My Life in Men’s Health

Well, I guess it’s already as official as can be: I’m no longer with Men’s Health Philippines. It was a fun, sometimes frustrating, sometimes infuriating, sometimes extremely rewarding ride. In short, my life in Men’s Health is everything I look for in a job.

To put closure in my tenure in the magazine (maybe in the future I’ll come back, but let’s leave that thought for now), I decided to condense my life in appreciable chunks so anyone who didn’t know what I do can sort of understand what I did while in the magazine.

Ready? Here we go...

Years in MH: Exactly 3 years (March 2005 – March 2008)

Number of editors I was under: 2 (Jeryc Garcia and Agu Paiso)

Number of colleagues (not including interns and contributors): 9–Jeryc and Agu, Carol Pajaron, Jomike del Rosario, Omar Glenn Belo, Mike Diez, Jad Melegrito, Raymond Abrenica, and Glen Concio (Glen’s the only remaining “original 3”)

Number of titles I held: 2 (Editorial Assistant and Assistant Section Editor)

Number of pages in the magazine I edited monthly: All of them, minus the ads

“Pet” section: MH Style. (The fashion and grooming pages were always mine to put together, edit, and style.)

Number of provinces—not counting Metro Manila, of course—I’ve been to for photoshoots: 7 (Subic, Bulacan, Batangas, Tagaytay, Boracay, Baguio, and Cebu)

Of those 7, number that was my first time: 1 (Cebu was the only place I haven’t been to prior)

Favorite cover: Jake Cuenca, followed by Dingdong Dantes, and then Dennis Trillo

Favorite foreign cover: Paul Walker

Favorite celeb editorial: Richard Gutierrez (Richard Gutierrez had a cover, but it’s for the Guide to Style special, so I don’t count that as a “cover” cover)

Favorite fashion editorial: Coat of Charms (August 2007), Tall Order (February 2007), and Fresh Perspectives (May 2008)

Favorite MH guys: Brent Javier, Luke Jickain, Gabb Drilon, Jon Mullally (now Avila) and Alfred Vargas

Favorite MH woman: Joyce Jimenez, hands down

Favorite MH story: Simplify your life

Favorite local MH story: Exit Strategies (MH Philippines November 2007, written by Ben Hernandez)

Favorite MH event: MH Urbanathlon

Favorite MH story that I wrote: The Spa Excursion (August 2006), The MH Grooming Awards (September 2007), 85 Best Foods for Men (May 2007), and Ahead of the Game (November 2007)

Least favorite fashion editorial: Merrier Than Thou (won’t say which month—but the title of the story kinda would tip you off, no?)

Longest-to-shoot fashion editorial: The MH Style Essentials (September 2005), 10AM – 9PM, and there were only 8 looks!

Favorite place to pull clothes for fashion eds: Glorietta and Greenbelt, although I started enjoying TriNoma several months before I left the magazine. Power Plant Mall only for Zara.

Priciest label I’ve pulled clothes from: Louis Vuitton

Favorite brands / labels to pull clothes from: Debenhams, Zara, Chivalry is Dead, Dean & Trent, Traffic, Springfield, and Celio

Fastest fashion editorial: April 2008 (2 hours)

Favorite item of clothing shown in my fashion editorials: Jackets and any form of outerwear—I know, I know, mainit. Whatever.

I’ll add some more soon!

By the way, I'm featured in Dean & Trent's profiles for this week. Thanks, Timmy, for the opportunity. I enjoyed answering your questions a lot!