FHM.com.ph

INTERVIEW: RON JAY EDUVAS
PHOTOGRAPHY: JAN GONZALES
STYLING: BADJ GALIAS- GENATO FOR BADJ’S SWIMWEAR AND COUTURE
MAKEUP: GARI SON
HAIR: JESSI GLOVA

How long have you been here in the Philippines?
For about a year and I’ve been around [the country]. I just came back from Eastern Samar, where the floods were. We were doing some missionary work.

And how do you find it so far?
Fantastic. Cebu feels like home. Everyone’s friendly here, there’s a lot of amazing places. It really is beautiful.

We’ve heard you’ve been in the industry for quite a while now, can you still remember the first time you entered the biz?
Actually, my first shoot, I was like 12 back then.  I was up in a tower like a princess, like Rapunzel and that’s how it started for me. I’ve been enjoying it [modeling] since.

When did you find out that you’ll be doing an FHM shoot?
Yesterday [the day before the shoot]! (Laughs) Thank you, thank you FHM.

Quite sudden eh? Were there any second thoughts on doing this?
No, none at all, I was elated. The experience was fantastic. It was a wonderful day. The crew was really wonderful to work with. They’re very professional. The set was great.

There was quite a downpour of rain while we were shooting. Weren’t you cold?
Ha ha! Oh my God! I was freezing! I was shivering and the raindrops are coming down to my eyes and swimsuit but it was great. A couple of times, it was a little challenging but I still had fun doing it.

Aside from modeling, what eats up your time?
I film some documentaries but I can say I’m more of an actress, and I also love doing charity work.

Can you share some of your favorite moments while filming a docu?
We were in the jungle for two weeks and the crew and I immersed with the villagers there. It was a real-life role for me. We became very friendly with the people. The experience was just great. We got really intimate with them. We shared the same water coming from a well, even catching fish in the river.

Can we say that you really love being close to nature?
Yes, especially the beaches. I love the beach. I’m also fond of diving. I really love to do so much here in the Philippines, aside from doing photo shoots. The diving spots here are really great. Just wow.

What about the charity work?
Yes, I think it’s amazing to give to people without expecting to get something in return. It fills your heart and gives a beautiful feeling. There are a lot of charities here [Cebu] that I was involved in. One was an orphanage. Just to see the joy in the children and young people experiencing and learning other cultures is a beautiful thing. It also makes you grateful for the experiences that you have in life. I’ve been spending a lot of time getting to know the people and trying to learn how to speak in Bisaya here in Cebu.

Does being close to the ocean make you feel at ease?
I love scuba diving and surfing. I also love walking. I love sunsets and sunrises. I’m a morning person; I wake up early, do my morning walk and catch the sunrise. Simple things really.

You’ve been pursuing a couple of careers at the same time. If you were to choose between them, what will weigh more?
I love them both. Modeling and acting. The charity is a part of it. They all really weigh the same for me and I don’t feel that I should prioritize one. In some way I know it makes me better. With charity, I feel like I’m doing the right thing and eventually it’ll make my goals clearer.

So you believe in good karma?
Exactly! That’s exactly right.