Marco Lobregat thinks and talks green

MANILA, Philippines - Marco Lobregat is urging everyone to think green. Oops, he is not referring to things intimate and sexy but wants people to be mindful of and sensitive to the natural environment in our daily life. How? Well, Marco is more than willing to inspire people to start going green now through the Lifestyle Channel’s newest offering titled The Green Mind.

The Green Mind, which premiered three Wednesdays ago, features various healthy and sustainable products and services, as well as environmental advocacies. That’s why, Marco, who is a self-confessed health and wellness buff and a farming advocate, certainly fits his first hosting assignment.

“It’s my very first time to host a show but I’m very excited about it,” Marco tells The STAR about being tapped as the show’s host. “Everytime we shoot, it’s always a great feeling for me because The Green Mind talks about saving the planet, sustainable living, how we can live more consciously and how our choices basically impact on society and the environment. I think, for me, in the last maybe about five years since I moved back to the Philippines, I’ve seen this whole green movement grow and now people wanted to know more; so we want the show to provide insights on how you can live more sustainably and make better choices.”

To those not so much familiar with Marco, he mostly appeared on-cam as a commercial model. His first TVC was for a softdrink brand in the ‘90s. He also became part of this paper as one of Young Star columnists under the Lifestyle section before he decided to work for media outfits abroad. The 34-year-old Fil-Spanish head-turner returned to the Philippines in 2009 when things didn’t turn out so well according to his plan. Back in the country, Marco made good use of his father’s unused land and, eventually, became a mushroom farmer and now runs his own business called Ministry of Mushrooms.

No wonder, Marco can easily relate to topics concerning agriculture. He, too, can help televiewers make better choices starting from the kind of food that is best served on the table. “Through the show, you can make better choices and it starts from everything that we eat, to where our food comes from, who grows it you know, the farmers and their livelihood… how that affects the environment so it is a wholistic show.

“I mean when we say that people have gone vegetarian, it’s not necessarily just about the health but the choice of not hurting animals. You know how the (food) industry has gone so big. Let’s say some food is not anymore very wholesome because they put many chemicals (on it); when you eat it you know, I mean your choices have an effect on your health, the people around you and the environment,” he added.

Does he also share tips about eating healthy without going beyond one’s budget?

“Yes we do share a few tips. Everytime that we shoot, more and more people are actually telling us they’re excited about it. We want to make the show a little simple in the first season in the sense that we want to be able to share some tips on life like we talked to a person when we went to the Farmer’s Market in Cubao. It was my first time there and it was a foreigner who brought me around and he’s been living in the Philippines for so many years. It was interesting because while we went around, we were sharing tips on how you pick your vegetables and where you go shopping. There are so many things you can find there, plus you get to talk to actual farmers.”

Asked if he knows how to haggle, Marco answers in the affirmative “but usually ‘di na ko tumatawad because I know it’s their livelihood. I used to be in sales, too. I don’t know if it’s true but they say that people who are in sales are the easiest to sell to kasi ‘pag inalok ako sasabihin ko sige bibilhin ko na ‘yan, hahahaha.”

Kidding aside, Marco says that hosting The Green Mind “is a dream come true for me. It is more than I could’ve expected.”

If and when an acting offer comes next, Marco says he would like to dabble in it “but I don’t know if I can hold on to it. I have a lot of respect for actors because I’m amazed how they get to memorize those scripts. But comedy, yeah, I want to try. You know, I’ve done a lot of TV commercials so I’m already used to being in front of the cameras.”

Is he fond of watching movies?

“I do. The last time I watched was Heneral Luna. So if ever, I’d also like to be in acting, I’d like to be in something historical,” replies Marco.

(The Green Mind airs Wednesday nights at 9 on Lifestyle on Ch. 52 in both SkyCable and Destiny Cable.)