Suited for the role: Jericho Rosales likes to design his clothes. He has his own line available at Robinsons Galleria and all Mint outlets. Photos by WALTER BOLLOZOS

MANILA, Philippines - Jericho “Echo” Rosales’ life story makes perfect copy for a prime-time teleserye. As a teen, while boys his age were probably gallivanting, he was helping his mother Rosario Vibar Rosales sell fish at the Concepcion Market in Marikina after school. Of course, today, his face is enough to sell assorted products on the market. Undeniably, he is one of the hottest product endorsers around. His oh-so-familiar face currently appears as the endorser of Chowking’s new Oh’some Oh!range Chicken.

Jericho also found himself knocking on people’s doors as a pizza delivery boy. And then one fine day, Lady Luck knocked on Echo’s door. Then only a sophomore in high school, Echo won the Mr. Pogi title on the TV show Eat Bulaga! As they say, the rest is (TV-movie) history.

Tall, dark, and handsome, Echo would prove beyond a doubt that he was more than just a looker. He’s got talent — or should we say, talents. Fact is, Echo wears many hats quite literally (but more on his hat collection later) and figuratively. He’s a top-notch actor, a sportsman, a musician, a composer rolled into one dashing package. His album “Change” is close to hitting gold status.

More than just a certified heartthrob, Echo has a kind heart. At the height of killer typhoon Ondoy, Echo couldn’t just snugly sit at home and do nothing. Hearing the desperate cries for help of his neighbors, he took out his surfboard posthaste and ventured into the chest-high floodwaters in the dead of night without regard for his own safety. Through it all, we didn’t hear the whirring of TV cameras or a director shouting “Cut!”

A true Christian do-gooder, Echo does not want publicity for his acts of kindness. He’d rather help assorted charities away from the glare of the limelight.

A very private person, Echo likes to spend quiet time at home during breaks from shootings or goes to the house of a good friend. He hardly parties.

Never forgetting his humble roots, Echo finds the time to visit friends at the Concepcion Market. He loves spending time with the working class — the tricycle drivers, the mechanics, and the niyog vendors.

Truly, Echo sets out to prove that with tons of hard work, determination, and faith in the Lord (throw in some luck for good measure, too), one can make his dreams come true.

In a one-on-one interview with The Philippine STAR, we break down the walls of Jericho, to borrow a biblical passage. Here’s more of Echo — his life, his many loves, his beauty secrets, and fashion drama. Excerpts:

PHILIPPINE STAR: You look trim and fit, Echo. How much do you weigh now?

JERICHO ROSALES: I think 160 pounds (on a 5-foot-10 frame). I’m well within the ideal weight for my height.

You also look dashingly tanned. What outdoor sports have you been doing?

Lately, I’ve been surfing — as always. I just came back from Pagudpud, where I went surfing again. Yes, Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte, at the northernmost tip of Luzon, is a good surf site.

Do you have a group that you surf with?

Yes, I’m a lifestyle rider for Aloha Boardsports. We have competitive riders who are the ones who compete. Kami naman, we’re the lifestyle riders, meaning we’re the ones often seen surfing, we’re on beach na medyo friendly. Basically we just ride and grace surf competitions. We also get involved in causes like environmental awareness, etc., whether it’s surfing or skateboarding.

So, should we presume that your current girlfriend knows how to surf?

My girlfriend now is not really an artista. But a lot of people know her, too; she’s a sportscaster, her name is Francesca Litton. I met her in November last year.

Will there be wedding bells soon?

No, not yet. We’re just exclusively dating now, we’re happy so it’s good.

How many girlfriends, serious involvements have you had?

Let’s not talk about chicks. Uh, the chicken at Chowking is good talaga! I’ve been involved with chicken for a very long time now.

What was your biggest heartache?

I don’t remember, I don’t think about my heartbreaks.

Is it true that you had a blossoming romance with your former leading lady in ABS-CBN’s teleserye Kahit Isang Saglit, Malaysian actress Carmen Soo?

We never got together. There was nothing serious between us. Nothing that would have broken the heart of (former girlfriend) Heart (Evangelista).

So, it’s not Soo? But are you still friends with Heart?

We’re okay. But we haven’t seen each other in a couple of months, we have no communication.

What do you look for in a girl?

I want a girl who loves God above all, who loves sports, who loves the water, who has a heart for animals. But nobody’s perfect, of course. Yeah, someone who is very friendly as well. And of course, someone who loves my mom, I’m very close to my mom. My mom naman is very lovable. But that’s not the main thing. It’s about me and the person.

You’re an animal lover, too?

Yeah, I love animals! I have four dogs, my mom has her own. I also have a cat. I was also an ambassador of PAWS (Philippine Animal Welfare Society). I have one Aspin (Asong Pinoy), a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, a Cocker Spaniel. I have a new baby, it’s a Golden Retriever, his name is Ocean. Most of them were gifts from friends.

You mean girlfriends?

Yes, they’ve given me a lot, including dogs. I still have the dogs, but not the girlfriends.

What has been the most expensive gift you’ve given a girlfriend?

Maybe because it was too expensive I’d rather forget it. (Laughs.) No, nothing much really. If there was anything precious I had given a girl, it was the time I spent with her.

What was the most expensive thing you’ve bought for yourself?

I’m not really extravagant. But I think the best gift I’ve given myself is a house. And maybe cars.

What did you blow your first paycheck on?

I bought cologne for myself. I think it was either Fahrenheit (by Christian Dior) or Drakkar (by Guy Laroche). I don’t remember how much I got it for. I was only 17 then. I bought a cologne and also a pair of shoes.

That was after you won Mr. Pogi on Eat Bulaga. What happened after that?

I became a host for Eat Bulaga; I hosted with Francis Magalona and Ruby Rodriguez. Then I went to ABS and joined the workshops.

Have you always wanted to be an actor? What did you really want to be when you were a kid?

I wanted to be a lot of things. In high school, I wanted to be a pilot. I was a fickle-minded boy. And then I became an actor and I could be anything. So, it’s a perfect job for me!

But maybe I still have a chance to be a pilot — who knows, one of these days!

So, what else do you want to be?

Two years ago, I enrolled myself in a cinematography class.

How do you see yourself a few years from now?

I see myself as a producer/director but still an actor/musician.

Let’s talk about your music.

I don’t have a band now, but I have a new album that is close to turning gold — I wish it had turned orange! It’s called “Change,” under Star Records. My carrier single is an original song titled Pusong Ligaw. Yes, it’s my own composition. I play a little guitar, but mainly, I’m a singer.

At present, I don’t play in a band, but I’m trying to form one now.

What are your other little-known hidden talents?

I love sports, I love acting, I love singing, I love writing. Well, I take pictures once in a while.

And do you love eating, too?

Of course! Right outside my village is a Chowking outlet so I’ve made my friends try the hottest and latest from Chowking — the Oh!some Oh!range Chicken (only P69 for the Rice Chow Meal with a generous portion of Orange Chicken and rice; P99 for the Lauriat which includes crispy noodles, Chicharap, and buchi; and P125 for the Salo-Salo Set good for sharing). Have you tried it? Isn’t it Oh!some? Oh!sojuicy? Oh!rangey?

You love treating your friends?

On a surf trip going to La Union, I told my friends I would treat them. I wanted to show them something and I really saw my picture and my standee. I said, “Yeah, this is on me.” So, I gave a blowout, it was at the Chowking on NLEx (North Luzon Expressway).

Did you treat your friends even when you were just starting in showbiz?

No, I didn’t treat them because I didn’t have money then. They were the ones who treated me.

Why do you think did Chowking choose you to be its endorser for its Oh!range Chicken?

They think I’m a versatile chicken — or is it rooster? The Oh!range chicken is very flavorful. Maybe they compare it to my life and the many things that I do. The Oh!range Chicken makes you do a lot of things you never imagined you would or could do. Like the chicken dance.

With all these things happening in your life, how does an ordinary day go for you?

This year, I’ve been sleeping early and waking up early. I sleep at 12 midnight and wake up at 8 a.m. I have to have eight hours of sleep every day. I start my day with a prayer. Then I work out — I run, I play basketball, I climb trees, climb walls, I just do silly things around my neighborhood. At the moment, I’m doing therapy for my knees because I hurt them from basketball. I need leg strengthening, it’s good because I already have screws and staples in my knees. I’ve had surgeries because of injuries from playing basketball and surfing. My doctor said my knees are bionic na.

Do you diet?

No, I don’t. I love Filipino food. For example, when I went to Pagudpud, I ate bagnet (Ilocano deep-fried pork) and rice in the morning. Ordinarily, I would have longanisa for breakfast. I like eggs, I like pancakes, and I have a sweet tooth.

How do you unwind?

If you’re talking about my free day, I’m the type of person who wants a perfect day, who wants to work out, eat, relax, watch a movie with my friends, see my friends.

Do you live in the same old house that you had when you were just starting?

I have a new house. The other house, my brother (Jeremiah Rosales) and my mother live in it. I have my own house now. I have a four-car garage. I have an Expedition that I use for work. I have a very old motor home, a 1970-style RV, that I use for surfing and shooting because it has a bathroom and a bed inside. And I have a 1966 Mustang which I use every Sunday for just driving around. I like vintage cars. Even my house, designed by my friend Giancarlo Libarnes, is 1960s-inspired also.

So, you’re an old soul?

Yes. And yeah, yeah, yeah, I love the Beatles. Actually, in my album, I have a revival of a Beatles song, And I Love Her. But it’s different — acoustics with a very romantic twist.

And what’s your fashion drama? What are you wearing now?

Most of my clothes are by Mint for Men. The orange shirt I’m wearing now is from the Orange label of Mint. But my pants are from Zara.

What cologne are you wearing now?

I endorse this cologne under my name. It’s called Jericho Scents by Natasha. But right now, it’s just my natural scent.

What underwear are you wearing?

Walker underwear, I’m size 32.

Your shoes and shoe size?

Also Zara, my shoe size is 10.

What are your favorite brands?

I have my own line for men, the Jericho Rosales line, and it’s available at Robinsons Galleria, all Mint outlets. We have a group of designers, they bring me the designs, and I approve them. If I have a certain design that I like, I give it to them; it’s my own line.

What’s your favorite color?

I wear gray or black or orange shirts all the time.

What’s your fashion fetish?

I love belts and hats. I have a collection of belts (size 32) and hats. I have a lot. I have two trees at home that are filled with hats. I buy my hats all over the world, wherever I go. Most of them come from surf spots. I have casual hats, straw hats, etc.

What clothes are you most comfortable in?

I like slacks and shirts paired with rubber shoes. I also like jeans. I’m comfortable wearing long-sleeved shirts, but most of the time, when I’m not working, I’m wearing board shorts, surf T-shirt, and rubber shoes.

What accessories do you like to wear?

Sometimes, you’ll see me wearing jewelry for men, like a nice ring. I like accessories, I don’t spend much on expensive jewelry. I like nice pieces, not necessarily expensive ones.

Would you splurge on designer clothes?

I don’t really spend on expensive clothes. But I can go for designer clothes as long as I can use them for the next 10 years. I have clothes I have been using for the last seven years.

Do you give your old clothes away? Who’s your favorite charity?

Yes, especially during the last typhoons. My favorite charity, of course, is my brother, he’s the first in line. And also my barkada, they get my old stuff.

Who’s your barber?

His name is EJ Caro, he’s my personal barber. He cuts my hair and also does my makeup. I have a small barbershop at home, I bring him there and he cuts my hair there.

You have good skin. Can you share with us your beauty secrets?

My beauty secret is staying happy. Yes, I do use a moisturizer — Kiehl’s. I use two kinds: one that has UV protection and one that’s just a plain moisturizer. And I also use Clinique facial scrub. The rest is just a good diet. And actually, before talking to you, I brushed my teeth.

What else do you dream of doing?

I want to produce nice films. First in line is my own surf movie, which I’ve really been dreaming about. I want to produce movies that matter. I also see myself producing concerts.