GMA Integrated News
  • last year
G na G nang makipagkuwentuhan kasama si Matteo Guidicelli sa latest episode ng Surprise Guest with Pia Arcangel!

Ano nga ba ang mga dapat abangan sa Black Rider? Kumusta ang pagiging bahagi ng UH Barkada? At paano nga ba nababalanse ni Matteo ang kaniyang oras sa dami ng kaniyang ginagawa? Stream na!

Stream Surprise Guest with Pia Arcangel on:

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/45XHKw2
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3QFs8ck
Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3MrTlwB
Transcript
00:00 [MUSIC]
00:02 Hi everyone! Surprise!
00:04 And welcome to a new episode of Surprise Guest with Pia Arcangel
00:07 where every episode is very exciting.
00:11 Because we don't know who our special guest is.
00:15 And for today, we will receive clues
00:19 to find out who our surprise guest is for today.
00:24 Okay, first, favorite guests.
00:26 I hope I can guess based on this.
00:28 Okay, first, her favorite food is bibingka,
00:32 lechon, and puso ng saging.
00:34 Her favorite words are
00:36 "bye", "kaun nata", "mayo buntag".
00:40 Oh, our guest is in the month of today, is that right?
00:42 Her favorite places are
00:44 Cart Zone, Oslob, Trattoria da Gianni.
00:48 Oh, I think I know who our surprise guest is.
00:51 Oh my, surprise guest, do I watch you every morning?
00:55 Okay, I have a guess who our guest is today.
00:58 Because she is from Cebu,
01:00 and we watch her every morning.
01:02 I feel like our guest today is none other than
01:05 Mateo Godichelli, am I right?
01:07 Mayong buntag, ma'am.
01:09 Oh, mayong buntag! Yes, I was right!
01:12 Mayong buntag! How are you, Mateo?
01:15 Okay, ma'am Pia. Good afternoon. How are you?
01:18 Good afternoon. I just came from Cebu.
01:21 Really?
01:22 It's really nice to go to Cebu, right?
01:23 Yes, it's really nice.
01:25 What did you do there? Vacation or for work?
01:27 No, for work. We had the GMA Master Class.
01:30 It was so much fun meeting all the Cebuanos.
01:33 It was so fun.
01:34 How about you? When was the last time you were in Cebu?
01:36 Oh wow, I was in Cebu.
01:38 Actually, I was in Cebu a few weeks ago.
01:40 We had an event.
01:41 But I only go back and forth,
01:43 maybe one or two days.
01:45 But this coming December, I will go back
01:47 because it's my grandmother's birthday.
01:48 So I must be there.
01:49 I was going to ask who are your family members
01:52 in Cebu?
01:53 I have cousins, grandmother,
01:56 and a few family members.
01:58 Cebu will always be home.
01:59 Are you in the city?
02:00 When you're in Cebu, are you in the city?
02:02 Yes, we're in the city, ma'am.
02:03 Cebu is small.
02:05 It's small.
02:06 So we're all there.
02:07 You know, Mateo,
02:08 it's not a confession,
02:09 but I have a story for you.
02:11 I'm sure you don't remember this,
02:13 but several years ago,
02:15 we were in Mactan.
02:16 And then, we were swimming on the beach.
02:18 Then I said,
02:19 "Wow, I think it's Mateo who's over there."
02:22 This was many, many years ago.
02:23 This was about 10 years ago.
02:25 My son was still small then.
02:26 And I told my husband,
02:28 "I think it's Mateo."
02:29 And then he looked at me and said,
02:32 "It's Mateo."
02:33 I said, "Oh my gosh."
02:34 And then later, he approached you.
02:36 And then you guys were talking.
02:38 Is he a Bisaya?
02:39 No.
02:40 He's not a Bisaya.
02:42 But I think he interviewed you for something
02:44 or you guys were together at an event at that time.
02:46 So you guys got to know each other.
02:48 And then my son told me,
02:50 "Why is he talking to Mateo?"
02:53 So I said to my husband when he came back,
02:55 "Bring us back. I want a picture with Mateo."
02:57 So we have a picture together actually
02:59 from a long, long ago.
03:00 That's nice.
03:01 That would be nice to see if you can find it.
03:03 I'll share it with you.
03:05 I still have it.
03:06 Of course, I posted it on Facebook.
03:08 That's good.
03:09 But Mateo, now I heard that you're very busy
03:12 with your taping.
03:13 Are you on the set right now?
03:15 Yes, actually we're here.
03:16 We're in Malabon actually.
03:18 We're shooting for a new upcoming teleserie
03:21 here at GMA, of course.
03:23 It's called "Black Rider."
03:24 Who else is with you here?
03:25 Ruru, right?
03:26 Yes, Ruru is our lead.
03:28 From Madrid is here, Yassie Pressman,
03:31 Raymart Santiago, Gary Estrada.
03:34 There are a lot of great artists.
03:36 I'm very, very happy to be here
03:38 because it's an action drama series
03:40 that's coming out this coming November.
03:42 Oh, it's almost here.
03:44 It's almost here, Ma'am.
03:45 That's why their shooting is a bit tight.
03:48 Our location is a bit difficult here
03:50 because it's a bit tight.
03:51 Before you can enter the set,
03:54 you have to ride a little boat
03:56 to go to the set.
03:57 So it's a bit challenging.
03:58 But it's fun.
03:59 It's an experience.
04:00 Wow. Okay.
04:01 So you have to get on the boat
04:02 and pack all your stuff.
04:04 Yes.
04:05 All your staff and everything,
04:07 they have to stay here by the tent area.
04:09 When we're at our location,
04:11 just the two of us,
04:12 the cameraman, director, and co-actors.
04:14 The set is a bit complicated.
04:16 But it's an experience.
04:18 Wait.
04:19 When you say "Black Rider,"
04:20 does that mean you're going to
04:22 ride a big bike on the show?
04:24 Is that why you're called that?
04:26 Actually, the whole story of "Black Rider,"
04:29 Black Rider is the one and the only
04:31 Ruru Madrid.
04:32 He's Black Rider.
04:34 He's like a vigilante.
04:36 So the role I play,
04:38 his name is Paeng Policarpio.
04:40 He is Ruru Madrid's younger brother.
04:43 We were both born in Cebu.
04:44 We came from a simple family,
04:45 a simple life.
04:46 Then we moved here to Manila.
04:48 He became a delivery driver for motorcycles.
04:51 His name is Viajero,
04:52 food delivery.
04:53 I became a police officer.
04:55 My father was a police officer.
04:58 My father became a general,
04:59 a police chief.
05:01 I just followed in his footsteps.
05:03 So I became a police officer too.
05:05 And then in the story,
05:06 I help Ruru here
05:08 with his cases.
05:09 Ruru is a bit of a bad boy here.
05:11 He's an action star, of course.
05:13 He would fight on the streets.
05:14 He would punch people.
05:15 So I'm his police friend,
05:16 his best friend.
05:17 I always protect him.
05:19 I always help him.
05:20 And then one day,
05:21 a big tragedy happens
05:24 to Ruru Madrid's family.
05:25 As a police officer and best friend,
05:27 I'm in charge of solving the problem,
05:29 the case.
05:30 So most of your scenes,
05:31 you two are together.
05:33 Sometimes, Ruru and I,
05:34 or sometimes my father is with us.
05:36 Gary Estrada, he's the chief of police.
05:38 And then we're the officer in charge
05:40 in the precinct,
05:42 Raymart Santiago.
05:43 So sometimes, half-half,
05:45 half-and-half.
05:46 I heard you have a special guest
05:48 in Black Rider.
05:50 He told me before he did the taping
05:52 that he will be your guest.
05:54 Who, ma'am?
05:55 None other than Miss Susan Enriquez.
05:57 Oh, that's so funny.
05:59 She's the most important guest, ma'am.
06:03 Was that supposed to be a surprise?
06:05 It's not a surprise, right?
06:06 It's not.
06:07 It's a surprise, but this happened
06:08 a few months ago during our pilot week.
06:11 We texted Miss Susan
06:13 in the first line,
06:15 "Matt, we have a taping.
06:17 I texted you."
06:18 "Yes, I have a taping for Black Rider."
06:20 "Okay, go there."
06:21 So she did the taping.
06:23 No, Miss Susan,
06:24 that's an award-winning.
06:25 Not only a journalist,
06:27 a broadcaster, but also an artist.
06:29 Really?
06:30 She's an award-winning artist?
06:32 No, it's crazy.
06:34 The nuances, the movements,
06:36 it's like she's on a train to Juilliard.
06:39 What's her role?
06:41 Is she a reporter?
06:43 She's a reporter, too.
06:44 Oh, okay.
06:46 So she's really in charge of the role.
06:48 No, she really challenged herself.
06:50 Because she's a reporter,
06:51 everyone thinks that Miss Susan Enriquez is really good.
06:54 But no, she changed it.
06:55 It's not Miss Susan Enriquez.
06:57 She really made her own characteristics,
07:00 and made her own movements.
07:02 It's not Miss Susan.
07:03 It's really sad.
07:04 Wow, it's really sad.
07:06 Oh, wow.
07:07 Watch it, ma'am.
07:08 I need to watch that.
07:10 It's like she's in a drama,
07:12 she's in action, she's riding a motorcycle,
07:14 she jumped off the balcony,
07:15 she jumped off the corner.
07:16 Wow, I can't say everything.
07:18 I can't imagine.
07:19 And she agreed, huh?
07:21 She agreed.
07:22 Ma'am, actually,
07:23 the instructions from the director are very simple.
07:25 Because, of course,
07:26 Miss Susan Enriquez is a veteran journalist, etc.
07:29 But when she was on set,
07:30 she said, "What double?
07:32 I don't need a double.
07:33 I'll jump."
07:34 When I went under the car,
07:36 she did everything.
07:37 It's not Miss Susan.
07:39 Wow, that's great.
07:40 Maybe she was inspired
07:41 because she was with you, Ruru.
07:44 No, we were all inspired by her.
07:46 We were all inspired by her, ma'am.
07:47 Because, really, it's not Miss Susan.
07:50 She even did sandow,
07:51 she did short shorts, she's so good.
07:53 Okay, that's where I got my eyes on,
07:57 in the short shorts.
07:59 Yes, action star,
08:00 like a tomb raider in the Philippines.
08:02 Wait, does she have a belt here?
08:04 She has a belt with two bullets.
08:06 Two bullets, two bullets in the back.
08:09 You know, Mateo,
08:10 I don't know if this is true or you're just kidding me.
08:14 Just watch it, ma'am, in November.
08:16 I'll be waiting for that.
08:18 You mentioned earlier, Mateo,
08:19 that your scenes are really very action-filled
08:22 and action-packed.
08:24 I would imagine that
08:25 you also have a lot of bloopers.
08:27 Yes, of course, me too.
08:29 Or a lot of takes.
08:30 Me, Ruru, Ruru is really good.
08:32 They're all good.
08:33 Me, ma'am, I'm really a mess.
08:34 That's why, you know,
08:36 sometimes my tongue gets hard, ma'am.
08:40 And I get a bit of a hangover, you know?
08:42 I guess it's part of it.
08:43 I tell them already in advance, guys,
08:45 "I'm sorry, I'm a mess."
08:47 Ruru Madrid, because I have a little story to mention.
08:51 My first day here in Black Rider,
08:53 when I worked with him,
08:54 and first day to work with Direk Cromel.
08:56 Direk Cromel, first scene,
08:58 he called everybody all together
08:59 and we prayed, right?
09:00 He said, "Okay, first scene, let's pray first."
09:03 "Ruru, you pray."
09:04 Then Ruru and I sat next to each other.
09:06 When we started the prayer,
09:07 me and Father Sanjul,
09:09 Ruru initiated the prayer.
09:12 "Ruru Madrid is so deep, ma'am."
09:14 "No, it's different."
09:16 The whole time he was praying,
09:17 I just looked at him.
09:19 And then later, we shared the same dressing room.
09:21 And I asked him, "Bro, I just want to know,
09:24 why are you so fluent and so deep in Tagalog?"
09:26 And not only that,
09:27 "Why was your prayer so deep?"
09:29 The only person I heard praying that deep
09:31 was Rico J. Puno.
09:32 Rico J. Puno? Really?
09:33 When did you pray together with Rico J. Puno?
09:36 We prayed a lot together.
09:38 We had a noontime show before.
09:43 We spent a lot of good time with Rico before.
09:46 He may have been very green on stage,
09:49 a comedian,
09:50 but he was a very prayerful man.
09:52 And anyways, he reminded me so much of Rico.
09:55 "Bro, you're so deep.
09:57 Your Tagalog is so deep,
09:58 and your prayer is so deep.
09:59 Why are you so deep in Tagalog?
10:00 Why are you so deep in prayer?"
10:02 I said, "Bro, because I'm a member of the Church.
10:04 This is how I grew up."
10:06 "So deep. So deep.
10:07 That's good. That's good."
10:08 It was very shocking for me to realize that on Ruru.
10:11 But it's nice that you incorporate prayer also in the set.
10:14 Because, of course,
10:15 that's one way of bonding together with everybody, right?
10:18 Yes, yes.
10:19 I think that was very important to always, you know,
10:21 begin and end work with prayer.
10:24 You know, we have to be guided in some way.
10:26 No one falls off a boat, right?
10:29 You said earlier that you guys travel back and forth on a boat.
10:32 Not yet. Not yet.
10:33 Because I'm sure that people don't want to fall off.
10:35 They might get sick if they fall off.
10:37 Is the trip on a boat long?
10:40 Like more than 10 minutes?
10:41 No, not really.
10:42 About 100 meters.
10:43 About 200 meters.
10:44 Ah, okay. But you really have to make it through.
10:46 Yes, yes. You have to make it through.
10:47 Because I crossed the water.
10:49 Oh, so, Mateo, this is your first drama for GMA, right?
10:53 Yes, yes.
10:54 What's it like on the set of your first drama for GMA?
10:56 You know, I'm very thankful, first of all, to GMA for opening their doors here.
11:00 I signed up with GMA News and Public Affairs.
11:03 This is my first tele-set here.
11:04 And I'm very happy because the people here are very nice, ma'am.
11:07 All of them are nice.
11:08 Our EPs, APs, PAs, all of them.
11:10 They're very, very nice.
11:11 You know, it's the same set.
11:13 It's a set. It's a shooting set, etc.
11:15 But the people, the vibe is just different.
11:17 Obviously, there's a lot of pros and cons, challenges here and there.
11:21 But at the end of the day, what's important is a positive set.
11:24 And a set that moves forward.
11:26 And a good director that can guide us and lead us.
11:28 I'm very happy that we have Ruru and all these other guys.
11:32 They make everything so much lighter and so much nicer.
11:36 And our director, of course, Director Romel.
11:39 He was the director also of Ruru for Lolong.
11:41 So, it's my first time working with him also.
11:43 So, very nice, man. Very nice.
11:45 Was there any kind of adjustment that you had to go through?
11:48 Because I imagine it's like transferring to a new school or a new office.
11:54 Of course, you already know the others because it's the same industry.
11:57 You just met the others.
11:59 Yeah, I mean, like a new school, I guess you can say that,
12:01 "Hello, hi. My name is Mateo. How are you?"
12:04 Getting to know each other.
12:05 I guess it's like that.
12:07 But it's a good and nice school.
12:09 Everybody's very nice in this school.
12:14 Again, when you're taping, when you're on location,
12:18 it comes with its different challenges, conflicts here and there.
12:21 But I guess it's part of work.
12:23 It's part of the excitement of show business and excitement of being in a teleserye set.
12:28 You're so busy. That's why my mom missed you in the first episode.
12:32 Ma'am, I really missed Tita Susan.
12:36 Tita Susan only.
12:40 You only missed Tita Susan.
12:42 Of course, all of them.
12:44 They're all so beautiful.
12:46 UH is beautiful, ma'am.
12:48 I'm blessed to be part of that family.
12:51 To be surrounded with such talented people.
12:54 I mean, I think you guys are a different breed.
12:57 You guys are just something else.
13:00 You're very admirable.
13:01 The professionalism you guys have and the way you guys talk to the camera,
13:05 speak in front of the camera, read the news.
13:08 It's different. It's very mind-blowing.
13:11 It's very nice to see.
13:12 I'm lucky to be part of that.
13:14 But you know what, Mate?
13:15 It's so nice to see you every morning.
13:17 It's so fun when you cook, Ate Sue,
13:20 or when you talk.
13:22 We all laugh.
13:24 Is that so, ma'am?
13:26 Yes.
13:27 On the days that I wake up early,
13:29 of course, I'm the first to cook.
13:31 Wow.
13:32 But of course, it's harder now because we have air-raid until 11 o'clock at night.
13:37 11.30.
13:39 So it's a bit harder.
13:41 But of course, I see it online if I don't see it live on TV.
13:45 I'm happy. I'm so happy.
13:47 I got to meet Tita Susan, and of course, Sir Egan, and Boss Ivan, and Maurice,
13:53 and everybody over there.
13:55 They're very nice to be with, like to work with.
13:57 There's so many lessons that I learned from them.
14:00 It's a good experience.
14:02 But Mateo, before you became a host and an actor,
14:06 what is it that you were doing?
14:08 Because you joined a little later on.
14:10 Some people join the industry at a very young age.
14:13 How old were you when you joined?
14:16 I actually joined around 15 years old.
14:18 You were still young.
14:20 Yeah.
14:21 But it was an in-and-out thing.
14:23 My parents really wanted me to finish my studies first.
14:26 Initially, going back to my career,
14:28 I started my career 11 years old as a go-kart driver in Cebu.
14:33 I started 11 years old.
14:35 Every weekend, we were here in Manila because all the careers were here in Manila.
14:39 In Carmona, Batanga, Clark.
14:41 My family said, "You know, might as well let's migrate the family to Manila."
14:45 So I was this innocent kid from Cebu, provincial kid,
14:49 moving to Manila with the whole family.
14:52 It was a good experience.
14:54 I met my manager, my first manager then.
14:57 His name was Joji Dincong.
14:59 We initially got a manager because my ultimate goal was to become the first Filipino in Formula 1.
15:07 That was the ultimate goal because we were the first Filipinos to enter Formula 1.
15:11 The goal was to become the first Filipino in Formula 1.
15:14 So that was the road.
15:15 We were racing every day.
15:17 I had a lot of excuses at school.
15:19 I was exempted here.
15:21 They understood.
15:23 My manager then said, "I will help you get endorsements."
15:27 That was the point.
15:29 I wanted to get endorsements so we would be known as racers,
15:32 so we can get sponsorship, etc.
15:34 Because racing is a very expensive sport.
15:36 So it was like that.
15:37 Then one day, he said, "Matt, I think you need to enter the show business so you can really get known."
15:42 I said, "But, Joji, that's not my route."
15:45 "It's okay to endorse products, to do modeling here and there,
15:47 but my focus is to become the first Filipino in Formula 1."
15:50 Anyways, cut to, there was a show in ABS-CBN called Go, Cada, Go!
15:55 It was a sitcom.
15:56 He placed me there as a young racer, Bisaya, who doesn't know Tagalog.
16:01 So I enjoyed it.
16:02 That was the time, junior, senior year of high school.
16:05 That was the time when we were going to apply to colleges.
16:09 So we were applying for schools, etc.
16:12 I was accepted to a school in Chicago.
16:15 It's a performing arts school called Columbia College.
16:17 So I continued my musical theater there.
16:19 I left here and went there.
16:21 I was homesick.
16:22 I said, "What is this?"
16:23 When I came back, my career really started to fully stream.
16:27 I did a show called Agua Bendita with Andy Eigenman.
16:30 And then I said, "I'll go 100% in the show business."
16:33 I said, "It's hard to dream of being the first Filipino in Formula 1
16:38 because our market here in the Philippines,
16:41 we don't have that big, large market that accepts or supports Formula 1."
16:47 Formula 1 is a very niche sport.
16:49 It's very expensive.
16:51 We didn't have corporations that could sponsor that large amount of money to a driver, etc.
16:57 Not just that, but the level of competition here in the Philippines
17:00 was also lower than competing in Europe.
17:05 For example, here, I was always in the top 3, top 5, 1, 2, 3.
17:09 When I came to Europe, when I came to Italy, I was lucky to be in the top 50.
17:14 So the level of competition was very, very large.
17:18 It was very difficult.
17:20 But I kept up and I pursued show business 100%.
17:23 But the whole time that you were doing, I mean, when you were doing go-karting,
17:28 of course, go-karting because you were still young, you couldn't drive yet, right?
17:32 So go-karting is the usual route.
17:34 Yeah, go-karting is the fundamentals, the grassroots of any motorsport.
17:38 So all your big drivers today, Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, everybody,
17:43 they all started from karts.
17:45 And some still race karts.
17:47 And then they moved to touring cars, etc.
17:49 I moved to touring cars also, but the fundamentals is really karting.
17:53 All of them are great karters.
17:55 Okay, so that's where you start.
17:57 You were just a kid.
17:58 Yeah.
17:59 But wait, I didn't know that you went, that you studied.
18:02 What was it that you studied abroad?
18:03 Theater and music?
18:05 Yeah, I studied musical theater.
18:07 Musical theater.
18:08 Yeah, I did this in Chicago, a school called Columbia College.
18:11 So I lived in Chicago for 3 years.
18:14 How old were you when you went to Chicago?
18:17 2008, right after high school.
18:20 So was that your first taste of independence?
18:23 You know, growing up, racing, my parents would take me to Italy,
18:26 leave me there for a month or two to really immerse with the racing teams there.
18:31 I was a mechanic there.
18:33 I lived in the racing teams for 1-2 months.
18:36 So that was the first taste of independence.
18:38 But long-term, like 2-3-4 years, yeah, first time in college.
18:43 Wait, this is so interesting.
18:44 I have so many questions to ask.
18:46 I'm going to try and pack it all in.
18:48 So wait, how old were you when you were left in Italy for 1-2 months?
18:51 You were working as a mechanic.
18:54 I was 15, 16, 17, that range.
18:57 And when you say that you were a mechanic for the team,
18:59 you really had a screw and you would fix the wheels?
19:04 Yeah, yeah, yeah.
19:05 Because here in the Philippines, when we would race, we have a big team.
19:10 A big team, mechanics, etc.
19:12 But there in Europe, it's you, the mechanic, your father, or your team, and then you.
19:17 You also have to tighten the wheels, know how to remove the tires, tire pressure, etc.
19:22 So that's why my dad wanted to send me there.
19:24 I wasn't just sitting there.
19:26 That was the difference with race car drivers here and there.
19:30 The Europeans, they knew how to dismantle their engines,
19:34 they knew how to set up things, they knew how to get their hands dirty.
19:38 I lived there for a month or two in this racing team.
19:42 And then during the weekends, we would travel to different cities in Italy,
19:46 Lago di Garda, different cities every week.
19:50 And during the week, we would base in a small town in Milan,
19:54 our garage, where I would cut bolts, clean the sides, and all that.
20:00 Wow! So, Mateo, if we could flatten the wheels, can we call you?
20:05 No, Ma'am. Just bring an extra one.
20:08 Just bring an extra wheel.
20:12 Yes, an extra wheel.
20:13 The replacement.
20:14 Yes.
20:15 But then, you said, from being so passionate and so into your racing and all that,
20:21 you decided to go for your career in musical theater.
20:26 Did you have to audition to get into Columbia College?
20:30 [music]
20:34 Interesting topics and insightful conversations
20:38 with one of the country's veteran and most award-winning journalists,
20:42 Javi Severino.
20:44 The Javi Severino Podcast was hailed as one of Spotify's best new podcasts
20:50 and has consistently been one of the top Philippine podcasts since its launch.
20:56 The Javi Severino Podcast new episodes streams every Thursday on major streaming platforms.
21:04 You said, from being so passionate and so into your racing and all that,
21:12 you decided to go for your career in musical theater.
21:17 Did you have to audition to get into Columbia College?
21:20 Yes, typical, Ma'am. You have to send your applications, your audition tapes, etc.
21:26 All these things.
21:27 They accepted me and Papa and Mama always said, "Mat, I want you to finish first."
21:32 So I did that. I flew right away. I was so homesick, by the way, in Chicago.
21:36 And Chicago is super cold.
21:38 They're super cold in Chicago.
21:39 As in, a different kind of cold.
21:41 But it's a great experience in Chicago.
21:43 I'll never forget that time in Chicago.
21:46 Building new friends, having roommates, getting to know strangers, living independently.
21:52 College life, in a way. Very, very different.
21:54 I appreciate it and I loved every moment.
21:57 So were you able to finish your course in Chicago?
22:00 No, I left after third year. I came back home to pursue full-time show business.
22:06 Because some of my classmates there, they were already performing.
22:10 They would perform in Disneyland. They would audition for TV shows here and there.
22:14 But I couldn't because I had a student visa. I did not have a working visa.
22:18 I could illegally, but of course, if we get caught, it's a bigger problem.
22:24 So I just endured it. I said, "Papa, I want to go home. I want to go full-blast show business."
22:29 I came home and Mr. M and Tita Mariel, back then called Star Magic, got me under their wing.
22:35 And they said, "Mateo, we have a soap for you. It's called Agua Bendita with Andy Eigenman."
22:39 I remember that show. That was your first show.
22:42 At that time, I thought you had done a few shows by the time you did that.
22:45 I doubled in some other shows, in ABS-CBN, some afternoon shows.
22:49 But I think this was my first prime time teleserie.
22:53 This is great. Since then, how many years has it been since you started in show business here in the Philippines?
23:01 Almost 18 years, I guess.
23:03 Oh, you were already pushed by two hands.
23:06 Because you don't look like you're 18 years old.
23:12 Wow.
23:13 Wow, I'm so amazed. Your talents are very varied.
23:19 And it's not just something you happen to do, but something you happen to excel in.
23:25 Your career in sports, and now as an actor, as an artist, you also sing.
23:30 And then aside from that, you're also a reservist, right? You're also an officer.
23:36 Yes, ma'am.
23:37 With the army?
23:38 Filipino army, yeah.
23:39 What made you decide to become an army reservist or to apply as an army reservist officer?
23:45 I always tell everybody when they ask this, it's always a child's little guy's dream to be in the army.
23:51 Growing up watching Rambo movies, Sylvester Stallone movies, all these things with my dad.
23:58 The opportunity just came in life. In my experience, yes, you can plan out your route,
24:04 you can plan out what you want to do, where you want to go.
24:06 But just sometimes when you keep an open mind, you keep the universe just open,
24:11 doors will just open here and there.
24:13 Unplanned things just happen and you just enter right away.
24:17 You have nothing to lose.
24:18 I guess I was in that stage of my life four years ago.
24:22 Four years ago, I liked doing crazy things. I liked jumping out of airplanes and doing these things.
24:28 One time, my first jump, we were in Pampanga and my friend took us there skydiving.
24:35 It was my first jump, my first solo jump.
24:37 The people I was with jumping in that plane, they were all army people, special forces and rangers.
24:44 They all invited me to come to the camp and visit the camp.
24:47 One ranger said, "Matt, come here. We're here at Camp Texon, Bulacan, the first scout ranger regiment."
24:53 Of course, ranger, special forces, no way.
24:56 A week after that, I visited the ranger camp in Camp Texon, Bulacan.
25:02 They gave us a tour and I loved it. I was like, "Wow, this is real Rambo stuff. These are soldiers."
25:08 Me, being a normal citizen, a normal Filipino, a normal kid, I was really in awe with these soldiers.
25:16 I knew the meaning of what a soldier was, but I really didn't know the core of what a soldier was, of what a soldier did.
25:27 So I said to the commanding general, he was there, he was touring us around.
25:30 I said, "Sir, what are those people who are always running?"
25:34 He said, "Ah Matt, those guys are in ranger school."
25:37 I said, "Oh wow, I was really amazed."
25:39 I was like, "Sir, how is that? How did they become rangers?"
25:42 He said, "Ah Matt, you have to do this first. You have to do this 45-day course.
25:45 And then if you pass that, you can do the regular six-month course, etc. You become a ranger."
25:50 A ranger is the hardest military training in the AFP.
25:53 I was so engrossed with this story. I said, "In my mind, I want to be a ranger."
25:58 So I said, "Sir, can I join that?"
26:00 He said, "Oh, sure, sure." Jokingly and spontaneously.
26:03 I said, "Oh, sure, sure."
26:04 Obviously, he thought it was a joke also, but my joke was half-meant.
26:09 I went home and I told my dad, "What if I join the military?"
26:12 He said, "Mateo, you're crazy."
26:14 I just signed up with VIVA Management then and everything was going well.
26:19 I started my career again, etc.
26:21 "Mateo, no, what are you doing?"
26:23 I said, "I really want to join the army. I think this opportunity does not come around often.
26:28 I was offered the joints."
26:30 So I went back to the ranger school the week after and I told General Gonzales,
26:35 "Sir, I really want to join. How is this?"
26:38 Again, with a nervous laughter, he said, "Mateo, wait.
26:41 There are no civilians or artists who have joined our schooling yet."
26:46 I said, "But sir, you invited me. You said it's possible. How is this?"
26:51 So it started a little discussion in the army community.
26:56 Why is a civilian or even an artist joining this not a normal reservist course or a regular reservist course?
27:07 I said, "It's actually the ranger course."
27:09 At that time, the spokesperson of the Philippine Army, his name was Colonel Zagala.
27:14 He's the aide of the president now. He's the head of the PSG now.
27:17 He was the spokesperson of the Philippine Army.
27:19 I met him and he was a very forward-thinking officer.
27:22 He was saying, "Mateo, I think this is a good opportunity to start bridging the gap of our civilians to the army
27:28 and army to civilians because the army, everybody knows it's a very close organization.
27:34 They don't like really sharing what they have, what they do, etc.
27:37 It's very close. It's very mysterious."
27:39 So I think that time in the AFP, they wanted to start building the gap.
27:42 That's when they were starting to even open social media to the public, etc.
27:46 Building CMOs, civil military operations with the people.
27:50 So I think it was a good time for me to join and for me to promote the Philippine Army also.
27:55 But I did not think about anything of that. I just wanted to be there.
27:58 Am I talking too much?
28:00 No, I'm so interested. I'm so caught up in all your stories.
28:03 You lasted 45 days.
28:05 So General said, "Okay, Mat, before you enter here, you have to sign this, you have to sign that
28:10 because we also have a casualty here.
28:12 So you have to also join the army. You cannot join the active route.
28:19 You stay here in the reserve route because you are on active duty when you enter."
28:23 So I went to the reserve command. I signed up. I did what we had to do.
28:28 I took all the tests, the APSAT, I did everything, all the requirements.
28:31 So I came in as a private and then they placed me into a provisionary second lieutenant.
28:35 And they said, "Mat, okay, you're going to come in May."
28:38 They said, "Mat, okay, you're going to join the Philippine Military Academy Scout Ranger Orientation course this coming May."
28:45 Because this course is a prerequisite also for the PMAers before they graduate.
28:50 So it's a 45-day course, Scout Ranger Orientation course.
28:54 So anyways, okay, I was excited. I told everyone, "Mahappa, Sarah, I'm going to do this."
28:58 But they all said no. BOSVIC said no. Everybody said no.
29:00 Are you guys crazy?
29:01 Who said no?
29:02 All of them. Mahappa, Sarah, and BOSVIC.
29:06 BOSVIC said, "Mat, I can make you an action star. You don't have to be a soldier."
29:11 So I told him, "You know, boss, it's not about being an action star or anything.
29:14 It's about going through this. I don't think this opportunity is given to a lot of people.
29:19 It's open to me. I will take this and I will go in there 100 percent."
29:22 So they said, "Mat, okay, you have a condition. When you go in there, I want you to shoot a documentary there inside."
29:28 So again, this stirred up a different conversation with the Philippine Army, bringing cameras inside.
29:33 But again, they agreed because they wanted to promote the Army also.
29:36 So weeks after, boom, I went in, in Camp Texan, Bulacan, with my pack and everything, and I was ready to go.
29:44 And my mindset was, "I'm fit. I'm a triathlete. I run. I swim. I bike. I'm hard. Let's go. Let's do this."
29:51 And I remember one officer said, "Mat, five days. Take a break. You're done. Five days. You're done."
29:56 I said, "No, sir. We're strong here. No problem."
29:59 Ma'am, the third day, I broke down in tears and lost myself already.
30:04 I didn't even reach five days. The third day, I just was so emotional. I was so drained.
30:11 And from that day, the third day, that just changed my life.
30:14 I looked around me and I saw these young Philippine Military Academy students.
30:21 They were so hard. They were so mentally strong, physically strong.
30:25 And I asked them, "Why am I the only one crying here? Why aren't you crying?"
30:29 I said, "Mat, we've been through this. We've been here for four years. We were in Puebo four years ago. We've been through this."
30:34 So I got so much inspiration from them.
30:36 And after one week, I climatized. I understood the whole situation.
30:40 I was living in the moment.
30:42 Different officers and my classmates, my squadmates, were giving me different tips on how to take each day, treat every day like a new day, day by day.
30:50 They were giving me tips on how to tackle every day.
30:52 And boom, I did. There were so many subjects that I did not understand because I did not have a military background.
30:59 But I would always get remedial classes or extra classes from the officers because I'd tell them,
31:04 "Sir, nobody's taught me how to dismantle an M4 or nobody's taught me how to read a manual compass or nobody's taught me how to do map reading.
31:11 Can you teach this to me, please? Because these PMAs already know how to do it. I don't."
31:16 So I did. I did. I took extra lessons there. After class, they would teach me.
31:19 And after the whole 45 days, I enjoyed every moment of it. When I graduated, I did not want to leave.
31:24 I loved it. I built this camaraderie with these boys and these men and females there.
31:28 It was really an unbreakable bond.
31:31 My appreciation, my respect for each and every soldier that is in the Philippine Army or in the whole FPB.
31:36 It's really on a different level.
31:38 My understanding of why a soldier is a soldier, why a soldier fights for their country, why a soldier stands strong is just a different level.
31:46 Why a soldier sacrifices, what kind of sacrifice they go through.
31:50 I have a lot of soldier friends now.
31:51 But I always tell myself and I always tell them, "Guys, I know I'll never be like you. It's impossible.
31:56 My line of profession is just so different. But I'm here to tell your story.
32:01 I'm here to represent you the best way I can. I'm here to stand by you."
32:05 That's my advocacy now for the whole Army, for the AFB.
32:09 That's amazing, Mateo.
32:11 Is it like in the movies where we see you wake up in the middle of the night and you run around?
32:17 While you're chatting, you're like, "We're up on the top of the mountain."
32:22 While you're jogging.
32:24 Oh, I guess it's similar.
32:26 Obviously, boot camp, they really rip out your ego.
32:31 What you know, they strip you out of everything and they rebuild your character.
32:36 It was an experience. It was an experience that nothing can replay that or nothing can buy that.
32:42 It was something extraordinary.
32:45 So, it's like physical and academic training because you said there are classes.
32:49 I thought it was all just physical training.
32:52 No, it comes with academics also.
32:54 Ranger training. The rangers specialize in guerrilla warfare, jungle warfare.
32:59 You can put them in the jungle, they can survive.
33:02 And they know they have the best tactics and everything.
33:04 So, that comes with physical training.
33:06 For example, our day would look like 3 in the morning, we would wake up.
33:09 3 to 5, we would be running and exercising.
33:12 5 to 6, we'd be eating.
33:14 And then 6 to 7, maybe if our ranger instructor would be kind enough, he would make us shower and wash our clothes.
33:20 And then around 8 to 11, we're in the classroom learning military tactics, map reading, first aid, all these different military schoolings.
33:29 And then from 11 to 12, before we have lunch or before we have mess, we call it mess, we have another exercise session.
33:36 And then from 1 to 4, class again.
33:40 And then 4 to 5, before dinner, we have another exercise session.
33:43 And then dinner. And then from dinner to midnight or to 1 in the morning, we have exercise.
33:50 And just literally mental and physical torture.
33:53 How long is your sleep?
33:56 1 to 3 hours.
33:59 If you're out there in the actual situation, you can't sleep for 8 hours, right?
34:05 Yeah, yeah.
34:06 They really deprive you of everything.
34:08 Your sleep, your willingness to do what you want to do.
34:12 They really deprive you of everything and see if you lose control of yourself.
34:16 Wow, and 45 days.
34:17 So, I remember seeing the video clips of your graduation.
34:20 And when we saw you on TV, we were like, "Wow, Mateo really cried." And you were really super chiseled, right?
34:27 Yes, ma'am.
34:28 And your uniform. And that was the first time you saw Sarah and your family in 45 days, at the ceremony?
34:33 Sarah and my family visited in the middle of schooling.
34:36 They were granted access to come in the middle of schooling.
34:39 And that's when my mom saw me for the first time.
34:41 She started crying and everything.
34:43 And then I was like, "Ma, don't cry because if you start crying, I'll cry here too."
34:46 And then Sarah saw me also. And Sarah saw we gave them a little tour of our facility, of our tent city.
34:55 And then Sarah saw it and she was like, "You're sleeping there, love? Let's go home. What's that?"
35:00 Sarah is so sweet. She's going to tease you.
35:04 So, after that, 45 days after when we graduated, they came again.
35:09 And it was very nice because it was a bittersweet moment because I knew I wasn't going to see my classmates again.
35:15 So, I was crying again there. I was very emotional.
35:17 I said, "Thank you for the bond."
35:19 It was a bittersweet moment. I did not want to go home, but I wanted to go home.
35:24 It was a nice experience.
35:26 Wait, at that time, you were not married yet, right?
35:29 Were you married already?
35:30 Not yet.
35:31 Okay. Not yet engaged?
35:32 Was Raf engaged at that time?
35:34 Raf is really good at answering everything.
35:36 I think not yet.
35:41 So, you said your mom cried. Did Sarah cry when she saw you?
35:46 I don't remember if she cried, but I asked her, "Napaawa, siyempre. Napaawa ko sa gulog. Hindi ka ba naawa sa akin? Hindi ka ba naumiyang?"
35:54 She said, "Bakit naman maawa ko sa akin? Gusto mo yan."
35:57 She has a point.
36:00 But you know, I loved every moment of it.
36:05 And that year, actually, my military training did not stop there.
36:08 After my ranger schooling, I went into CMO schooling, or civil military operation.
36:14 That's more classroom type.
36:16 And then I did my airborne. That was back in the field again in Fort Magsaysay.
36:22 So, I had two years of being active and it was good. I wasn't married yet, so I could do it.
36:29 Are you still in touch with any of your batchmates, classmates?
36:35 Yeah, I'm all of them actually. Most of them, they're all assigned. They're all second lieutenants also.
36:40 And right now, they're all young officers, all assigned in different parts of the country.
36:44 What's your official title? Your official name?
36:48 Second Lieutenant Mateo Goduchelli.
36:51 Oh, wow. Second Lieutenant Mateo Goduchelli.
36:54 So, Sarah, would you call her Mrs. Second Lieutenant Mateo Goduchelli?
37:00 No, no, no.
37:02 I thought you have that as a wife.
37:05 But she must have been so proud of you on graduation day.
37:10 I hope so. I hope so. Sarah's always there. She's very supportive in all the endeavors.
37:15 The only thing she's not supportive in doing is jumping out of airplanes.
37:20 She says, "Love, stop doing that. Stop doing that."
37:23 So, what I do when I land, that's when I call her, "Love, I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but we just landed."
37:30 She's not angry.
37:32 She's angry, but there's nothing I can do. The battle is over.
37:35 The important thing is that you called her and told her the truth. You told her.
37:40 Yes, of course. You always have to be honest because if not, we'll be in trouble.
37:45 But I'm sure when you go out with Sarah, she must feel very safe because you know how to use a compass.
37:53 You can do warfare in the jungle, right?
37:56 And you also know how to change wheels.
38:00 I don't know. I hope so. I hope so, but I don't know.
38:06 But is your dynamic in your relationship like that? Are you the one who takes care of her or is Sarah the one who takes care of her?
38:12 I guess it goes both ways. But I really want to say and I have to say Sarah is super caring, especially with her pets.
38:19 She's a different level with the animals. Especially the animals.
38:22 Also, of course, she bakes now. She graduated from baking school. She's an official baker.
38:28 And she cooks a lot and she likes cooking plant-based dishes or seafood dishes.
38:34 And she's very caring in the house.
38:36 But with our animals, with our pets, she's a different level.
38:38 Like for example, our cat right now, unfortunately, she's sick.
38:42 We just got a cat a few weeks ago, but she got sick and all these things.
38:45 The cat has to be looked after every single hour.
38:49 So Sarah's there. She's not sleeping. She's taking care of the cat.
38:52 She's like a human being.
38:54 You can say, "She's great. She'll be a good mother."
38:57 Oh, yes, exactly. So you're excited.
39:01 You want a big family because you have several siblings, right?
39:07 I'm the eldest and I have a sister and a younger brother. We're three.
39:12 That's a good number. Do you also want the same number or even more kids?
39:17 Hopefully, God willing, two, three, four. If we can get two, that's great.
39:25 Yes, it's like the two is the minimum.
39:30 Yes, I hope so.
39:32 But of course, you have to ask Sarah first.
39:34 It should be the same number.
39:36 Yes, it should be the same number. There should be an agreement.
39:40 Whatever she wants.
39:42 That's so sweet.
39:44 Wait, so now that you're taping, you're shooting not just Black Rider, but you're also shooting Pedro Penduko.
39:51 Does Sarah call you while you're on set to check on how you're doing?
39:55 Do you need anything? Do you want to eat?
39:57 Yes, she does. She takes care of me in the mornings before I leave.
40:01 She makes the baon and everything. She makes sure the vitamins are all set.
40:04 She calls from time to time when she can.
40:07 She's always checking up and she takes care of the baon and everything.
40:11 She makes sure everything's all set. She's very caring.
40:14 Maybe you can tell us a bit about Pedro Penduko.
40:17 Yes, Pedro Penduko. We're coming out. It's an official entry for MMFF, Metro Manila Film Festival, this coming December.
40:25 It's an action fantasy series.
40:27 This has been two years in the works.
40:29 We were supposed to start two years ago, but because of several factors, we never pushed through.
40:34 Finally, now, here it is.
40:36 It's directed by Jason Laksamana.
40:41 John Arcelia is here. Kylie Versoza is here.
40:44 It's a really cool story. It's an original story.
40:46 Pedro Penduko, obviously, is a staple name already.
40:49 But the story right now, this film, it's a whole brand new story.
40:54 It's new. It's set in a different location. Very exciting.
40:57 Cool action scenes. We talk a lot about Philippine culture, Philippine tradition.
41:03 It's representing the Filipinos here in this film.
41:06 Wow. So that's coming out in December?
41:10 December, yes, for the MMFF Festival.
41:12 Maybe Susan Enriquez has a special appearance there.
41:15 Oh, I should've told you that, Susan.
41:19 Maybe she can do a cameo.
41:23 Yes, that's a shame.
41:25 I don't know why I did not think of that.
41:27 Okay, we have five more shooting days.
41:29 Let's tell them.
41:31 We'll make it happen.
41:33 Wow, Mateo. It's so amazing.
41:36 All the things that you do.
41:37 And you know, the best part about it is you're not just doing it for the sake of doing it.
41:42 You're just trying. It's like you're doing your best in everything you do.
41:45 And I mean, it's not just like you want to go go-karting.
41:49 So, you go go-karting on the weekends.
41:51 You made a career out of it.
41:53 And now you're acting, you're singing.
41:56 What do you do when you want to just sit back and relax?
42:00 I'm sure you need time to do that, right?
42:02 I go on vacation with my wife and my son.
42:05 Sometimes we do it on weekends.
42:07 Usually, we go out somewhere. We bring the dogs.
42:10 We just run around.
42:11 So, that's what we like doing.
42:13 We pick an Airbnb somewhere where it's a big garden.
42:16 We bring our dogs there and just run around.
42:18 So, that's our happiness.
42:20 That's the requirement.
42:21 You need a garden.
42:22 Yes.
42:23 You need a garden for the dogs.
42:25 We have five dogs.
42:26 Wow.
42:27 Yeah, so they have to run.
42:28 Wait, don't they fight with your cat?
42:30 We're slowly introducing them to the cat.
42:32 Fortunately, nothing bad has happened yet.
42:36 Okay.
42:37 But wait, I have to be honest.
42:39 I get nervous when you refer to Sarah as your wife.
42:41 I mean, of course, she's your wife.
42:42 But you get nervous when you say, "I just want to go on vacation with my wife."
42:46 [laughs]
42:47 Do you still get nervous with your wife?
42:51 Yes, yes, I guess.
42:52 I guess at times, especially when she prepares food, prepares breakfast for us or dinners.
43:00 She likes cooking a lot now.
43:02 She likes clean food, plant-based foods.
43:07 We don't eat meat at home.
43:09 She stopped eating meat for a few years now.
43:13 So, we try to keep into that plant-based diet, seafood diet.
43:19 I have friends who have been married for a long time but they feel like they're newlyweds.
43:25 But I have friends who just got married but they feel like they've been married for a long time.
43:31 [laughs]
43:32 What category are you in?
43:34 It's confusing.
43:35 Sometimes, the first, sometimes the second.
43:38 When we celebrated our third year anniversary, Sarah jokingly said, "Love, it's been 30 years."
43:45 [laughs]
43:46 Maybe, especially because the first few years were pandemic, right?
43:50 So, you two were the only ones together.
43:53 Yeah, yeah.
43:54 But it's amazing.
43:56 I tell my friends, my single friends and the people close to me, "Marriage for me is the best thing in life."
44:03 I don't know. I'm speaking for myself.
44:05 But the three years with Sarah, I see a lady growing up, changing every single day, maturing, becoming more and more independent.
44:15 I see myself changing also as a man, as a husband.
44:21 Life is just so beautiful because every year, you evolve.
44:24 You become different.
44:25 You look at things differently.
44:27 It just changes.
44:28 Life is beautiful.
44:29 You know that?
44:30 Yes, it comes with challenges.
44:32 There are big challenges here and there.
44:34 But I think these challenges, if you surpass them, make you become a better person.
44:38 That's right.
44:39 That's what every wife wants to hear her husband say.
44:42 [laughs]
44:45 Right?
44:46 That's the best thing that a wife can hear from her husband.
44:49 Shox and Mateo, it's so nice to have been able to chat with you and have this chance to get to know you even more.
44:57 We've only met each other, well, aside from our brief encounter on the beach.
45:01 On the beach.
45:02 On the beach, right? On the Thanksgiving beach of GMA.
45:05 I'm so happy we got to have this conversation.
45:08 Before we let you go, we'll ask you to please invite everyone to catch you on Black Rider and Pedro Penduko.
45:15 Yeah, thank you.
45:16 Ma'am, thank you. Ms. Priya, thank you very much for having me here.
45:20 I hope we get to see each other and spend more time together with GMA soon.
45:24 Me too!
45:25 With Tita Susan.
45:27 Yes!
45:28 We'll go to her farm.
45:29 Yes, in Balustre.
45:31 I will send the link of this episode to Ate Sue so she can invite us to go together.
45:37 Yes.
45:38 I'll tell her, "Ate Sue, Mateo invited me to Balustre."
45:42 Yes, yes.
45:43 She's very nice.
45:45 On the weekends, she's always there and she has fresh fruit and everything.
45:48 Very nice.
45:49 Anyways, I'd like to invite everybody, all your viewers and listeners to watch Black Rider coming on GMA Prime Time very, very soon.
45:57 This coming November.
45:58 Black Rider, of course, is being held there.
46:00 Ruru Madrid.
46:01 And I'd also like to invite everybody to support and watch Pedro Penduko this December for the Metro Manila Film Festival 2023.
46:10 Pedro Penduko.
46:11 It's been a long time since Pedro has been out on TV or in the cinemas.
46:16 I hope our kids and families will watch it.
46:19 It's a family movie so it'll be fun.
46:21 And my restaurant, mom, if you're around Alabang, please drop by.
46:26 Or in Cebu, Dajani.
46:27 Thank you very much.
46:28 I have dropped by.
46:29 Your pizza is delicious.
46:31 Oh wow, thank you.
46:32 Thank you very much.
46:33 Twice already.
46:34 Twice already.
46:35 And I'm not from Alabang.
46:36 Really?
46:37 Wow, Mateo, thank you so much.
46:38 I really had so much fun chatting with you.
46:39 Thank you.
46:40 Thank you for inserting us into your very busy schedule.
46:43 Oh no, thank you.
46:44 This is the last one.
46:45 A message to all your fans and supporters who have followed you throughout your entire career and who continue to support you.
46:52 Thank you so much to all the supporters out there that support the projects I do.
46:58 And of course, myself and Sarah and I, thank you very much for the inspiration.
47:02 And for always supporting on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram.
47:06 We really appreciate it.
47:07 Thank you so much.
47:08 And I'm excited for the projects to come, to continue inspiring our Filipino audience, our kabataan and all to have a good time with their families and their loved ones, of course.
47:19 So, thank you very much, Ma'am Pia.
47:20 Thank you.
47:21 Thank you, Mateo.
47:22 Thank you.
47:23 This surprise was planned by the team of Nikita Mundo and Aubrey de los Reyes.
47:30 Edited by Shirley Paghiligat with the amazing people of GMA Integrated News.
47:34 Don't forget to like and subscribe.
47:36 Till the next surprise.
47:38 [Music]
47:42 [BLANK_AUDIO]