Twenty-one years after his untimely passing, ex-matinee idol Rico Yan continues to grab showbiz headlines for various reasons.
Recently, former sexy actress Sabrina M. divulged that she and Rico had a romantic relationship.
Sabrina claimed she got involved with Rico after his breakup with long-time girlfriend, Claudine Barretto.
Expectedly, Sabrina's revelation became a hot topic in showbiz, with Claudine threatening to sue the actress for her alleged false claims.
Read: Katrina Paula dispels Sabrina M.'s claim about past relationship with Rico Yan
Read: Claudine Barretto mulls filing complaint against Sabrina M. over Rico Yan relationship claims
This latest controversy once again put the spotlight on Rico, who, at the young age of 27, passed away unexpectedly during Holy Week in 2002.
Today's young generation of fans may have heard of Rico's successful yet short run as one of showbiz's most sought-after young stars in mid-'90s up until his death in the early 2000s.
Rico's life and career, fleeting but well-lived and well-done, are remembered by friends, loved ones, and colleagues even after all these years.
PISCES born
Rico was born on March 14, 1975, to parents Teresita Castro-Yan and Roberto Yan Sr.
Rico was the grandson of Manuel T. Yan, Sr., who served in the government as chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and ambassador assigned to various countries such as Thailand and the United Kingdom.
The future matinee idol had three siblings: Geraldine, Tina, and Bobby, who became a television host.
LASALLIAN
Rico had his elementary schooling at the Xavier School.
He moved to De La Salle Santiago Zobel School for his high-school education.
In college, Rico took up and finished Marketing Management at the De La Salle University.
OFFER TO DO COMMERCIALS
It was while studying at De La Salle that Rico’s life would change from that of a young student to a public figure.
Rico recalled being approached by a talent scout while eating in one of the fast foods in La Salle.
"A talent scout came over asking if I want to be a commercial model. Sabi ko, ‘Yeah, right,’” he shared.
“Because pumipila ako, and he just comes over. So akala ko ginu-good time ako nito.”
The offer, as it turned out, was not a prank and Rico was soon doing screen tests for agencies and brands looking for talents to grace their television commercials.
COMMERCIAL MODEL
The public first saw Rico in the commercial for Eskinol Master Facial Cleanser, bringing to life the brand’s catchy tagline, “Sikreto ng mga guwapo.”
He was part of the talents under Cosmopolitan Modeling Agency.
Among the brands that tapped him as an image model included Greenwich, Nissin Eggnog Cookies, Timex, and Talk ‘N Text.
SHOWBIZ’S NEW MATINEE IDOL
Then Star Circle executive Johnny Manahan spotted Rico during a screening for a possible commercial gig.
When asked to join show business, Rico expressed apprehension at first but eventually yielded.
He landed a spot on Star Circle’s first batch of young talents alongside (L-R, 1st row) Regine Tolentino, Cholo Escaño, Trisha Salvador, (L-R, 2nd row) Victor Neri, Jacqui Manzano, and (seated) Maricel Morales.
AN ENTREPRENEUR
Aside from being an actor, Rico was also an entrepreneur, with various Food & Beverage businesses under his name, including Java Hut, Buddy Burger, Timbuktu Cafe, and Tequila Joe Grill and Restaurants.
His most popular venture was Orbitz Pearl Shake, a concoction of fruit shake drinks with tapioca balls and precursor to what is popularly known today as milk tea.
CONTEMPLATED BEING A CHEF
Rico’s foray into the restaurant business was hardly surprising to those who knew him best.
The Kapamilya heartthrob once thought of being a chef because of his love for food.
He said in an interview, “The reason why I'm enthusiastic about cooking is due to my father and his love for cooking.
“I'd always hang around the kitchen with my dad. My mom hates the kitchen, so it was my dad who'd cook.
"I'd watch him while he cooked and he'd teach me a couple of tips, here and there.
“Then, I tried cooking when I was 11. I learned how to fry. I'm not just a bacon and eggs guy!”
Rico remembered figuring in an accident while he was cooking lasagna in their kitchen.
He narrated, “I once burned all my facial hair. My eyebrows, eyelashes were all gone! I was cooking lasagna, I turned up the dial on the manual gas oven when I'd throw in the match but the flame would always die.
“I left the oven door open and boom!
My classmates didn't recognize me. I was 13 then and that was puberty! Sira ang diskarte, coed pa man din ang school namin!”
Rico cited chicken macaroni soup as his favorite dish and comfort food and whose recipe was handed down by his grandmother to his father.
He said, “It's something I should have on my birthday, Christmas, any occasion.
"That's one dish I can eat day in, day out for a month.”
As for his least favorite, Rico mentioned “ampalaya.”
He once tried deep-fried cricket during a food expo in Manila and called it the “weirdest” food he had ever eaten.
Rico pointed to “orange juice, milk, eggs, cabbage, and chicken breast” among the usual items found inside his fridge.
FITNESS ROUTINE
Mused Rico about his eating habits, “I don't want to be too health-conscious, but I don't want to be too careless either.
“Being too health-conscious is also bad, just as too much of a good thing is bad. But two days a week, I indulge in something like crispy pata.”
Rico was into boxing and badminton and a regular at the gym to keep himself in good shape.
He said, “With our lifestyle, you have to find time because if we don't, masisira ang katawan namin given our schedules.
“The way I see it, for every night you spend awake because of work, you have to compensate by going to the gym. It will keep the equilibrium in your body.”
LOVE TEAM WITH CLAUDINE BARRETTO
Rico was first paired with teen star Claudine Barretto in the 1996 movie, Radio Romance.
The project came at a perfect time in their respective careers.
Claudine needed a love-team partner to further her climb as a promising young actress at the same time that Star Circle, the talent arm of ABS-CBN now called Star Magic, was looking to market Rico as a new matinee idol.
Momentarily, ABS-CBN toyed with the idea of pairing Rico with the young drama star Judy Ann Santos—which it soon dismissed seeing her strong on-screen chemistry with dancer-turned-actor Wowie de Guzman.
So while Radio Romance was produced primarily to promote ABS-CBN’s FM radio station DWRR 101.9, the film was also perhaps a way for management to put out feelers about the Claudine-Rico love team.
The tandem was well-received by viewers, prompting management to pair Claudine and Rico more to cater to their growing number of fans.
Claudine would lead the hit 1997 TV drama series, Mula Sa Puso, with Rico and Diether Ocampo joining her in the main cast.
Fans and viewers saw more of the Claudine-Rico love team in Madrasta, Flames, Saan Ka Man Naroroon, Dahil Mahal Na Mahal Kita, and the romantic-comedy film, Got 2 Believe, considered by critics as among the best Filipino romantic movies made.
ROMANCE WITH CLAUDINE
The real-life romance between Claudine and Rico didn’t happen overnight.
Rico, in an interview with YES! magazine, recalled the first time he met Claudine on the set of Radio Romance in late 1995.
“The first day I met her was also the first time I saw her in person,” he looked back.
Continued Rico, “The meeting was, I guess for her, it was a walk on the beach.
“Pero sa akin, intimidating. Parang, ang hirap. I was starting out. I didn't want to be at home baka ma-offend siya.”
As for her first impression of Rico, Claudine, said, “He was sobrang gentleman when he introduced himself to me."
Both were in a relationship when they started working together.
Rico was dating someone, while Claudine was going steady with actor Mark Anthony Fernandez, making their love team strictly professional at the beginning.
A friendship though was starting to bloom between the two as they find themselves spending more time together during shoots.
They would talk in between takes and during breaks while waiting for their turn to act in front of the camera.
“Kuwentuhan nang kuwentuhan. Sobrang tagal ng waiting time, hanggang sobrang kalog pala siya [Rico],” said Claudine.
By the time they did Dahil Mahal na Mahal Kita, both Claudine and Rico were single, and coming out of a breakup.
Rico found himself being drawn to Claudine more, despite his desire not to fall in love for the time being after the collapse of his previous relationship.
"I said to myself, I wouldn't go for a relationship,” Rico remembered telling himself.
He went on, “A few days after, it was another shooting day of Dahil Mahal na Mahal Kita.
“Coincidentally, Claudine at that time was extra, extra nice to me.
“The following day, gano'n na naman, extra, extra effort. Sabi ko, baka ito na nga.
“I started courting her. I asked her out on a date. We picked up from there.”
Rico and Claudine brought takeout food from a restaurant to the latter’s condominium unit for their first date.
“Kuwentuhan in the process of having dinner. The conversation went very well,” shared Rico.
Claudine and Rico officially became a couple on March 4, 1998.
Said Claudine about Rico, “Akala ko itong relationship na ito hindi magtatagal. It was more of friendship, companionship. Marunong pala siyang mag-commit."
Rico, who had stopped frequenting bars after getting involved for real with his love team partner, commented, “After being with Claudine, I became committal.”
Claudine reacted affectionately, “Rico would make a perfect husband and a perfect father, pero ayaw kong ma-disappoint kasi open ako sa ganon. Ayokong ma-disappoint.”
Rico and Claudine’s relationship would last for four years.
She said in a past interview, “We have the same interests,” describing her relationship with Rico during happier times.
“We love the same things like, okay we both enjoy cooking. We play badminton. You see we love sports and we enjoy eating out. We love watching TV and DVD.
“We love to order food kunyari nanonood kami ng DVD, we pig out talaga.”
A ROLE MODEL
Rico put his celebrity status to good use by participating in various projects aimed to inspire and empower the youth.
He was the first official youth spokesperson of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports in promoting free education.
Rico was also the first Philippine National Red Cross Pledge 25 spokesperson in 1999.
He also founded Pinoy Yan Movement to encourage the youth to value education and stay in school.
The Rico Yan Youth Foundation was established by his family following his passing.
The Foundation's primary aim is to help get the youth off the streets and give them the one thing Rico valued the most: Education.
GONE AT 27
On Good Friday, March 29, 2002, Rico was found dead inside his room by good friend and fellow actor Dominic Ochoa at the Dos Palmas Resort in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
Rico was in Palawan with friends to spend the Holy Week break there.
He was rushed to the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital in Puerto Princesa City by motorboat, but was declared dead on arrival by the medical team.
The actor’s cause of death was cardiac arrest due to acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis.
Rico, who celebrated his birthday on March 14, was 27 years old at his death.
Dominic said that Rico was in good spirits during a party the night before.
There was no indication whatsoever that something was off or that Rico was feeling ill while they were all together
Rico’s passing predated social media so news and information about his passing came in intermittently during the first few hours upon confirmation of his death.
Still, speculations ran wild on the circumstances surrounding Rico’s death, including Ecstacy overdose brought by a broken heart.
There were already rumors that Claudine and Rico had already separated but opted not to divulge it so as not to affect the performance of Got 2 Believe in cinemas.
Got 2 Believe was still showing in cinemas at the time of Rico’s tragic demise.
A grieving Dominic tearfully said, “There was no premonition at all that he was going to die.”
He added, “During the party at a videoke bar, Rico enjoyed himself just like everybody else. He even sang 10 songs."
It was said that among the songs Rico sang the previous night were Jamie Rivera's "Falling For You" and David Pomeranz’s "Got to Believe in Magic," the theme song of his movie with Claudine.
Admonished Dominic, “Let us just pray for our friend. He passed away already and not believe in speculations surrounding his death."
Rico’s body was flown from Palawan to Manila where an autopsy conducted by the medical teams of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and St. Luke’s Hospital was carried out.
National Capital Region Police Office Chief Director Edgar Aglipay, an uncle of Rico, told the media that autopsy reports ruled out foul play and self-harm as the cause of death.
“I’d like to inform the public that the death of Rico Yan was of natural cause,” he remarked.
“According to doctors, it is an acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis resulting in cardiac arrest. In short, he died in his sleep.”
“A FUNERAL FIT FOR A PRESIDENT”
La Salle Greenhills hosted Rico’s wake visited by friends, family, and showbiz colleagues.
He was buried on April 4, 2002, around noon at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City.
It was estimated that around 20,000 people attended Rico’s funeral, with fans and spectators converging on sidewalks along the funeral route.
Fans from the provinces including Leyte, Iloilo, Pangasinan, Iligan, and Isabela, reportedly traveled to Metro Manila in the early morning to attend the funeral and bid farewell to the matinee idol.
ABS-CBN covered the funeral, preempting six hours of regular programming to air the event from the necrological mass to the cemetery for the burial.
Claudine was spotted attending the funeral rites with her sister Marjorie Barretto, who came with then-husband Dennis Padilla. They left before the burial was over .
Showbiz columnist Leah Salterio summed up the solemn but highly publicized event, writing, “a funeral fit for a president.”
Teresita Castro-Yan said during the mass, “When I first heard the news, my fist question was, ‘Why Lord?’ Then I asked, ‘Why Rico?’
“Now it makes sense. Having given joy to so many people, I could not believe that he will leave us sad, distraught, or grief-stricken.
“But with all of you who came here today, I am convinced that he was chosen by God for such a time as this.”