Every year, Esquire Philippines’ Man at His Best honors extraordinary Filipinos who are reshaping society. These are the men and women who are raising the bar for Filipino creatives, athletes, public servants, and professionals.
This year, we’re celebrating eight mavericks and living legends in film, music, business, politics, and entertainment. From National Artists Ricky Lee and Kidlat Tahimik to Mayor Joy Belmonte and tycoon Ramon Ang, here are the 2023 honorees who exemplify what it means to be a Man at His Best.
Meet Esquire's Icon of the Year, Ricky Lee
How does one craft a story about a writer as outstanding, prolific, and influential as Ricky Lee? You use his own words.
The National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts takes you to the days he left the sleepy town of Daet, Camarines Norte, and gained a profound understanding of disparity, deprivation, and the unfairness of life. Never jaded, he continues to foster an unshakeable empathy toward the marginalized and underprivileged, giving light to their stories, believing in the goodness of strangers, and why he’ll continue to pay the kindness forward for the rest of his life.Â
A Hard Start In Life
Growing up in Daet, (there were) very small streets, but there were movie houses, malaking loudspeakers sa labas ng movie house, at hindi ako maka-afford na bumili ng ticket. Nakikinig ako dun sa loudspeakers. Daet had a small bridge, near an old church, where I would usually go kapag nalulungkot. Usually, sinasabi ko sa mga tao, kung saan man ako nakarating ngayon, kung ano man ako, lahat ‘yun nagsimula sa Daet. Kapag iniisip ko ang Daet, I remember the places, the buildings, the details, the people there.
The Quest For A Bigger World
Actually, that bigger world, I was already seeing sa mga librong binabasa ko at sa mga magazines and comics na binabasa ko at sa mga pelikulang pinapanood ko, kasi ang feeling ko, ang liit-liit ng mundo ko sa Daet at ang liit-liit ko. Pero, andun yung bigger world na ‘yun sa pinapanood ko. And, lagi ko na-imagine na parang there's a bigger world out there. At, ang tawag ko sa mundong ‘yun lagi, that time, is Quiapo, Melting pot ang Quiapo, lahat nagtatagpo sa Quiapo. So, may feeling ako na pag nakarating ako ng Quiapo, magiging mas malaya akong tao.
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