Beyond the face of a chinito jock
FORMER National College Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball player of the College of St. Benilde and now Kapuso actor David Licauco is making waves on social media for granting his fan’s wish to go out on a date with him.
At first glance, the 23-year-old looks like a typical jock who only has his mind on fun and games but his life is actually on track. He has an upcoming teleserye, a movie, and a booming business that speaks of his passion.
With good looks, charming personality and grit for success, the Filipino-Chinese cutie might just be the newest Kapuso star to watch out for.
The Manila Times shares today in this special feature that there are more reasons to swoon over this chinito hunk.
Into basketball and polo
Licauco loves to play basketball above all else, and knows the life stories of his idols, particularly Michael Jordan. He felt the need to read on the life of mixed martial artist Ronda Rousey as well.
“Knowing the success of these icons motivates me, and I use that to make my own. Kumbaga, I try to develop their values so I can be guided on how to succeed as well.”
He has tried his hand on polo too, and it’s beyond argument to say that he looks princely when he’s on a horse.
Loving son and brother
His Instagram posts are mostly photos of his parents and siblings. Every moment with his family counts and he never fails to capture all of this in pictures. As a modern- day scrapbook, his Instagram is full of memoirs of successes and simple celebrations. He profoundly expresses his love for his mom, gratitude for his dad, support for his brother and his playful yet sensible boundaries for his sisters.
Knack for business
Armed with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management Major in Computer Applications, he managed to put up his own business – a fitness gym along Taft Avenue which he branded as Alpha Fitness Club.
He said that his parents have brought them up business-minded, and this has become his motivation to do well in his studies then engage in entrepreneurship on his own.
“I’ve always been into sports and fitness, so I decided to profit on my interests. I come from a typical Chinese family where making your own business is a very common path, and right now I’m enjoying every bit of it,” he said.
Soft spot for fans
A fangirl from Zamboanga, Fritz Enriquez, didn’t bother to wait for his reply when she asked him for a date. Never in her wildest dreams would she expect that he’d agree, but the Kapuso
star burst Frtiz’s thought bubble and said “yes,” on the condition that she had to post about her proposal and garner 10,000 likes and shares for it.
Despite failing to get the target number, Licauco disregarded the deal and went on with the fishball date. The Kapuso star admitted that he was flustered to see his fan smile from ear to ear.
“For me it’s an honor na may mapasaya I’m just a normal person and to be able to inspire others like this is very humbling,” he shared.
Turning curiosity into passion
His foray into showbiz started out of curiosity. “At first I was just testing the waters [ in showbiz] until I actually got into the entire process of acting. It felt nice to act, so now it’s my goal to get more challenging roles and be able to perform them well,” the chinito cutie revealed.
After “Mulawin vs. Ravena” as Malik,
Licauco is now ready to lead a show. He stars alongside fellow Kapuso star Shaira Diaz in the upcoming Regal film “Because I Love You” in the role of a sophisticated bachelor.
“The pressure was too much because it was my first lead role but I changed my mindset and took that challenge as an opportunity to prove myself. Besides, Shaira is so easy to work with and we’ve helped each a lot,” he said.
With his newfound passion, he hired a personal coach for his acting, and has worked hard to impress his mentor. Aside from this film, he will also be one of the lead stars of the upcoming GMA Afternoon Prime series, “Kapag Nahati Ang Puso” with Bea Binene, Benjamin Alves and Sunshine Cruz.
Licauco and Andrea Torres were declared Stars of the Night in the 2nd Eddys Awards of the Society of Philippine Entertainment Editors ( SPEEd) held on July 9 at The Theater at Solaire in Pasay City.