Jerricho Ponce Brother of actor Jerome Ponce out to make his own mark via Ginoong Pilipinas

John Errico “Jerricho” Ponce has always eyed joining another pageant since his last stint at 17 years old.

He tells The FREEMAN that all this time, he was just “waiting for the right timing or the right pageant that will fit me.”

While on a recent vacation in Boracay, Ponce said an opportunity to join Ginoong Pilipinas 2023 “knocked on my door.”

Despite being the last entrant, the 24-year-old representing Cavite was determined to be in shape and ready to compete. He, along with 15 other candidates, is hoping to succeed Ginoong Pilipinas 2019 and Mister Universe Tourism 2023 Erik Lennart Visser.  The finals is on Saturday, May 20, at IL Corso Lifemalls, South Road Properties.

“Kapag pinasali ka, kahit hindi ka ready, you will ready yourself. So I went on a meal plan, strict diet, strict exercise,” said Ponce.

“Lahat ng schedules na pwede ko pasukan ng workouts, even if it’s just online, pinipilit namin ng trainer ko. Before coming to Cebu, I had courtesy calls, I had to meet people for postings...”

Ponce, who stands at 5’11”, was studying Tourism in hopes of being a flight attendant. College, for now, has taken a backseat as he focuses on his work as a live seller on TikTok, along with modeling, hosting, and bit acting parts.

Having to choose between earning money to send himself to college, and stopping school in the meantime is how his advocacy for working students took root.

“We know they are hardworking, and we stop right there. When we hear that someone is a working student, we think, kaya na nila yan. The more that they need more help, they need more push,” he shared.

“The working students I know, usually they don’t complete the four years in college. For some, it will take them five to seven years, although of course there are those that manage to graduate on time. That’s because they are usually alone in this battle. Pinipilit nilang magtapos ng college on their own.”

Ponce is self-aware that he needs to work on his people skills. He said it’s among the reasons he joins pageants: to remedy his stage fright and develop how he interacts socially.

“Mailap ako sa tao. Nararamdaman ko yung mga kapatid ko -- kasi six kami -- they are outgoing. Ako yung naiiwan sa bahay, I’d just stay at home, tumutulong sa gawaing bahay. Kami lang ng yaya namin ang nagja-jamming sa bahay. Before, minsan lang ako makausap ng tao,” said Ponce, who is the fourth in a brood of six, among them Kapamilya actor Jerome Ponce (last seen on television in “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano” and on the big screen in “Martyr or Murderer”).

The middle child among three boys and three girls, Ponce said he grew up with his elder brothers already in the limelight, and so he got used to being relegated to the corner.

“Yung dalawang panganay, before pa mag-artista si Kuya [Jerome], he was the star player in his high school sports team even before I started school. Tapos ako yung naghihintay lang sa tabi ng court, nagbabantay ng gamit nila, tsaka walang kakausap sa akin. Lahat maghihintay na mapagod yung dalawa kong kapatid, tapos sila yung kakausapin.”

Ponce added that like many middle children, he feels the need more than anyone else to make his family proud.

“They are more out there kasi hindi sila masyado pinapansin. The focus is more on the eldest or youngest. Sila yung mas nakakagawa ng bagay na hindi alam ng parents or family nila,” he said.

“In my perspective, I know the things that a middle child does is to make their family proud. It may turn out to be bad things sometimes, but with a middle child, it always comes with good intentions.”

With a Kuya already in the industry, and with his pretty boy looks, it comes as a surprise that the younger Ponce is still not signed to a network or talent management.

“There have been offers. I’ve done small roles in a few shows. I’m freelance right now. I’m not yet signed with a management, yun lang siguro. Every now and then, I get small roles such as kapatid ng bida, friend, classmate…,” he said.

“Pero ang lawak kasi ng showbiz eh. So many want to penetrate showbiz. Maraming kapatid ng artista. Marami akong kasabayan na katulad ko, may kapatid na artista at ganito din yung tinatahak nila -- pageants or modelling ang pinapasok nila para magkaroon ng career. Pero ayun eh, it really boils down to luck and someone’s charm.”

Asked if there have been times it bothers him that he often illicits interest first as the brother of a celebrity, Ponce admitted that it used to.

“Before. Noong hindi kami close ng Kuya ko and we didn’t live in the same house. Pero ngayon, nakakasama ko na siya,” he said.

“Ang questions kasi before, hindi ko masagot dahil wala akong mapagkukunan ng sagot. Kumusta ang Kuya mo bilang kapatid? Kumusta siya as kasama sa bahay? Hindi ko masagot kasi hindi ko siya nakakasama sa house.”

“So sometimes, I would deny him, na pinsan ko lang or malayong kamag-anak. But now that we live in the same house, I understand na ganito pala magkaroon ng kapatid na artista. Which is normal lang because he doesn’t make us feel that he is an artista. Hindi niya pinaparamdam na he’s someone special. Well, pinaparamdam niya na Kuya siya because every now and then may natatanggap kaming [sermon] from the elder siblings. But overall, he doesn’t make us feel that he’s different. Kapatid lang siya sa bahay.”