Where were you born? Where did you grow up?
I was born in Quiapo, Manila on July 16, 1968. I lived there till I was 9 years old and then we moved to Alcala, Cagayan where we stayed there until I finished high school and then we moved back to Quiapo early 1985.

Schooling? Art training?
I finished Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Major in Banking and Finance at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. I never had any formal art training. I just learned the tricks with the old artists in local comics before and by self- taught. 
One artist who taught me the basics was Nestor Malgapo. He taught me from basic anatomy to story-telling.

How long have you been working professionally in comics?
I started working in local comics way back 1990. That's 18 years.

What things -- both in art and otherwise -- have you worked on, besides comics? 
I had a short-lived experience in animation, where I worked as an in-betweener and a layout artist. I find animation job boring, so I stopped and went back to comics. 
I later landed a job doing children's books where I worked for three years.

Talk about how you broke into the business --was it easy? Hard? Ups? 
I had a very hard start in comics. Every editor rejected my samples before for a year but I really liked drawing comics, so that didn't stop me. I persisted, doing samples again and again, taking notes on every comments the editors threw at me until I got my first script in 1990. 
I was happy because an editor liked my work at last. I was lucky I think because my first script was a story I really liked working on.

Did you work as an assistant to any other artists? 
Yes. I sometimes work as layout assist for Carlo Pagulayan and Harvey Tolibao. It was a nice experience because I got to learn and honed my skills in illustrations.

How did your parents take to the idea of working in comics?
First, my father didn't want me to draw comics, because he thinks its just a waste of time. He wanted me to be a an accountant or a banker but those jobs are not my lines. 
I kept on insisting that I really want to draw comic books. He later supported me when he found out that I am doing well in my job.

How would you describe your workspace? Is it part of your home, or do you go "to the studio"?
My workspace is just a small table at home, in the kitchen. I am using a small 15 x 25 size ply- wood for my drawing board.

What job are you the proudest of? What's your most embarrassing?
My Tomo books. It is where I won bronze medal in the recent Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards. My most embarrassing project was Maze Agency. It was cancelled due to late schedule and did not do very well in the market.

What are you currently drawing? Comments on that project?
I’m currently working on a comic book called Contract. It’s still on drawing stage.

Talk about your family: Parents, siblings, home situation. Are you married? 
I grew up in a family who really loves reading comic books. My parents are now in the province. I have one brother who lives with me here in Manila.

What projects do you hope to work on in the future?
I really, really like to work on a Spider-Man title. And Daredevil.

Where do you see yourself in five years? ten?
I see myself working on a Spider-Man book ha ha! And by then, maybe I'm already living in the States.
 
What is the interest in comics where you live? Do friends and neighbors know you draw comics for a living? How do they react?
My neighbors only know I know how to draw, but not all of them know I am drawing comics. And hey, most of my friends are in comics too!

What's 1 thing you'll always find in your refrigerator?
Peanut butter.

What's your favorite food?
My mom's "nilagang baka" (Beef Stew).

What are your favorite interests --Movies? Music? TV? Any hobbies? Sports?
My hobbies are watching TV and eating. I like sampling every fast-food shops in Manila.

Have you ever thought of writing your own stories?
Yes. But it never went through because I'm not that good in words.

Ever been in a gang?
Nope.

What's an average day in your life like? Walk us through a typical day.
I wake up 5 in the morning, start drawing by 7 until 10, break until 1 pm and then start working again until 5 pm. I usually stop working by 6 because that's when I am getting hooked in TV. 

Any humorous or interesting anecdotes to tell about the comics business?
None.

Do you have any great, unsold projects in your files that nobody's gotten to see published?
Yes, I've got few superhero jobs in local comics that didn't materialized because the publisher can't go on anymore. So he just pulled the plug.

If you weren't a comic-book artist today, what would you be?
I’m a bank employee.

Have you taught comic-book art or had any assistants? 
No.

The single thing you'd most like to be remembered for in your life is...?
I’m a good guy.

Any closing words for your fans?
Keep working.

LIST OF CREDITS (as penciler): 
Maze Agency
Tomo
Contract (ongoing)
Two Philippine comicbook novels and short stories.

Layout Assist:
Planet Hulk
Marvel Adventures: Fantastic Four
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Red Sonja
Xena
.
Links:

I Was an Eighth-Grade Ninja has Won the Bronze Moonbeam Award