How Robin became Totoy Bato

Perhaps no other actor takes his craft as seriously as Robin Padilla, almost to a fault.
“Before he started shooting Blackout in which he plays an edgy role,” recalled his manager Betchay Vidanes, “Binoy insisted on staying on the location...and abandoned house in Cubao, Quezon City... to get the feel of the milieu.”

For (Carlo J. Caparas’) Joaquin Bordado, his last GMA action-series in which he plays the title role (a man whose tattoos would come to life to help him fight goons, played by former Sen. Ramon Revilla Sr. in the movie version), Robin did Pilates to look lean and practised yoga to de-stress himself.

“One morning,” continued Betchay, “I visited him at home and I was surprised to find him standing on his head. It turned out that he was copying yoga poses from a book.”

He went even farther for Totoy Bato (also by Carlo J. Caparas), his new GMA starrer (with Regine Velasquez and Manny Pacquiao among his co-stars) which started airing last Monday. Robin is cast as a prize fighter, the same role played by FPJ in the movie version.

As early as middle of last year while finishing his scenes in the horror movie Sundo (unreleased), Robin asked his staff to look for a copy of the FPJ movie not to duplicate FPJ’s portrayal but to study how he could give the role a new twist. Also, he watched movies about street-fighting and mixed martial arts.

“I have to look like a fighter,” said Robin. “For Joaquin Bordado, talagang nag-diet ako.”

For Totoy Bato, he did the opposite.

“Kain naman ako nang kain,” laughed Robin, “but I chose what to put in my mouth. I ate mostly boiled camote, banana and corn.

The result: From his 140-lb. Joaquin Bordado look, Robin expanded to his current 184-lb. Totoy Bato build.

For the rigorous training, Robin enlisted the help of Edcel Ngina, member of the Wushu and Muay Thai national teams, 2005 Wushu gold medalist in the Pre-Asian Indoor Games and coach of the Muay Thai Philippine Team.

His workout buddies included Jerome Lumagas, SEA Games gold medalist in Wushu and Sanshu; Jerome Calica, SEA Games gold medalist in Wushu; George Ludasan, World Wushu Championship gold medalist; Jason Balabal, member of the Philippine Wrestling Team; Perlito Siador, member of the Wrestling and Muay Thai Philippine Team; and Muay Thai fughters Jessie Matias, Edgar Paasa, Daniel Boyucan and Jason Siador.

Robin and his buddies even went to Baguio to continue the training.

“Their daily schedule was back-breaking,” said Betchay. “Binoy would wake up at 4 a.m., and pray before preparing for a hard day. By 4:30, he was in his tracksuit ready for the jog around the village where the Padillas have a house. The jog lasted until 6:30 a.m.”

Sometimes, he jogged around the Baguio Country Club and Camp John Hay, and climbed up and down the hundred steps. From 7:30 to 10 a.m., he lifted weights, and took snacks after that. After a break from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., he was at the gym from 3 to 7 p.m. to lift heavy weights and do Muay Thai, Arnis de Mano, wrestling and mixed martial arts. After dinner, by 8:30, Robin was asleep. The same routine followed the next day.

“I got bruises in my legs,” said Robin. “Nagkapaltos-paltos ang mga paa ko dahil naging mas mabigat ang timbang ko. Up to now, the bruises are not healed.”

Through it all, Robin insisted that he did his own laundry.

“Ayokong magpalaba. That’s part of my training.”

The training was capped by a trek to Mt. Pulag in the Cordilleras (from Jan. 18 to 21), 2,992 feet above sea level, for a pictorial with Jun de Leon.

“I started the climb on the night of Jan. 18 and I reached the peak at 6:30 a.m. the next day.”

And that’s how Robin Padilla became Totoy Bato, which was well worth it because the TV action-drama got a high rating on its premiere last Monday and continues to do so.

(Note: A Robin Padilla photo exhibit is being held at the Mall of Asia. Go catch it before it goes on a nationwide tour.)