SAYING NO TO PANDAY. Si Jericho ang gumanap na bida sa TV remake ng Ang Panday noong 2005-2006. Binalak palang kunin siya para sa Panday movie ni Bong Revilla na entry sa 2009 Metro Manila Filmfest. Pero kinailangan niyang ayawan ang role para sa kanya.

"They called [me] for Lizardo for the movie. I was really, what?!" natatawa niyang sabi. Si Lizardo kasi ang lider ng mga kontrabida sa istorya. "As much as I appreciate the movie, I appreciate the offer, getting me, thinking of me or casting me, but I just can't do it.

"I mean, yung Ilocos kasi, nag-shoot kami ro'n and the kids, they know me as Panday, then all of a sudden, they'll see me as Lizardo, so I said, well, thank you but sorry we can't.  We find it a little funny, di ba?  Pero okey lang.

"I wanna watch the movie because usually naman, noong tinanong ako ng ABS, gusto ko talaga ang Panday for movie.  And then they said, TV nga. I think, sobrang hirap ng pinagdaanan namin dahil naging TV show siya at ganoong klaseng concept, ang hirap-hirap.  So, I'm very happy with that production at saludo ako kay Senator Ramon Revilla, nagawa niya sa movie yun."

Could it be dahil hindi pa siya handang lumabas sa character roles?

"Nagkontrabida na 'ko before. Bida-kontrabida, ganun ang ano ko, e. Sayang kasi yung... well, I will play role like that. I will play dark character. Meron akong mga dark character na kailangan kong i-portray, but, I made a promise to myself na kahit anong role na tatanggapin ko, kailangan may value. So, sayang kasi, e. 

"For example, I made a movie for six months. So, that's six months of my life, tapos walang redeeming value. Sayang, di ba?"

CAREER ON THE UPSWING AGAIN. Supposedly, kasama daw sana siya sa Mano Po 6 kunsaaan may cameo role siya as the young Christopher de Leon, pero dahil busy siya sa taping ng Dahil May Isang Ikaw, hindi ito natuloy.

May panahon na medyo humimlay ang career ni Echo. Sa tingin ba niya ay nakabalik na siya sa dati niyang posisyon sa showbiz?

"Well, a lot of good things are happening talaga. God is good.  I'll just give Him back the glory talaga. That's all I can say talaga. I'm very ano now, e, relaxed ako.  So, medyo nandoon ako that I can feel the energy sa career. It's doing really well and I'm really enjoying it."

Ang Dahil May Isang Ikaw ay hanggang January pa raw.  After that, he'll be doing a movie for Star Cinema and another soap opera. Magkakaroon din daw siya ng mini-concert sa January and a major concert in February 2010.