Piolo Pascual

MANILA, Philippines – Hunk actor Piolo Pascual has apologized to KC Concepcion in connection with a controversy involving Pascual’s 13-year-old son, Iñigo.

In a statement sent to “The Buzz,” Pascual denied that his son was using Twitter to “malign” Concepcion in the Internet. Pascual pointed out that Iñigo does not own a Twitter account, and that the minor’s Facebook page has been hacked.

“He never texted anybody to malign Kristina (Concepcion). He also receives prank calls from different people even while in the States. He has told me that there are people harassing him and using his name to harass other people as well through Internet,” the statement read.

Concepcion is being romantically linked to the actor since they teamed up in the Filipino adaptation of Korean telenovela “Lovers in Paris.” The actor also admitted in public that he is courting Concepcion, who is the daughter of Megastar Sharon Cuneta and first husband Gabby Concepcion.

According to tabloid reports, Iñigo was purportedly opposed to the rumored budding romance between his father and the young actress. Iñigo, who is studying in the United States, would reportedly write negative stuff about Concepcion in his Twitter account.

Pascual called on those behind the prank to stop using his son’s name “to ruin relationships.”

“Please refrain from doing so for we may seek legal counsel. My son is still a minor and private individual. I’d like to apologize to Kristina and her family. Thank you for standing by me through this situation. I appreciate your support and maturity in handling this matter. Again my apologies,” Pascual said.

Sharon defends KC

Cuneta has also broken her silence on the issue.

The megastar defended her daughter from the controversy. She branded the reports “unfair” as she admitted that the issue has hurt her family.

“Disenteng bata si KC tsaka hindi sila opisyal ni Piolo pero matagal na silang nagkikita…. pero sana tantanan na nila ang anak ko,” she said.

She said she is proud of the fact that Concepcion was raised without harboring ill feelings toward anyone.

“Alam ko matagal ng hiwalay si Piolo at mother noong bata. Ayokong mag-comment sa kanila kasi hindi ko alam ang pagpapalaki sa kanya, sabihin ko na lang ‘yong palaki ko sa anak ko… I specifically told her (Concepcion) dahil pupunta siya for the first time sa papa niya, bagong kasal ang papa niya kay Jenny (Syquia), sabi ko, ‘Be respectful,’” she said.

“And I was so proud. I wasn’t expecting it. Jenny wrote her a letter after that day saying she was happy having met KC and to have seen that she was raised wonderfully, that she had no bitterness,” she added.

Hurting

The young actress was also emotional when she addressed the issue on “The Buzz” Sunday. Concepcion burst into tears as she admitted that the write-ups had hurt her.

She also noted that it is impossible for Pascual’s son to write negative stuff about her in the Internet since the actor “is a very good father.” She added that Iñigo was nice to her when they met.

“Ginagawa niya ang lahat to be the man that his son needs kasi lumaki si PJ (Pascual) na walang tatay so gusto ni Piolo maging mabuting ama sa anak niya,” she said.

She added: “Thank you Iñigo sa mga panahon na nagkita tayo and you were nice to me. ‘Yon ang pinaghahawakan ko, ‘yong kabaitan niya noong nagkita kami.”

She said it is possible that someone is trying to ruin the relationship between father and son. She said the same thing happened to her and her father once.

She echoed Pascual’s appeal to stop using the child for their personal agenda.

She, however, said that if Iñigo indeed disliked her, she totally understands him, saying she was in his position once.

“Hindi pa confirmed kung anak niya ang nagsulat, naiintindihan ko si Iñigo kung siya talaga ‘yon dahil ako po ‘yong batang ‘yon noong bata ako… siyempre mahirap naman ‘yong mahal na mahal mo ang mga magulang mo, mahirap makitang magkahiwalay sila and mahirap i-accept kung sino man ang napapalapit sa mga magulang mo,” she said.

Concepcion, meantime, thanked her mom for teaching her not to hold any grudge while she was growing up.

ABS-CBN - Monday, July 26

Actions spoke louder than words for Piolo Pascual, who seemed to have admitted his love for KC Concepcion.

In his interview on “The Buzz” on July 11, new host Toni Gonzaga dared the Ultimate Heartthrob: “Tingnan mo ko nang diretso. Kung mahal mo si KC ngumiti ka nga.”

A big smile quickly formed on Piolo’s face, then he shyly bowed his head. The audience went wild.

While he looked to have been taken off guard by Toni’s no-holds-barred questioning throughout the segment, Piolo was serious in his new revelations on his feelings for the Mega-daughter.

“She has made me a better man,” was the award-winning actor’s response when asked what has changed in him since he met KC.

However, he was not able to define the kind of relationship he shares with one of Toni’s co-hosts.

“Wino-work-out mo ‘yung relationship, you wanna grow together and that’s what I’m doing,” he said.

Indeed, Piolo has now become more expressive about how he really feels for KC. During a recent chat with Bulletin Entertainment at the press conference for his new advocacy with Sun Life Financial, the singer-actor enthused how much “sunshine” KC brings into his life:

“If you can compare it to the light the sun gives everyday, I guess…”

And during his guest appearance on KC’s morning show “Simply KC” last July 9, he declared that the singer-host-actress is his inspiration, next only to his mother.

He came to KC’s defense regarding a rumor that she ordered the press people to be banned on the set of “The Buzz.”

“I read about that. Roxy Liquigan, one of the heads of ‘The Buzz,’ made it clear na it wasn’t because of KC. It was the staff’s decision, the production’s decision to not allow them unless they have permission. So wala namang kinalaman si Kristina (KC’s first name) doon, I’m sure,” he maintained.

‘It’s time!’

Meanwhile, Piolo deviates from his previous portrayals as a leading man to play a father via his new teleserye, “Noah,” in which he stars opposite Kapamilya wonder boy Zaijian Jaranilla.

Piolo said it was the management’s decision to give him a different kind of role, something that he himself said he’s very much open to do.

“I guess they’re also aware of my track, my career path, and so they just wanted to offer the audience something different that they haven’t seen [before] because for the last two soaps I’ve done, puro ganun nga eh, matinee idol type, love story, leading man material. So I guess they just wanted me to grow as well.

“So when they asked me… they didn’t even have to ask me if it was okay for me to play a father. I said yes. I’m not naman 20 years old to restrict myself. It’s my responsibility as an actor to offer the audience something na iba naman,” he explained.

Piolo has also taken on a new role as the newest spokesperson of Sun Life Financial’s advocacy called “It’s Time!” The campaign, which kicked off last year, aims at improving the financial literacy and preparedness among Filipinos.

The prized Kapamilya star believes that “our lives are fleeting,” and the success he is currently enjoying may not last forever. And being a self-confessed practical person that he is, Piolo said it is important to save up and be financially secure in order to protect the people he loves and the dreams he still wants to fulfill.

“If we want to do something, we should do it now,” he quipped.

Sun Life Financial also partnered with Piolo’s foundation, the Ebreo Foundation, which focuses on providing education for less fortunate children. One of the projects they did together was the calendar Piolo released early this year featuring his very own photographs. Part of the proceeds went to his foundation. And for next year, they’re preparing to release a planner.

By ROWENA JOY A. SANCHEZ
July 13, 2010, 11:07am

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) - Hunk actor Piolo Pascual is setting his sights on one of the country’s most exciting showbiz personalities.

Pascual said his relationship with young actress-TV host KC Concepcion continues to deepen even after their hit series “Lovers In Paris.”

“A lot has (changed)…She has made me a better man,” Pascual told The Buzz co-host Toni Gonzaga on Sunday.

Pascual, who often tries to evade questions about KC, said he will try his best to take care of the actress-host.

“If more than one year is not enough, then I guess, well tina-trabaho naman yan, I’m working on it,” he said.

Some reports have said Pascual has been wooing KC for over a year already.

Pascual said KC was only 18 when he courted her but then the actress went to Paris to study. When KC came back, he continued to pursue the actress.

Reports also said that Pascual and KC have been spotted in numerous events — they go to church together, go diving together and love to do things together.

Asked to define his relationship with KC, Pascual replied: “I guess wino-workout mo ‘yong relationship. You wanna grow up together.”

Pascual refused to say that he loves KC, saying that he would want to tell it personally to the actress-host.

abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 07/12/2010 11:26 AM | Updated as of 07/13/2010 2:55 AM

Despite being successful in his career, Piolo Pascual still worries about his future and what would happen to his loved ones if—God forbid—something bad happens to him.

“We all need to be practical in our living, nothing is permanent. I’m well aware of the fact that success will not be here forever, and I made it to the peak of my career at this time, and I’m doing movies and shows…assignments, left and right. But I’m also aware that this is not here to stay for a long time. So, I make sure that I prepare for the future… Gosh, I’m sounding so dramatic!” joked the 33-year-old actor-singer-TV host after getting mushy in his speech at the Sun Life Financial Philippines press conference for the launching of his new TV commercial last July 10, Saturday, at the Sofitel Plaza Hotel in Manila.

Piolo continued, “Seriously, I’ve been working for more than 10 years already, and it was one of the first things that I worked on—to secure my future.”

The Kapamilya actor, who has a new TV show premiering tonight on ABS-CBN, Noah, further lectured that one should be always work to be prepared for the future, “We don’t want to wait until we’re 60 and then realize about our safety. We can start now.”

Piolo made this recommendation to guests and members of the media who attended the presscon, after listening to the speech and statistics presented by Gregory S. Martin, chief strategic marketing officer of the insurance company the actor is endorsing.

ADVOCACY FOR EDUCATION. Sun Life also has a special place in Piolo’s heart because of the help it extended to the foundation Piolo and his family started about five years ago, the Hebreo 12:1 Foundation. Not too many people know about this advocacy of Piolo, so, PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) asked him about it.

“It’s something na, you don’t wanna flaunt. But if there are people who wanna know about it, of course, I’m so much willing to share about it. It’s a foundation that I put up with my family, and some of my earnings go there. I mean, you know, you wanna be able to pay it forward, so that’s why we put it up. And I’m an advocate of education. I wanna be able to help in my own little way, on how we can empower kids, how we can inspire them and how we can help them to graduate, to have education. So, with this foundation, we were able to do that and with the help of Sun Life.

“Incidentally, since they partnered with me, because of the shares that I got from them, because of the proceeds of the calendar that we sold from last year, it’s definitely gonna send a lot of kids to school, not just for a year but for so many years.

“We have graduates already sa iba’t ibang levels. From grade school to high school. Well, I started in my high school [Saint Francis School in Sta. Ana, Manila]. Siyempre dun ako nanggaling, so naka-two batches na kami ng mga honor students. Of course, you have an average you have to reach for a scholarship, and last March, nung graduation, nagbigay ako ng speech. We also have college scholars, but we wanna start them young. Siyempre dun muna sa grassroots, from there, dire-diretso na through college.”

Here is the rest of PEP’s exclusive interview with Piolo:

Aside from Hebreo, what are your other advocacies?

“I’m a supporter of ‘Kapit-Bisig Para sa Ilog-Pasig’ of Ms. Gina Lopez. Like the Pasig River run, I always join. If there’s anything she needs help with, I’m there to support her.”

A while ago, you mentioned something about a calendar. Is this the calendar that features your work as a photographer, the one Mr. Martin was talking about?

“Yeah, ha-ha-ha! Ito kasing Sun Life, e. Joke!”

So, you’re into photography, another thing not a lot of people know about you. Tell us more.

“Well, ever since I was a kid, I’ve always been fascinated about landscapes, and I’ve been taking photos. Kulang ako sa human interest, actually. I’m more into landscapes, I’m more into stills and structures.

“And just recently, I don’t know why, bakit ba?

Piolo turned to Don Aaron B. Peji of Creative and Digital Marketing, who put up the Sun Life presscon. Don told him they found out about Piolo’s Hebreo foundation and they came up with the idea of selling calendars featuring Piolo’s shots to help Hebreo.

So, it turns out Sun Life was kinda instrumental in your venturing into professional photography.

“Yeah. Well, actually, everyone’s into it nowadays, as long as you have a camera, but, yeah. They were the ones who helped me realize this.

“And then, after that, Ayala [Corporation] tapped me, commissioned me to do work for them, for the ongoing exhibit they have. They asked me to photograph local arts. That’s a commissioned work for me. So, I was really surprised. It’s something na naman na hindi ko naman ididire-diretso. It’s just something na like a hobby. I’m just really happy and I’m privileged to be given a chance to do something else, other than act.”

Do you have a dream subject or someone you want to photograph?

“For me, I just love taking pictures of sunsets…all around the world… All around the world?! Ha-ha-ha!”

OF COURSE, A KC QUESTION. A Piolo interview will not end without asking him about rumored girlfriend KC Concepcion. Although Piolo has already told many times in many interviews that he and KC are “just friends,” PEP asked for his comment on the recent situation KC had with some members of the press.

In the past, you had your share of vicious attacks from some members of the press, and recently, KC was in the same situation, did she talk to you about this?

“Oo…siya naman. Well, she asked me about it. She asked me how to deal with it. Sabi ko sa kanya, you only naman give what you wanna get. I mean, you know, it’s not your responsibility to answer everything or to give everything that you wanna give. I mean they only take from you what you give them. So I guess it’s also a learning experience. There’s no magic there, there’s no solution to how you deal with people. It’s just really a matter of grace, and patience and lot of wisdom.

“So, I guess, with her, natututo naman siya in her own way. It’s something na hindi mo puwedeng i-impart. It’s something na you have to learn yourself. You just have to really deal with it, because you’re a part of the business, you’re public property and whatever you say matters to people.

“So, I guess, it’s important that you have a discerning heart and a very patient spirit. Otherwise, you’ll be affected and talagang mahirap. So with her, I think, not naman sa akin lang. I mean, she learns from her mom a lot. So, I guess compared dun sa history ng mom niya, I think she gets a lot of wisdom from her mom.”

Rommel R. Llanes
Monday, July 12, 2010
05:39 PM

Heartthrob Piolo Pascual revealed he started pursuing KC Concepcion right after they met at her debut party many years ago.

Piolo said so during his “Confession” interview with Bianca Gonzales, which was aired July 8 on “Showbiz News Ngayon.”

“I remember meeting her the first time when I sang at her 18th birthday party and I tried to pursue her but she was on her way to college,” Piolo shared.

The singer-actor added that he and KC went out on a few dates before she left for Paris to study.

“Nag-date kami tapos ‘yun. And then she was already leaving,” he said.

Nothing came out of the courtship because “18 lang siya no’n, eh.”

Apart from the distance, the actor was also busy with his own career here so the courtship did not prosper into something romantic.

“A lot of things got in between,” Piolo said.

So, when the chance to work with KC presented itself in a handsome package of a soap opera titled “Lovers in Paris,” Piolo grabbed it immediately.

“It was a dream come true. I was blessed to be given a chance to work with her in ‘Lovers in Paris.’ So I took the chance to get to know her, to really see if there was something.”

While doing “Lovers….” in Paris, Piolo and KC denied the romantic rumors about them because they didn’t want their budding relationship to become a marketing angle.

Now that they’re not together in a project, does the reluctance to admit what’s going on between them still exist?

“It makes the feeling harder. Akala namin okay na after ‘Lovers….’ but ‘yun nga, marami pa ring issues ang lumalabas because it so happens na pareho kaming nasa showbiz,” the actor said

When Bianca said her friend saw him and KC being lovey-dovey in a mall recently, Piolo simply commented, “We’re okay.”

The actor concluded the interview by saying that he’s happy in the company of the megastar’s daughter, whom he calls by her first name Kristina.

By ALEX VALENTIN BROSAS
July 9, 2010, 1:23pm