27 lessons from recent Supreme covers

The Philippine STAR’s Saturday section, Supreme, stands for the best in pop culture and trends, and every week’s edition is a reflection of the times. From the people who matter to the issues that ignite on social media — you’ll find them all on our pages. See, it’s never a dull week in this country, and we at Supreme are honored to be both witness and chronicler of the super-charged and strange era that we live in.

For the 27th anniversary of this broadsheet, we look back at our most memorable recent cover stories, and mine them for 27 lessons on life, love, dreams, careers, and what it means to be a Filipino in this day and age. Actors, artists, politicians, and legends — we’ve gotten up close and personal with them all. From them, we hope you find insights and inspiration, and look ahead to a future that is bigger, brighter, and supreme.

Ryzza Mae dizon on adversity

Ryzza Mae “Cha-cha” Dizon was teased when she was younger, and we asked her if she had anything to say to her bullies. “Wala naman po, mag papasalamat lang po ako kasi dahil sa kanila mas lumakas po ang loob ko at kaibigan ko naman po sila, ganun naman po talaga mga bata, diba laging may tuksuhan? Opo, sobrang nakatulong po, kasi mas lalo pa pong lumakas ang loob ko, hindi po ako sumuko.”

PS. We do not believe this girl is only 8 years old.

Nancy Binay on bullies and beauty

“I won because of my last name,” Sen. Nancy Binay admitted to Supreme at a shoot lensed by Steve Tirona. The Senator had been subject to a lot of harsh criticism (“personal attacks,” she calls them) — much of it, for her looks and dark skin.

“I grew up in local politics, and so I know it can get nasty,” she answered. As for the jokes on her appearance, “For me, beauty comes from within. I’m not particular about physical appearances. What makes a beautiful woman is attitude, more than physical appearance.”

Miriam Defensor Santiago on anger management

“There are many quotidian moments in my day when I think of my enemies,” Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago told Supreme. “For example, kapag masama ang traffic, (I’ll imagine) the vehicles running over them. I enjoy them as I visualize that they cross the street and someone runs over them and their brains goes splat. And I visualize myself bashing their teeth in. Pag suntok mo, tanggal lahat nang ngipin nila.”

Ok, perhaps the Senator is not a good example. “Sabi ng psychiatrist ko dapat matuto ako ng anger management… Siguro, in another life magtatagumpay ako pero sa ngayon I keep on miserably failing.”

Robin Padilla on the secret to life

“Robin Padilla walks into a bar for an event,” wrote Tim Yap for this cover story. “Beside Robin was Ruffa Gutierrez, who in turn asks Robin what his secret for looking young is. You see, Robin has more endorsements — from beverages to vitamins to motoring vehicles, name it — versus leading men 20 years his junior. If that’s not power, I don’t know what is.

“To answer Ruffa’s question. Robin, without batting an eyelash goes, ‘Sex every day,’ in the same note as he did “Liver lover!” in one of his many TV commercials. He believed in it, and we had no doubts he practiced it too.”

‘My Husband’s Lover’ on acceptance

It’s been said that the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) movement is the civil rights movement of this generation, with states all around the world recognizing two people’s right to marry, regardless of their gender. Conservative Catholic Philippines may not follow suit anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t already learning to accept LGBTs. GMA-7’s teleserye My Husband’s Lover has been breaking ratings records, as evidence of this.

Supreme covered the show on the cusp of its explosion. As our Don Jaucian wrote, My Husband’s Lover could very well be a new chapter in the LGBT advocacy. It can show bigots and closed-minded people how gay men and women aren’t lustful, sex maniacs or low lives… All this withstanding, the show is about love. And love knows no gender, as we are told.”

Charice on coming out

Supreme was the first publication to do a cover shoot with Charice after she came out. We traveled to Laguna where she lives, set up in the middle of a rice field, and did the shoot surrounded by TV news crews and crowds of people. All this madness over a singer’s decision to be true to herself? Charice told us she dreams of a future where this won’t be the case. “I hope someday, sexual preference will no longer be a big deal. Whatever you see is what it is, and people are equal, basically. I know this will happen. The time will come.”

For people who have yet to come out of the closet, Charice had this advice: “You don’t want to hide forever, but you will feel when it’s the right time.”

Kevin Balot on transexuality

This year, Supreme became the first Filipino publication to feature a transsexual on its cover. Transsexuality is still an issue that makes people go, “Huh?” So, cover star Kevin Balot, who won the Ms. International Queen pageant and is embarking on a showbiz career, explained, “I was born as a male but I identified as a female… Transition means acceptance muna, of what you are and your situation. Then acceptance of the people surrounding you, like your family and friends. Tapos yung kaya mong i-accept kahit hindi ka tanggap. Next is the physical transition by means of hormone replacement therapy. I’ve never undergone any surgery aside from the SRS, or sexual reassignment surgery.”

When asked if the Philippines is ready for a transsexual celeb, Kevin answered, “Why not? There are a lot of people in high places who like to experiment with different things, and no one says anything about it. I think I should be judged for my skills and not for my gender.”

Vilma Santos on being a woman

Speaking of gender, we caught up with the Star for All Seasons herself, and asked her about her passion for politics. “Bihira ngayon yung pinagkakatiwalaan ka, lalo na ako babae pa,” she answered. “First woman mayor of Lipa, and first woman governor of the province of Batangas, and Batangas is barako country. The mere fact that they trusted me, a woman, yan naman ang feeling na hindi kayang bayaran ng pera, yung legacy na iyon.”

There is still a struggle for gender equality in the Philippines, after all.

Andi Eigenmann on social media

Supreme was first. Weeks before Time magazine did their “Selfie” issue, featuring on the cover a millennial taking a photo of herself, Supreme did just that with Andi Eigenmann.

We asked Andi about the dangers of self-expression in the age of social media. “I’ve been in trouble for my Twitter account a lot of times already kasi hindi ako nahihiya to say what I feel,” the star said.
“Yun nga lang, Twitter became such a big deal na ginagawa na rin siyang basis ng news… Kaya ngayon mas conscious na ako, but I still make sure that my goal is always to be real because I know that’s why I have people who follow me, because they like me for being real.”

Enchong Dee on vanity

Speaking of millennials, social media, and self-absorbtion, we caught up with leading man Enchong Dee, who owned up to his vanity. “One day, I want to have a museum about me,” he told us. “I don’t know if people are going to call this narcissism, but… more than patronizing yourself, it’s more of sharing with the public what we’ve become from the start. Pag nagpunta kayo sa bahay namin, we have what my mom calls, ‘Wall of Fame’ kasi nandun yung mga posters ng shows, yung mga medals. I want to show (fans) that I give importance to all that stuff.”

For this generation, it isn’t about the inside looking out, but the outside looking in. But there’s a lesson here. Perhaps this is where the secret to life is anyway — it’s been inside of us all-along.

Julia Baretto on chasing your dreams

See, for all their “me-”centricity, millennials are a driven generation. Supreme introduced 15-year-old actress Julia Baretto this year, and our cover turned heads. “I really want to do it all — modeling, acting, dancing, all of it!” she told us. “I told my mom that this is what I want to do. I don’t know why, but there is a voice inside me that tells me I really really want it.”

Young, determined Filipinos who know what their passions are and aren’t afraid to put themselves out there? Sounds like the makings of a bright future.

New Supermodels on attitude

It’s the same for the new breed of supermodels that we once featured on our cover. Modelling, for Valerie Weigmann, began as a childhood dream. For Jessica Yang, it’s “a gift from the universe.” For Samantha Gomez, she uses modeling to help her family.

Ironically, though, it’s in this article that we pick up a valuable lesson: “The difference between a model and a supermodel is the attitude,” said Danica Magpantay. “A supermodel does it all without letting it go to her head,” added Pauline Prieto.

The old adage is true. Being good is way more important than looking good.

Mark Nicdao and Pam Quinones on collaboration

Photographer Mark Nicdao and stylist Pam Quiñones are frequent collaborators, and for this Supreme cover, we put them in front of the camera for a change, and asked them about what makes a team-up click.

The most important thing is that partners complement each other. “We came from really different backgrounds,” explianed Pam. Another important thing is trust. “There are things that I really keep in this industry,” said Mark. “Like, people whom I can talk to and who I know I can trust. And I saw that in her. She would give me advice and she wouldn’t give me bullsh-t. I’m not the easiest person to deal with, actually. That’s why I treasure my friends.”

Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz on partnerships

We pick up another lesson on relationships from on-screen love team Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz. When asked what has made their professional partnership last a decade, Bea answered, “Sincerity… (There was never any intention to) disillusion people na we’re together, para lang mag-promote ng isang pelikula. And also malaking bagay din yung professionalism, kahit na hindi kami okay.”

The point is it’s never advantageous to play pretend.

Kuya Germs on longevity

This was also echoed by German Moreno, whom we featured in celebration of his 50th year in showbusiness. When asked about the secret to his longevity, Kuya Germs answered, “Understanding the people around you and being sincere. Huwag kang plastic. Ang dami na ngang plastic na gamit, pati tao may plastic na rin.”

The master showman is still standing strong after five decades in a business that has broken many souls. He points out that longevity comes with resiliency. “Minsan nga nung nawala yung shows ko, I was alone in my room crying, bakit nangyayari yung ganito? Hindi mo naman maiiwasan yon. By means of prayer naman lumalakas yung loob ko. ‘Hindi naman ito ang katapusan, may darating pang araw.’”

Anne Curtis on coping with loss

This cover shot by Xander Angeles of Anne Curtis dressed up as a man is one of Supreme’s most memorable, according to our readers. The idea behind it is that there’s a side of Anne that people don’t usually attribute to her. Anne Curtis, wrote Anna Canlas, is really “one who can weather storms, not because she closes her eyes to them, but because she accepts the realities of her fame and fate, fully embracing all the lessons that come with them.”

Anne shared with us a poem she personally wrote for her little sister, who passed away. “I love you all and miss you so, I’ll always be nearby. My body’s gone forever, but my spirit will never die. And so you must go on now, and live, and understand... God did not take me from you, He only took my hand.” That is strength.

The Editors in Chief on the future of print

In this groundbreaking Supreme cover, we gathered the editors in chief of the country’s top glossies — Esquire, Metro, Preview, Rogue, and the Philippine Tattler — and asked them about the future of print.

“Print will never die. The old school training in us will always fight for the virtues of print,” answered Michealle Torres, who headed Metro at the time. Esquire’s Erwin Romulo, meanwhile, said, “I think it might be presumptuous to declare it dead, especially at a time when there seems to be more new magazines, not to mention books, being printed and out on the market.”

“In a world where blizzards of free information come to us at blinding speeds, the printed page and its filtered pleasures have so much more value,” Rogue’s Paolo Reyes declared. Preview’s Pauline Suaco-Juan agreed, saying, “Say what you want about digital, but it has yet to replicate that feeling you get when flipping through pages to read a fashion editorial, you are launched into a reverie.”

Tattler’s Anton San Diego added, “There are individuals who enjoy the feel of paper, the sound of the pages turning, who don’t believe that things should be instant. Maybe I am a romantic, and waxing poetic, but these are things I believe in and hope that print will survive the test of time.”

Eugene Domingo on Philippine Cinema

Eugene Domingo, meanwhile, has a big dream for Philippine cinema. “I don’t like having those divisions between what’s indie or mainstream. All we want is for people to get back to the cinemas and watch films,” Eugene Domingo told Supreme.

Take, note, filmmakers: “Huwag na tayong magplastikan. Masarap talaga manood ng Hollywood,” Eugene said. “So what we want to do, and what we should be doing, is to make films na kapanapanood. We cannot make films just for ourselves. We need the moviegoers, so what we’re trying to do is to give them a complete experience.”

John Lloyd Cruz on fulfillment

Box office sales — money — isn’t everything, however. Perhaps it’s true for any industry that the most important thing is to be satisfied and proud of one’s work. This, we learned from John Lloyd Cruz when returned for a second Supreme cover, this time, solo. “Yung box office para sa akin bonus na lang yan eh. Lagi kong pakiramdam after we do the post-prod and nakita ko yung pelikula and I see a good movie, kumita yan or hindi wala akong pakialam. Ang mahirap is kumita na nga yung pelikula mo, pangit naman. I mean, mamili ka. Ako dun ako sa, “Kung maganda ang pelikula, that’s more than enough.”

We also learned from John Lloyd that everyone goes through a phase of being dissatisfied with one’s output. When asked if there was there ever a time he watched himself and you thought he could have done better, he replied, “All the time. It always happens in bed, before sleeping, naiisip mo yung ginawa mo during the day tapos, ‘Sh*t, dapat ganito ginawa ko.’ Lumipas na yung moment eh so you have to move on.”

It happens to everyone.

Judy Ann Santos on finding joy

Judy Ann Santos has been working tirelessly since she was eight years old, and so we asked her what keeps her going. “I find joy in going to Legaspi Market and Salcedo Market. I find much joy in cooking for my family, especially for my husband and my kids. I find joy in giving my kids a bath. I find joy in buying slippers!” It’s the simple things that count.

Juday also taught us about the foundations of any successful career: “One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned throughout all the years — to be good not because you have to be but because you are. Looking back, knowing that you aren’t stepping on anyone and that you’ve been professional, it comes back to you in the form of people wanting to work with you again. It’s nice to see that after all these years, the friendships I’ve formed with coworkers are real.”

Nonito Donaire on raising the Philippine flag

Nonito Donaire also talked to Supreme about finding joy in the mundane. “The thing that makes me happy the most are the simple things. Being at home spending time with my wife, reading manga or playing video games,” the champion boxer told Supreme.

But above that, Doniare has big goals for him and the country. “As the new poster boy of Philippine boxing I will try my best to give what the nation needs and to continue to wave that flag high before and after every fight,” he declared.

“Pinoy Pride to me is being proud of how you are. Whether you are full-blooded, a Fil-Am, by ethnicity or decided to pick up Philippine citizenship, it doesn’t matter how you are Filipino but how you represent it, how you fight for it, and how you are proud to state it,” he added.

We’re alive!

On Dec. 22, 2012, we broke from norm and instead of having a public figure on our cover, we published the headline, “WE’RE ALIVE!” — a dig at the Mayan prophecy that we were to have died on Dec. 21. These end-of-the-world prophecies have become tiresome (many of them are stupid), but they do remind us of the fleeting nature of life; that everything could go in the blink of an eye.

We used this non-event as a springboard to impart the most supreme lesson of them all.

Gabbie Tatad wrote, “The real question isn’t how it all ends, but what we’re doing with what we’re given until it does. And it doesn’t have to be some beauty pageant answer of striving for world peace and love for all mankind. The answers are simpler than that — be true, be generous with compassion, don’t wait until tomorrow to pursue your dreams. Treat others as you would like to be treated, love someone, love everyone, be kind when all else fails. Then it won’t matter if you’re eclipsed today or if the world is blown out like a birthday candle tomorrow, because it will all have meant something.”

“But today, we’re here and we’re alive. What comes of it is entirely up to you.”

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Supreme celebrates its fifth anniversary on Sept. 15. Who should be on our cover next? Tweet us @PhilStarSUPREME.