Dominic Roque on ‘future’ with Bea Alonzo, new business for the long term

Dominic Roque definitely has plans with girlfriend Bea Alonzo to celebrate the Start-Up actress’ birthday today, Oct. 17.

But he’s mum on the details, of course. “Siempre hindi ko pwede sabihin ang plans,” the actor-host and businessman laughingly told The STAR during a recent interview. “May gagawin lang kami, may pupuntahan and all, but ‘di naman sobrang bonggang celebration.”

And his birthday wish for the Kapuso star who turns 35 today? “Wish ko sa kanya is to have better health. Kasi lahat naman tayo ‘di makakilos ‘pag hindi maganda health natin. So yun lang. And siempre sa families namin (na) masaya lang kami palagi,” the 32-year-old shared.

In a previous interview, Bea told us that she’s going on a month-long leave as part of her birthday celebration, as well as the planning for her next big goal which is to establish her own business and brand.

Turns out the actress has sought some advice from her business-minded boyfriend.

“‘Yan napag-usapan namin yun, na kung ano ang gusto niyang gawin, dapat yung hilig niya na gawin. Kumbaga kung mahilig siya sa mga gamit ng bahay, sabi ko sa kanya, try to do that kasi mas madali mong ma-ibebenta. With social media, mas madali na and kung hilig niya talaga hindi lalayo sa sarili niya,” Dominic said.

As for Dominic himself, he admitted to laying low from showbiz to focus on his own new business. “It’s not that I said goodbye to acting, but nag-lie low ako sa pag-aarte dahil nag-focus ako sa ginagawa ko ngayon. I have a company, a social media management and digital marketing company. We create content digitally and the company just turned one year old. It’s a pandemic company, it’s a startup, and that’s what I’m more focused on now,” he said referring to Black Peak Hypermedia Inc., of which he’s president.

Dominic further admitted that it’s been hard to begin a new business over the pandemic, but it’s something that he feels he needed to do and is capable of doing because he’s long been into social media and his passion has been photography and videography.

“Nag-isip ako ng long-term kung ano ang pwedeng gawin ko in life. Siempre alam natin in showbiz, hindi naman talaga ganun (ka-stable), well siguro sa mga prime artists it’s stable, but with me, nag-isip ako ng mas gusto kong gawin or maybe yung passionate kong gawin lately. And yun nga, nagkaroon din ng problems during the pandemic, di ba? Ang hirap mag-taping, ang daming mga dapat muna (gawin). Parang dito, mas nakakagalaw ako, with social media because it’s all online,” he added.

Despite being hands-on with Black Peak Hypermedia, which has also done some of Bea’s digital projects and content, Dominic said he’s not entirely shutting the door on acting. “Sa acting siguro, ‘pag naging stable na itong company ko, maybe I can go back to doing movies and series. But for now, my time has been eaten up (by this new business).”

He’s more open to accepting hosting assignments and he has an environment-oriented online series with PLDT-Smart Foundation for its Gabay Kalikasan project, the Laguna Lake Advocacy Awareness, of which Dominic is the celebrity endorser.

“We did a series for awareness to protect Laguna de Bay because majority of our water comes from Laguna de Bay. And pinakita namin sa series namin na umiikot kami sa Laguna de Bay, the towns there, na bigyan pansin lalo na mga tao nakatira dito. Pinakita namin dito paano nabubuhay, kailangan nila pangangalagaan ang lugar. We also showed the tourist spots to visit in Laguna Bay. We’re done with one season and we’re going to start shooting Season 2 this November,” he said.

He’s also supporting PLDT-Smart Foundation’s Gaby Guro project, the latest virtual gathering of which he hosted over the weekend. During the Gabay Guro presscon, after which this interview took place, he was teased about possible wedding bells with Bea.

“First of all, we’re OK. We see a future together,” Dominic later on shared. “So I think maganda (ang relationship) and we’re happy.”

Asked about the challenges of having a high-profile relationship, he said that he’s been fortunate to receive some love life and relationship advice from Judy Ann Santos, whom he fondly calls “nanay.”

“She has been there for me, she’s a superstar, and yung guidance niya sa mga nagiging ka-relasyon ko or… yung relationship ko ngayon, she’s there to guide me,” Dominic said.

“Hindi porket superstar si Bea, mahirap siya maging ka-relasyon. Kailangan lang namin yung zen namin together para maging OK na kami and so far, we’re OK. Yes (sobrang click kami), I really think so, yes.”