Edu Manzanois aware that many men are reluctant to have a medical check-up.
“Aside from katamaran,” he told PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) in an interview, “’yung macho mentality, na hindi nagkakasakit ang mga lalaki.”
The 70-year-old actor and TV host then pointed out: “Hindi nakakabawas sa iyong pagkatao kung magpa-check up ka. Ang hinahabol mo kasi is your quality of life.
“Lahat tayo magkakaroon ng sakit, lahat tayo mangangailangan ng treatment for one thing or another.
“What I feel is very important because you have to realize na ikaw ay nandidiyan hindi lang para sa sarili mo kung di para sa pamilya mo at mga anak mo.
“So kinakailangan na parating malakas, laging handa sa ano mang pagsubok na dumating sa buhay mo.”
Edu walks the talk, as shown by how openly he shared his experiences during his launch as a “Patient Partner,” a.k.a. as brand ambassador, of The Medical City (TMC).
The event was part of the opening program in line with the health network’s 58th anniversary celebration held on October 27, 2025, at its Ortigas headquarters.
“For those of you who know me and have seen me, I've actually had a number of procedures here in the hospital,” he said, addressing the audience made up largely of healthcare workers.
“So, every time I come here, you come to realize more and more that healing isn't all about just medicine. You know, it's about understanding, compassion, kindness. It's like where science meets sincerity. I love that.”
After the program, Edu elaborated more on the need to prioritize health.
“I used to work very hard. But I also played very hard. And then nakita ko rin, after a while, kailangan ko rin pakinggan ang katawan ko.”
He added, “Minsan, magrereklamo ang katawan mo. There will be a time when your body will start sending out signals that there are certain issues you have to address.
“So, you have to start tapering and everything. And just make sure that you don't have to be having check-ups all the time.
"But it would be nice that you try to take everything in moderation. That's the key.”
Edu agreed that the late actor-director Eddie Garcia, who worked until the age of 90, was a true inspiration.
“I've been reading a lot of books,” he said, singling out Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by authors Héctor García and Francesc Miralles.
He described it as a “beautiful book” that discusses the Blue Zones, or areas in the world with the highest life expectancy.
These include Okinawa in Japan and Sardinia in Italy, “where people live up to 110 and they're still productive.”
He then exclaimed, “’Yun ang gusto ko! Ayokong nasa bahay lang with the remote control tapos mag-uutos, ‘Beer!’ Ayoko ng ganoon. Gusto ko, nasa labas ako. I want to be productive.”
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