Pinoy lookers challenge local show biz’s ‘Amboy’ dominance

Daniel Padilla

When the Filipino motion picture industry began producing movies locally, we were being colonized by the Americans, so Hollywood films were the template for our own filmmakers’ best efforts.

Thus, most of the first Filipino movie stars were tisoy types who looked as fair, tall and “nobly nosed” as US screen heroes.

Instructively, however, a few local film luminaries were kayumanggi-complexioned, and thus much more believable in the probinsyano roles they essayed, paced by the tall, aquiline-nosed but decidedly dusky Leopoldo Salcedo.

There were other exceptions to the tisoy rule, like Angel Esmeralda, Teddy Benavides, Van de Leon, Ruben Rustia, Eddie Garcia and Cesar Ramirez.

But, the succeeding years and decades continued to be dominated by the “Amboy” and Fil-Am imports.

Still, there were occasional “consolations”—like Rogelio dela Rosa was as tisoy as could be, but his brother, Jaime, was less so.

Other kayumanggi holdouts in the ’50s and ’60s included Joseph Estrada, Oscar Roncal, Eddie Rodriguez, Dindo Fernando, Vic Vargas, Jun Aristorenas, Mario Montenegro, Manding Claro, Juancho Gutierrez, Edgar Salcedo, Robert Arevalo, Edgar Mortiz and Luis Gonzales.

In the ’70s and ’80s, they were joined by Dan Alvaro, Bernardo Bernardo, Tommy Abuel, Juan Rodrigo, Jestoni Alarcon, Bembol Roco, Rudy Fernandez, Richard Gomez, Roland Dantes and Lito Lapid.

Despite these inroads, tisoy looks were still prized on the local silver screen, even when Filipino movies became more nationalistic, and the bane of our “deathless” colonial mentality was identified and exposed. Bad habits and unrealistic preferences die hard!

On the female front, the Nora Aunor phenomenon resulted in more kayumanggi-complexioned and “Pinoy-sized” stars being discovered for a more enlightened while.

But, by the ’90s, this seminal gain had been eroded, and tisoy and tisay stars came to the fore once more!

That’s why, up to this day, many decades later, light-skinned and aquiline-nosed stars continue to rule over the local TV-film scene, limiting the believability and pertinence of the stories being told on our big and small screens.

Rocco Nacino

Which is why we’re making special mention of the relatively few Pinoy-looking actors who have still managed to make it in local show biz, despite some viewers’ misplaced preferences:

Let’s hear it for: Daniel Padilla, Alfred Vargas, Ariel Rivera, Cesar Montano, Julio Diaz, Derek Ramsay, Gardo Versoza, Jericho Rosales, Marc Abaya, Rocco Nacino, Lorenzo Mara, Raymart Santiago, Ogie Alcasid, Nonie Buencamino, Nash Aguas, Marvin Agustin, Monsour del Rosario, Xymon Pineda, Sid Lucero, Spanky Manikan, Zanjoe Marudo, Victor Silayan, Joem Bascon, Jason Abalos, Dominic and Felix Roco, Marco Alcaraz, Marlo Mortel—and their female counterparts.

At least, when we watch the productions they act in, we know that we aren’t in some vaunted fantasy version of the United States—and, we’re home free!