Rocco ticks off another dream from his bucket list

Rocco Nacino finds it amusing that fans of his new serye, GMA 7’s Descendants of the Sun (DOTS), had already “predicted” he was going to be cast in a Pinoy version of the megahit K-drama back in 2016.

The reason? He is a dead ringer for one of its stars, Jin Goo. “When (my series then) Encantadia was airing in 2016, backstory lang, right after the last episode, tuloy-tuloy pa rin yung Twitter (notifications) ko, it was going crazy. I was checking my Twitter and wondering what was happening, why there was a hashtag #Wolf, #RoccoNacino, #JinGoo. Then there would be memes putting our faces side by side. I didn’t know who he was, sino itong lalaking ito? Yun pala, Descendants of the Sun just started airing,” Rocco recalled. 

In 2018, GMA bought the rights to adapt DOTS and in 2019, the 32-year-old actor was tapped to play Technical Sergeant Diego Ramos a.k.a. Wolf, the role originated by his South Korean “look-alike”.

“Fast-track to this year, we’re now having a laugh over it. Maraming tao kasi ang nag-to-throwback ng tweet or lumalapit sa akin, ‘o, sabi ko sa ‘yo, makukuha mo yan,’ although I didn’t expect it and that we’re doing this for 2020. It’s a real honor to be part of it and we’re giving what the fans want. It’s a plus for me. It spells pressure for me also because the fans might expect a certain portrayal or the same portrayal — but of course not. I’m gonna give it my own flavor,” Rocco said.

In the series, Rocco is Technical Sergeant Diego Ramos a.k.a. Wolf, the role originated by his South Korean ‘look-alike’ Jin Goo (right).

The series that stars Dingdong Dantes, Jennylyn Mercado, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, among others, and delves into the lives of soldiers and doctors is now airing on GMA Telebabad.

For Rocco, playing a Special Forces soldier got a little more personal as it inspired him to actually enlist in the Philippine Navy Reserve Force late last year, right after undergoing a three-day military orientation course as part of preparations for Descendants of the Sun.             

“It was inspired by our training with the Special Forces. I shared a tent with the soldiers, and I couldn’t sleep at night because of the mosquitoes. And we were just talking (about their service to the country) and I felt their sincerity. That started it,” he said.

He further took up 15 sessions of basic citizen’s military training and was officially donned with the rank of Petty Officer Third Class in the Philippine Navy recently.

“My grandfather was a colonel — Col. Eleuterio Quiogue — he’s gone. But when I graduated, my mom was there, she was kinda emotional because she remembered my lolo and para sa kanya yun,” he said.

With co-star and fellow Philippine Navy reservist Dingdong Dantes during a relief operation for Taal eruption evacuees last January

As reservist (who is expected to be tapped during disaster relief and response), Rocco hopes to put his other skills to use, like his master’s degree in nursing. “I’m now serious about it. I’m happy with what I’m doing. Like recently, we’re able to help out in Batangas (for the) Taal eruption evacuees and that meant a lot.”

Along with Dingdong (who’s also a Philippine Navy reservist with the rank of Lieutenant Commander, Rocco recently received a Military Merit Medal for his efforts. “Yes, masaya ang pakiramdam na makapagpasaya ng tao through TV, pero iba din ang saya ng makatulong sa kapwang Pilipino na nangangailangan,” he wrote of his experience on Instagram.

Meanwhile, Rocco just ticked off another dream from his bucket list — a three-story, six-room house he will soon call home.

“Matatapos na, matatapos na rin funds ko sa banko (laughs). It was bigger than I expected. But yeah, it’s the fruits of my labor. The past nine years in showbiz since StarStruck have been amazing. Although waiting for Descendants of the Sun (to air) meant I have to let go of a show and I had no income for how many months, ang ganda naman ng balik sa akin. Just a few more months to go and I’m ready to move in.”

Is he ready as well to move to the next chapter of his life and settle down with his athlete girlfriend?

“Anytime naman. Basta may bucket list ako and I make sure that even my partner checks off everything first so that no regrets. I don’t want to hear any ‘what if’ or sana nag-ano nalang. No, tapusin mo lahat. I will do the same thing, then move on to the next chapter. Ito yun, ito nalang, then after nito, sana.”