The Powerboys’ Locker Room Chronicles

Somewhere in the corner of every school gym or sports complex lies a steamy, scalding chamber that accommodates men of all trades—with their muscle shirts, jersey uniforms, and sweat pants in tow. The said location never to be revealed to any of the female species; until the Rexona commercial came out, which gave women a glimpse of the on-goings in this forbidden island of testosterone. No one really had a clue what the real deals are within the men’s locker rooms, you say? Now we do!

All sweaty, invigorated, and pumped up with adrenaline from a day’s workout, men seek refuge in the locker rooms. Free their bodies off their soaked-up tees, hit the white tiled showers, wrap their beautifully sculptured assemblage in the immaculate white towels, and horse around with their teammates or buddies while pulling out the essentials from their respective locker cubicles. In between this rather patent routine are conversations, insights, and confessions shared amongst them bounded by the secrecy of this hallowed chamber. Upon leaving the locker room, we see a different picture all together. Groomed to the very last inch, dressed for the kill, and scented to the highest intoxicating level, men readily face the world—they head for work or school, grace the city’s hottest clubs on the look out for the night’s loveliest and freshest catch, or engage into the more conventional ritual of picking up their girlfriend, date, or "friend". Whatever the case may be, they are armed and more often than not, indomitable—a lowered set of wheels, dad’s credit card complimented with allowance from mom, the perfectly ironed Armani ensemble, and Ferragamo loafers polished to outshine even the brightest of strobe lights. This is as far as the female eye would know.

Since the conception of local male celebrity groups like the Bagets, Gwapings (admit it or not, we all know who in heaven’s name I’m talking about) and the Hunks, women have looked far and wide for a possible map to man’s labyrinth. Despite all that has come and gone, the male mystery still remains unanswered—many are still searching for the right manual that would shed the light on the Adonis’ testosterone mechanism (and in some case, machonism). More recently, another potential attempt to this pilgrimage has come to advent. Straight out of the locker room, the Powerboys, as they have been so fondly called, open their doors to the very exclusive chamber of male secrecy and allow women to ransack through the rather cluttered psyche of men that women have puzzled over for ages. True, men are both complicated and plain confusing. But as the saying would go, though men are hard to live with, they are necessities most, if not all of us, just can’t live without. Meet ’em and go gaga!

JAY SALAS

His mischievous grin and knightly charms make Jay Salas the ultimate ladies drink. Just like your favorite cocktail, this Johnnie Walker keeps a light and easy lifestyle. The Jay Way points to an overdose of Scarface or Godfather, endless house music straight out of his turntable, and quality time with the love of his life (Sorry girls!!!). Having entered into the limelight, Jay has had his eyes fixed on a hosting stint, a role in a soap, and perhaps the lead in another remake of Psycho. No need to freak out. It’s just a role he’d love to play out in front of the stalwart camera.

Behind the scenes, Jay is a silent listener whose aeronautic plans include putting up his own Spanish restaurant and bar. More ravishing than the classic Cassanova himself and just as frolicsome as the legendary Charlie Chaplin, you are looking at one guy who could sweep any lass off her Prada slippers. To add to that, his passion for martial arts is one big bonus point in saving damsels out there who happen to be in distress. It is no wonder that Jay, at such an early stage in his career, has mesmerized the public eye. Although, he had hesitations before venturing into the showbiz world, he is now more than willing to give the industry a shot.

Jay smiles, "The oppurtunity is right here and I don’t see any harm in trying." Indeed, whether it be on or off the scenes, Jay is one astonishing character who is sure to soar sky-high.

FRANK GARCIA

There is an unexplainable appeal that one would find in church-choir boys, which could turn even the toughest of cookies into mush. That melodic voice, amiable demeanor, and cupid-like spectacle are all rolled into one heavenly body called Frank. Before stepping into the lumina of showbiz, this sweet thing spent a great deal of his time in the service of his church. Except for the sacrament of ordinance, Father Frank here is one certified angel not only by looks, but by deeds as well. A proud "mama’s boy", it has come as no surprise that he takes to heart the age-old wisdom of mother to "keep thou feet on the ground". True enough, he has. And pretty ironic for an angel, right? Wrong. Despite all the glitz and glam, Frank has managed to maintain a steadfast outlook in matters of life, love and relationships. His testament in dealing with fame? "Pray a lot and constantly ask for guidance," he muses.

His celestial ritual? Daily trips to the gym, moisturizer, enough sleep, and a healthy diet.Surprisingly, even angels like Frank have beautyregiments. A true "Patriot" with a "Braveheart", Frank is bound to grace the public scene and steal the hearts of many girls without "Ransom". Impossible as it may seem Frank is living proof that there are, after all, angels hereon earth. He is, indeed the Mel Gibson with pristine white wings on his back and a halo on his head that exude with endearing innocence just about anyone would fall for.

JEFF RODRIGUEZ

They often say still waters run deep. Well, so does Australian-bred Jeff, whose once sun-streaked locks make him an irresistible catch among the many fish in the sea. Having grown up as an only child, he busied himself managing a clothes store while studying at a Christian brothers high school in Sydney.

Aside from riding the waves, Jeff also spends his free-time with misty, hazel eyes glued on to the glaring computer monitor, strong arms skillfully pounding on various arcade games. Truly, one regular barbecuing cowboy. He recently crossed Asian waters to end up as one of Manila’s hottest mermans in the modeling, and now, showbiz industry. Enjoying every waking moment in the spotlight, Jeff floats on cloud nine as the rip curls from the hit commercial Rexona, take his career to higher peaks. Don’t let the Aussie accent deceive you, though. Jeff has now turned into a converted Pinoy comics and soap-opera fanatic.

Walking around in his neighborhood or taking the MRT, he harnesses his Filipino with the help of his buddies. Chilling out either in the gym or between shoots, he and his friends talk about 80% about girls and the other 20% on the things they did during the day.

So there you have it, a no-holds-bar locker room chronicle from a guy whose vocabulary does not include the word "privacy". With no skeletons to hide from inside his closet, Jeff is one tidal wave, certain to remain along the shores of Manila. And more good news—you’ll be seeing more of him as he looks for that down-to-earth (or should I say Under The Sea) Ariel who would stay by his side as he reaches for the sky.

JORDAN HERRERA

A man of very few words, Jordan, under the microscope of stardom, would strike you as the strong and silent superhero, whose thoughts not even a thousand words or languages could speak. With private eyes concealed beneath mirrored sunglasses, he is the keen observer who, despite his evident extraordinary good looks, prefers a quiet and simple life. Definitely your dark-and-handsome Batman, minus the rather futile and overrated cape. Instead, he sports a dandy attire fit for a leading man, and a smile suited for any collector’s item comedy-romance flick.

Before he took on the role of mysterious savior, amidst the spotlights and cameras, Jordan was tending bars and hanging out with his friends. He was, until the unexpected success of the famed Rexona ad, your everyday Tom, Dick, or Harry. Now, his ardent aura makes him every girl’s dream Romeo.

Being the hopeless romantic and idealist in this contemporary superhero story, he plans on following in on the footsteps of big names in the movie industry like Richard Gomez. His future plans, aside from acquiring the next state-of-the-art Batmobile, would be to venture into business and eventually settle down with an equally enticing leading lady. (Note: Applications are still very much accepted!!!) With day-long shoots, a long list of interviews and guestings, Jordan barely finds the time to go out or relax even on weekends. Nonetheless, the hectic schedule he has had to live with has not stripped him off that humorous and good-natured manner. That shouldn’t be much of a surprise. Who ever said being a super hero was easy, right? Everybody knows the job is never-ending.