After Codename: Asero, Richard Gutierrez is taking a very short break from making television series. While on vacation from acting, however, the young actor will be busy hosting GMA-7's newest program on "Bilib Ka Ba Nights" block, Full Force Nature, which will premiere on December 2 after GMA Telebabad.
The program immediately appealed to the young actor when the network presented to him the idea of the show. Although its original version in the United States shows original video clips of unbelievable weather moments, the Philippine version changes it a bit by choosing Richard, an advocate of environment, as the host.
As a Greenpeace celebrity spokeperson, the 24-year-old actor will now have a wider venue to fulfill his role of spreading awareness about problems and issues concerning the environment. In between the video clips that will be shown, Richard will give simple but very helpful tips to save mother earth.
The young actor said that Full Force Nature will definitely show the other side of Richard Gutierrez.
"I'm an active environmentalist and I wanna help also the group of Greenpeace and the other environmental groups. I think this is my calling, to create awareness for the people regarding global warming and other environmental problems," said Richard during the presscon of Full Force Nature last night, November 25.
He added, "Full Force Nature, ang kaibahan nito is you really feel the wrath of nature and mga hindi natin nae-experience dito, mga puwede ring mangyari sa atin dito, makikita mo sa TV kung ano talaga ang nararamdaman ng mga taong nakaka-experience no'n. So, 'yon pa lang, entertaining and exciting na for the audience. At the same time, it cuts to me giving ideas and pointers on how we can avoid these matters."
GREENPEACE ADVOCATE. The young Gutierrez said that it was really his idea to help groups that support environmental causes, such as Green Peace.
"'Yon ang naging calling ko, e," he said. "I mean, for me, maraming different problems na nangyayari sa mundo—number one is hunger, number two is overpopulation, number three is global warming. For me, global warming ang napili ko dahil talagang ever since I was a kid I love nature. Siguro, I just had a calling for it. Siguro kanya-kanya tayong purpose dito sa mundo and siguro 'yon ang purpose ko."
As a celebrity spokesperson, Richard said that he helps the group with its non-violent moves in saving the environment. One example of this is creating informative videos that will reach a lot of people around the country, like his past documentary Signos.
Within the next few weeks, Richard will go to Boracay to shoot a video for the tourists who visit the place. Then, by next year, GMA-7 will be doing another documentary similar to Signos.
He reiterated, "Ang goal ko talaga is to create awareness sa youth, sa kabataan. So we're gonna go to different schools, that's one of my projects next year. Signos was something informative. Signos, by the way, is now out on DVD. Hopefully, schools can watch that."
ON HIS LOVELIFE. During the interview, the media diverted the topic from Greenpeace to his lovelife. However, Richard told the media, "Ngayon talagang focus ako sa work, talagang focus on my family, 'yon muna ang focus ko ngayon."
This could be the reason why he gave a very short answer to questions about KC Concepcion.
"Siyempre, KC will remain special to me," Richard said. "We're gonna do another movie, so it's gonna be an exciting journey for us. So, I'm looking forward to that."
When asked about the current rumor linking the daughter of Megastar Sharon Cuneta to Sam Milby, Richard simply replied, "No comment."
UPDATE ON HIS MOM AND DAD. Reporters also asked Richard about the current condition of his parents, who both had medical problems recently.
His dad, veteran actor Eddie Gutierrez, underwent angioplasty earlier this month because of the blockage in his coronary arteries. (Click here to read related article.) His mom, talent manager Annabelle Rama, had surgery to remove her uterus. (Click here to read related article.)
"My mom is doing okay now, she's still recovering," related Richard. "Masasabi ko na very successful 'yong operation niya that's why tuwang-tuwa kaming buong pamilya. At we're very happy and thankful sa lahat ng taong nagbigay ng prayers and support sa mommy ko. But now, she's happy and she's trying to live healthier."
With regards to his father, Richard said, "Sabi nga ng dad ko ngayon, he's very proud and very happy. Ang sabi niya sa akin, he feels 20 years younger daw after ng operation niya."
After what happened to his parents, Richard said that they're beginning to live a healthy lifestyle.
"Lahat kami talaga tuwang-tuwa kasi ngayon talagang masipag silang mag-workout, 'tapos lahat ng pagkain sa bahay healthy na. So, nakakatuwa kasi before, talagang hindi sila nakikinig sa amin, e. Lahat ng pagkain sa bahay, hindi healthy, e. Pero ngayon healthy living na kaming lahat. So, we're all very happy and nagtutulungan kaming buong pamilya."
Richard got teary-eyed when asked about the day his mom had an operation.
He said, "Nandoon ako the whole time, since nung papasok pa lang siya ng operating room hanggang sa nakalabas siya. 'Yong pagkatapos na pagkatapos ng operation... Iisa lang kasi ang puwedeng pumasok sa recovery room, so isa-isa kaming pumasok na magkakapatid, at nakita namin ang mommy namin and nakita namin na successful naman ang operation, pero very weak siya. Pero okay naman kasi we're still very thankful na naagapan siya, 'tapos naagapan din si Daddy. So, hindi mangyayari ito kundi dahil kay Lord, so we're all very thankful."
When asked about shouldering most of the expenses of his parents' operations, Richard repeated what he initially told in his previous interview on television.
"Wala 'yon! Kaya nga ako nagtratrabaho para tumulong sa pamilya sa mga ganitong klaseng sitwasyon. I'm very happy and proud na nakatulong ako sa kanila in any way possible."
Despite these unfortunate events, Richard remains positive about spending cheerful time with his family this coming Christmas.
"As usual, we're gonna spend Christmas with the whole family. Kami naman, kapag nag-spend kami ng Christmas, simple lang naman, e. Basta ang importante sa amin, magkakasama kaming magkakapamilya, 'tapos magkakaroon ng party para sa mga helpers namin.
"We always try to give back. Sa amin, sa pamilya namin, lagi naman kaming nagbibigayan. So tuwing Pasko, we try to give back to our helpers and we have a party for them."
Richard said that he will be very busy at the start of 2009. Aside from his movie with KC for GMA Films, he is also slated to do the Pinoy adaptation of the Spanish masked swashbuckler Zorro.