With that, one can say that Tom is on a roll. There’s no sign of him getting burned out or slowing down. His smiling eyes can attest to that.

“It’s so overwhelming,” replied Tom when asked about the latest development in his career. “I could still remember the feeling I had on the first day — from the time I auditioned to the time we had the actual taping. I was very nervous during the dry run. I was thinking then, ‘I’m here. This is real. This is it. This is happening.’”

The reality TV contestant-turned-actor shares that he had mixed feelings during his first taping day and hurdled that pressure of being alone on stage. “It’s good that the staff is supporting, helping and teaching me,” he says. “It feels great. It feels really, really great.”

From there, Tom has learned to work with the Don’t Lose The Money team and everything that concerns the show. “I have to know everything like what are the mechanics of the game — the do’s and don’ts — because I’m on the frontline and the one people see and not them (the production people),” he says. “I have to convey everything on stage (for the show to run) smoothly.”

Although he has already established rapport with everyone and a connection of owning up the stage, Tom needs to work on making himself comfortable with this newfound assignment.

“It’s frightening (nakakatakot) stepping on stage. (The stage) is so big. It’s so busy. I’ve realized I have to enjoy and have fun. It’s my first time to have a game show. Napakaganda ng team, napakaganda ng laro. It’s high-octane. It is so exciting. Kaya nakakadala din. I’m still finding that level of comfort.” But once some of his work is done, Tom says, he can focus 100-percent on his hosting job. He says, “I will be enjoying it more.”

In the episode where My Husband’s Lover co-star Dennis Trillo guested as a player in the show, onscreen partner Carla Abellana made a short visit on the set. Tom says he appreciated the gesture and her presence. “It’s a good feeling that everyone is showing their support. Maraming dumalaw sa set.”

Then, how’s his love life? “Ito na muna (referring to his work),” answers Tom. And if there’s anything that materializes between him and Carla, Tom says he will embrace it and “I have to let it grow.”

“In everything that I’ve done (in the past), there are lessons I've learned,” Tom ends. “It’s because of the people I have worked with who are very good at their work and who always impart (lessons with me). I’ve learned a lot like from (doing) theater and acting on TV. All of it plays a part.” That “it” is to what Tom has become today as a Kapuso star.

(Don’t Lose The Money is directed by Mark Reyes and airs weekdays after Basta Every Day Happy and before The Ryzza Mae Show.)