What Agot's Got

An outfit endorsed by Agot today may be off the the store rack tomorrow. Agot Isidro, 28, has been in showbusiness for only three years but has already earned much success as a TV personality and as a recording artist. And if the number of fashion label endorsements were to be gauge, she can even claim to have achieved superstar status. The people behind innovative clothing lines such as The Black Shop, Sari-Sari, Her Bench and Guess U.S.A. can not be wrong. Once in 'Sang Linggo nAPO Sila, Agot wore a certain outfit from one of the labels sheendorsed. The very next day, that particular design was sold out. Whoever bought all those clothes must agree withus. However the word chic is defined, Agot's got it.

Because Agot is open to experimenting with new beauty techniques, she unconciously sets a trend in beauty and style. Women of all ages imitate her hairstyles, the way she dresses, they way she carries herself.
-Olive Isidro, Agot's sister and manager

AGOTCHA
Agot Isidro showbiz's "Crush ng Bayan," grows old to play Cute

Agot Isidro was not born beautiful. In fact, she was born downright ugly as a child. At least, that's what relatives and friends of the family thought.

Olive, Tina and Jeff, the oldest of the six Isidro children, were natural charmers. Natural, because their skin was white, their hair brown - a combination much valued in this country so enamored of all things Western. Thos who saw the three in, where the Isidros lived, almost always exclaimed, "Ay, mga anak ni Isidro, and ku-cute!"

Then there was Agot, the first of the dark-skinned Isidro's. "Ay,ang itim-itim naman ng batang 'yan, parang hindi ninyo kapatid," Olive remembers people saying. She believes the experience left emotional scars on Agot. "Tinutukso na, na-aagravate pa ng middle-child syndrome. Palagi siyang busangot noon. Alam mo, meron kaming family picture, lahat kami magkakapatid, naka-smile. Si Agot, gitnang-gitna pa naman siya, ayun, nakasimangot."

"Oo, may complex talaga ako noon." Agot admits. "And my relatives didn't make it easy for me. They were cruel. Ako kasi 'yung maitim na native-looking. Sila, maputi with mais hairdo. Ako 'yung black dot - payat na maitim. But," she pauses long enough to vogue, "look at me now."

Then talent manager Sandra Chavez offered her a temporary job as co-host of what was then known as Sa Linggo nAPO Sila, to stand in for the then - pregnant Melissa de Leon. At first, the agreement was that she'd stay for only three weeks. But she and the APO bunch clicked, and Agot was made a regular. "Exciting pala, enjoy pala," she found out. At last Agot had found a field to bloom. Suddenly, she was christened "Crush ng Bayan," certainly a major ego booster for a former ugly duckling. "Dati, she was very timid. Ngayon, may confidence na," says Olive, who is now Agot's career manager. Agot adds, "Eto na 'ko. Okey na 'ko. I've found it. Oo, I'm happy."

Her career - as Tv host, singer, actress - has given her many reasons to be happy. She has recorded two well-received albums that yielded the hit singles "Everyday" and "Sa Isip Ko" from Sa Isip Ko and "Beginning Today", from Hush. The solo concerts she's held at the Music Museum this year and last were sold out.

Agot is seated at the second floor of an Ortigas restaurant, relaxing after an episode of 'Sang Linggo nAPO Sila, where she has been a co-host for the past four years. The glamour girl which many movie watchers take Agot to be is not here. Instead, the woman is dressed in blue jeans and an orange tee, sipping a tumbler of strawberry milkshake. But the familiar cool confidence she projects on screen remains.

During the interview, she is vivacious and alive, often bursting out in giggles, sometimes at her own passable imitations of shobiz folks. In fact, the mood is so light you feel she is not saying anythin substantial. Only a reading of the interviiew's transcription changes your mind.

The transformation began four years ago. After receiving two degrees, one in interior design from the University of the Philippines and another in fashion merchandishing from the Fashion Institute of Technology New York, Agot could not find a job she would be happy with. Once in a while, she'd accompany her sisters Tina and Olive to do back-up singing for the Sharon Cuneta show. "I wasn't doing anything! I was bumming. I was a bum. Double degree tapos bum. Haha."

Since winning the Best New Actress trophy in the 1994 Star Awards, her performance opposite Philip Salvador in the action-drama Masahol Pa Sa Hayop, her acting career has inched closer to leading lady status. She is shooting a movie with comedian Dolphy. She is also has a non-exclusive three-picture deal with Star Cinema. On television, she is Aga Muhlach's love interest in the weekly sitcom Oki Doki Doc.

Agot's success may in large part be due to her clean, wholesome image, which has endeared her to the Filipino audience and, consequently, has made her a favorite product endorser of many companies.

But, last July 20, Agot celebrated her 30th birthday. That Agot has gotten too old to play cute is made more apparent by the fact that showbiz's latest Crush ng Bayan is actor Patrick Garcia of 11 years old. Agot and Olive feel that it's time to do a bit more growing up and a lot more exploring. "Siguro, hindi na ganun katagal niya mame-maintain 'yung sweet image niya. So she's expanding her range as a performer," says Olive.

Part of Agot's growth centers on her singing. She is now working on her thirda album, under BMG Records, to which she transferred after a falling out with Viva Records. Album number three will have an alternative bent. "This album is not gonna sound different, pero mas adventurous, mas may influence ng rock." she says.

But the sense of adventure stops when the camera's start to grind. It's a well-known fact at the ABS-CBN studios, where Agot is a contract star, that the woman will not do love scenes. "Pag may nagsasabi na 'Agot, may love scene dito, ha,' sasabihin ko, 'Really?' Uhm...I'll get back to you.' Tapos, isip, isip - pero I can't. I will not do it. I don't mind pictorials. Kahit kunan mo ako ng litrato na hanggang diyan (she indicates a low neckline), okey lang. Kasi hanggang diyan lang talaga 'yan. Kahit anong gawin nila, hindi nila makikita 'yung iba pa."

But exceptions to the rules always exist. Recently, Agot hopped into bed with her friend, actor Rowell Santiago, for an episode of Star Drama Presents Agot. "Nasa script 'yung scene, pero sinasabi ko dun sa PA (production assistant), 'Oy, ano 'tong halikan na 'to? Etching! Kasi alam nila na hindi ako gumagawa ng kissing scenes. Pero nung taping na, biglang sabi sa kin ni Rory Quintos," Agot pauses to adopt the serious mein of the director, "Agot, dito sa eksenang 'to, may kissing scene ka.' - alas tres na 'to ng umaga!"

Manager Olive got alarmed when she heard of that the scene had been shot. "Very picky kasi kami sa pagpili ng projects niya. Naka-stipulate palagi sa mga kontrata niya na bawal ang love scenes." But Agot told her that everything was fine.

Olive is quick to say that in ther relationship, Agot is the boss. "Very strong kasi ang personality ni Agot e. 'Yung decision-making is a join process. Hindi talaga ako agad makasagot sa isang project without first conferring with her."

Olive has found that Agot would usually say no to mall shoes ("Masyado siyang nadi-distract, and the malls don't usually provide enough security.") and lounge engagements ("Showbiz and training niya e. Feeling niya, lahat ng atensyon, dapat nasa kanya. Nakaka-distract nga namang kumanta na ang tao hindi nakikinig sa'yo.")

But Agot wouldn't dream of attracting the kind of attention bestowed on her friend, Sharong Cuneta. "I don't like, ayoko. I've seen her go through so much. For her, things really come to a choice between career and personal life. Grabe! Hindi ko kaya 'yun - people feasting on my personal life. 'Di ba? Hello! There are some I want to keep to myself.

One of those things she wants to keep private is the status of her relationship with actor Monsour del Rosario, with whom she is widely known to be having a tumultuous on-again, off-again affair. "We're working things out," is all she'll say.

It's been 11 years since Agot did an interview for Mod magazine, where she appeared as a cover, and said, "Of course, I'll get married by the age of 25." The crucial age has come and gone, and still Agot is single.

"Nung 29 naman ako, I said 'I'll definitely get married by 30.' Taposnung 30 na 'ko, panic - 'Kailangan na!" Agot goes on, "But when Mon and I broke up, and now that I'm 30, it really doesn't matter to me if I get married at 31, 32 or 33. Line of 3 na 'yun e." A tepid relationship makes for an Agot focused on career, family, and friendships, "I do better when I'm not involved, nang wala akong relationship," she says, "Hindi ko kasi ma-balance. 'Pag may boyfriend ako, parang 'wag na lang, hindi nalang ako chi-chika. Iniisip ko, puwede naman kasi akong manood na lang ng laser disc sa bahay kasama ang boyfirend ko. Ganun. Hindi ako pala-labas. 'Pag two to three days na tuloy-tuloy na show, sasabihin ko, ay parang ayoko, masyado ko siyang mami-miss."

Karen Araneta, Agot's personal assistant, quickly adds, "Pag wala naman siyang boyfriend, I"d go 'Agot, you wanna take this show?' Then she'd go, 'Yeah, I might as well, I've nothing to do naman. I've no boyfriend."

If the passong of two more years finds Agot still without a life partner then the woman will take a more active hand in the pursuit of personal happiness. She said, "At 32, sana my parents allow me to have a kid. If I have a husband by that time, fine. If not, sana bata, sana anak." Why doesn't Agot badly want a child of her own? "Wala, gusto ko lang makita ang itsura niya."