No small breaks for Robin Padilla

Author: Maripet L. Poso
Column: Life

He could have easily fooled us. Robin Padilla, in all his fame and influence in the local movie industry today, could have said he was born an action star and we would have believed him. But just like us, mere mortals, he had to wait for his big break. He had to work hard for it; he had to prepare for it.

"Walang imposible sa taong handa," he says. "Kung hinihintay mo lang ang break mo eh baka hindi dumating. Ang taong handa, kapag may opportunity na dumating, malamang na hindi niya ito pakakawalan."

During his early years in the entertainment industry, Robin had to wait for seven excruciating years before he got his big break. He came face to face with rejections and his patience put to the test.

"Talagang hindi ako nasiraan ng loob," he shares. "Nasaktan, pero hindi nasiraan. Ang sabi ko sa sarili ko, break lang ang kailangan ko."

Robin reveals that when he was just starting, he wasn't good-looking enough for the cookie-cutter matinee idol genre, which is why he fell right smack into stunts.

"Ang gandang lalaki, hindi plus ‘yun sa action. Kaya po tayo napunta sa action," he laughs. "Dahil ang matinee idol roles ay para sa mga mestiso, para sa mga marunong magsayaw. Ang action po kasi walang pinipiling itsura ‘yun. Basta marunong kang kumilos, palagay ko ho ay magkakapangalan ka."

But Robin did not regret venturing into action films; in fact, he is grateful it was the path he was led on.

His passions and stunts

After playing a villain role opposite Ronnie Ricketts in a movie, his career as an action star officially took off. In spite of all the blockbuster films he has made, Robin knows he is a stuntman at heart. No wonder he has a soft spot for stuntmen.

"Ang nangyari kasi, noon pong 1990 maganda ang takbo ng action films dito sa Pilipinas, tapos noong 1996, noong naglabasan na ang mga CGI (computer generated imagery) na tinatawag, nalungkot ang action kasi ‘di naman po natin kayang gumawa ng CGI."

He adds that many of the stuntmen he knew who had the potential to make it big in the industry started taking for granted their career, even their bodies.

"Para bang hindi na po talaga maganda ang napuntahan. Katunayan nga po, umabot ako sa punto na sa Totoy Bato ay nagtayo ako ng sarili kong mga stuntmen. Wala na ho kasi talagang makuha."

One of the projects he is doing right now is giving former athletes and Olympians their break in the movie industry.

"Kinukuha ko po ang mga lumipas nang mga Olympian, mga wala na ho sa prime, at ini-introduce ko ang pelikula para roon nila dalhin ang kanilang galing sa martial arts at gymnastics. Nailagay ko ho ang mga gold medalists natin sa Totoy Bato. Nakakatuwa ho dahil nakikita ko ang kanilang enthusiasm," he shares.

But what he gives are not merely breaks and opportunities; he imparts wisdom and work ethics, something that he embodies even in his personal life.

"Kapag hindi ako nagtatrabaho, aside from physical training hinahanda ko ang sarili ko spiritually and mentally sa pamamagitan ng self-reflection. I-review mo ‘yung ginagawa mo, kung alin ang pangit at alin ‘yung productive, kung may nagagampanan ka ba. Napaka-importante n’un."

He believes that what everyone needs is patience. "Kailangan lagi kang handa para pag dumating ang pagkakataon mo, maipapaklita mo ang galing mo," he stresses.

Aside from inspiring and giving stuntmen, old and new, a break, Robin believes in the continuous journey of learning. Just recently, he came back from India where he studied another form of martial arts, the Kalari Payt.

"Meron po akong nakukuhang katahimikan at kapayapaan sa bansang India," he shares. "Ang martial arts po ay mahal po natin 'yan dahil ‘yan po ay nagtuturo ng disiplina at nagbibigay ng inner peace. Napakalawak po ng martial arts; wala syang katapusan."

When asked if there are still things he wants and prepares for in his life, he says, "Marami pa ho akong pinaghahandaan. Marahil sa personal na buhay ko, masasabi kong okay na ako. Pero ang pangarap ko po para sa ibang tao, marami pa. Gusto ko din bigyan ng break ‘yung mga batang maliliit. Nasa Grade 3 palang ang aking eskwelahan, wala pa ako sa kolehiyo."

His non-sectarian, curriculum-based school, Light of Peace School in Fairview, is still doing good. "Marami pa ho akong pangarap, hindi sa akin, kundi para sa mga bata."

Not another flaky break

When Monde Nissin, the makers of SkyFlakes, approached him to endorse the product, Robin felt it was yet another break he just had to grab. And it was more than the money and prestige for him, but the opportunity to reach out to his fellow Filipinos and advocate something originally Filipino.

"Sariling atin 'yan, eh," he shares. "Kinalakihan ng Pinoy ang SkyFlakes. N’ung bata ako, kinakain ko siya kasama ng gatas. Ngayon, kinakain ko in between tapings. Hindi mapagkakaila na parte ng ating kultura ang pagkakaroon palagi ng baon na SkyFlakes. Masarap talaga siya."

He says the commercial might just look like they didn't sweat it out when making it, but Robin admits it was a labor of love. "Usually, ‘pag nag-aaction kami, take one lang tapos na. Dito sa commercial na ito, mabusisi. Naka-take-25 kami," he laughs. "Mukha pong madali pero binusisi po namin ito. Nung nagda-dubbing nga kami, nakakahiya man hong sabihin, hindi naman po tumulo ang luha ko, pero namuo po siya. Masyado akong naapektuhan sa commercial na ito. Pinag-isipan sya talagang mabuti, sa bawat usapin ng bawat anggulo, bawat sinasabi, at higit sa lahat, ‘yung pagkakalagay ng musika. Ang galing, sakto lahat."

The commercial has a simple message: You've got to be prepare for whatever break life throws at you, something that Robin himself firmly believes in. "Marami po akong nakita na nag-aral, maraming ginawa, tapos nawalan ng gana. Kay nang biglang dumating ang break, ayon, lumampas. Dapat hindi nawawala sa tao ang pagiging handa."

Personally, he says he never stops preparing himself, for whatever roles and challenges that come may his way, including roles for international films. "Bagama't ‘yung pangarap na 'yun ay maaaring manatiling pangarap nalang," he laughs, "'Di po tayo tumitigil na maging laging handa. Baka merong isang Artemio Marquez na pang-international ang magsabing bigyan kita ng break, handa ako. Kahit sa taas pa ng Mount Everest tayo mag-shoot, handa ako."

With the SkyFlakes commercial, Robin found another avenue to inspire people and bring his message across. "May mga kaibigan at kamag-anak ako na nag-aksaya sila ng text kahit nasa malayong lugar para lang magsabi na ang galing ng commercial. Feeling ko pelikula ang ginawa ko dahil sa binigay nilang papuri."

Source: The Daily Tribune

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