.jpg)
Throughout the more than two years of “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo” on-air, we’ve witnessed how a lot of its stellar cast had come and gone. Among them is Ihman Esturco, who took on the role of Lorenzo, the ever-dependable right-hand of Chanda Romero’s character, Olivia Guerrero.
WATCH: Tanggol, nailigtas si Marites sa tangkang pagpatay ni Olivia
He might be new in the eyes of the viewers, but not in the entertainment industry and in the life of lead actor-director Coco Martin. Unbeknownst to many, Coco owes his prolific and successful career to Ihman, who discovered and helped launch him as an actor decades ago. Even though he doesn’t handle or manage Coco anymore, he has remained one of the most important and closest people to Coco.
And in his exclusive interview with CCM Film Productions, Ihman opened up about his long-running friendship with Coco and how he has been a significant part of his personal and professional life through the years.
He began by talking about his experiences playing the role of Lorenzo in “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo,” expressing his delight to be given the opportunity to work alongside some of the legendary veteran actors in Philippine showbiz, most especially Chanda Romero, whom he described as a “brilliant actress”.
With regard to their preparations on the set, Ihman imparted that they discuss the characters and scenes first in order for them to determine the appropriate execution for the next scenes. He's impressed by how they give importance to collaboration, with the cast members meticulously dissecting the characters and the script.
Meanwhile, when asked about his experience working with Coco, Ihman remarked that it actually amazes him, especially whenever he realizes that from being the promising lad whom he used to help and guide before, the actor-director is now the one who instructs him what to do.
“Through the years, nakita ko sa kanya kung papaano siya nagsumikap bilang artista at bilang tao. Perfectionist si Coco eh, mas perfectionist siya sa akin. At saka mas naipakita ko sa kanya ‘yong buhay ng mga tao sa industriya, ‘yong reality of life,” he related.
Just in case you’re curious about how long he has known Coco, he recounted that it all started when he discovered him at the age of 13 years old. They were introduced to each other by Coco’s cousin named Raymond, who happened to be his friend as well. Coco initially worked as a production assistant for him and the other artists that he used to handle, including veteran action star Julio Diaz, who also used to be part of “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo.”
Since Coco was still very young at the time, Ihman advised him to finish his education first—which he did. In fact, Ihman was one of Coco’s companions during his college graduation. But even before Coco officially became an actor and made his debut via the indie flick “Masahista,” Ihman recalled that he had already come up with a screen name for him. According to him, “Coco Martin” is actually inspired by the names of American-Chinese singer-actress Coco Lee and of Latin music icon Ricky Martin, which others find amusing.
When asked about the unique characteristic of Coco that he didn’t find in other aspirants then, Ihman said that it was his admirable attitude and ability to get along well with other people. He also liked his small face and striking physical features, which he noticed when he took his photos, probably for his portfolio, since they couldn’t afford then to have professional studio shoots for him.
Considering the amount of time that they’ve known each other, Coco has surely learned a lot from him, which significantly helped him in his showbiz journey.
“Always look back and be humble. Be grateful sa lahat ng mga taong nakasama natin [dahil] bilog ang mundo. Okay ka ngayon, you’ll never know what’s going to happen next. Basta ang importante, mag-iwan ka ng legacy at ng tamang respeto sa mga taong nasa paligid mo at sa mga taong nakatulong sa iyo,” he related.
With Ihman being one of the people closest to Coco, he revealed that the Kapamilya Primetime King actually shared his many plans with him. While he wanted him to be able to fulfill all of those, Ihman advised Coco to take good care of himself first since a lot of people depend on him. Besides, at the end of the day, good health matters more than wealth.
Aside from the acting prowess of Ronwaldo Martin, whom he fondly called “Nognog,” and Gillian Vicencio, whom he described as a “thinking actress,” Ihman is also impressed by the system being implemented by the CCM Film Productions on the set. Thus, he couldn’t help but compare it with the other productions that he used to work with as the outfit really set a standard in this industry.
He liked that the production has high respect for the actors, especially the veterans, as well as the discipline that they display, such as by releasing a memo for everything that they are not allowed to do and requiring everyone to undergo drug tests and medical certification.
The interview concluded with Ihman delivering his message to Coco and to the people who love him, as well thanking everyone who has been watching “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo.”
“Co, salamat sa pagkakataon na pinaarte mo ako ulit, na hindi ko akalain. Salamat sa pagmamahal na ibinibigay mo. Taon-taon, hindi mawawala ‘yon na ikaw nag-aasikaso sa akin. You always look back at nakita ko kung paano mo minamahal ‘yong mga tao sa paligid mo. Sana huwag kang magbago,” Ihman conveyed.
He also encouraged the avid viewers of the long-running series to continue supporting it and the upcoming characters, hinting that there are more exciting and explosive scenes to watch out for in the next episodes.
Continue showing your love and support to Coco and “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo” as the series enters its third and newest chapter by not missing an episode, weeknights at 8 PM, on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), A2Z, TV5, and iWant.