‘Cutest newsman’ still rocks

Mike Templo

Seeing him in TV5 newsrooms all suited up and dapper, it’s hard to imagine that Kapatid anchor and immigration lawyer Mike Templo was once a rocker, playing lead guitars for the ’90s band Gnash.

Mike’s interest in the instrument was piqued at an early age. Elder brother John was bassist for the heavy metal bands Razorback and Wolfgang.

“I was inspired by my kuya. I used to tag along on his gigs. I tried picking up the bass, but ended up with the guitar, para hindi kami pareho,” he told the Inquirer in a recent interview.

Now in his mid-30s, Mike recalled that, while growing up, he wasn’t allowed to go out much. Instead he would spend his spare time at home, honing his guitar skills. He played a lot of ’70s and ’80s metal and hard rock. Some of his guitar idols were Zakk Wylde, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, David Aguirre and Jun Lopito.

“I had a few months of formal training in classical guitar,” he said. “Then I just did it on my own. I was doing jingles … ”

Mike got his first taste of band life when he joined Gnash. He was a college student at the time, taking up philosophy at the University of the Philippines in Diliman. “I had to learn the band’s entire repertoire,” he said. “We played at the Music Museum, Mayric’s, Club Dredd …”

But just when it seemed like he was on his way to a music career, Mike decided he wanted to become a lawyer. He dropped everything and attended Touro Law School in New York, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree.

A New York-licensed lawyer, Mike is a member of the New York State Bar Association, New York State Trial Lawyers Association, New York Country Lawyers Association and American Bar Association.

“Because I was part of the band scene, everyone thought I had done drugs,” he recounted. “When college friends hear that I’m now a lawyer, they still can’t believe it.”

Mike has an immigration consultancy office in the country and anchors TV5’s “Sapul sa Singko” and “Aksyon Weekend.” He also hosts Radyo Singko’s “Ibayong Pinoy,” a program tackling immigration and OFW concerns.

He used to host “Crossing Borders” on ANC.

He still picks up the guitar, but only to relieve stress. He’s not as good as he used to, he confessed, but still enjoys playing immensely.

Not vain

Meanwhile, Mike recently topped Spot.ph’s list of the country’s cutest newsmen. He said he was shocked, never having thought of himself as a looker. In fact, he added, laughing, that he used to get teased even by his family as the ugly duckling.

“I do take care of myself because, on TV, you have to look good. But I’m not all that vain. As Lourd de Veyra would say, ‘Ang tunay na lalaki, walang abs!’” noted Mike, who was once linked to Claudine Trillo and Angel Locsin.

Asked if he has plans of venturing into show biz proper, the son of ’70s movie star Mildred Ortega said, firmly: “Right now, it’s a solid ‘no.’ I’m where I want to be, which is law and media.”