Robi Domingo admits juggling college and showbiz is his biggest accomplishment.

After graduating with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences from the Ateneo de Manila University last March 23, Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition host Robi Domingo admits he is still on cloud nine after getting his diploma. “It still feels very, very surreal. Went I went up the stage and got my diploma, it felt very fulfilling kasi napagsabay mo yung parehong mundo. To get that feat done is such an incredible experience for me because I’ve grown so much because of being in the industry and in school at the time, it’s no joke talaga. The graduation highlighted every hour, every moment that I spend sacrificing my play time, time with friends and family and dun nag-culminate lahat,” he shares. Even after coming out of the PBB house in 2008, Robi says he never once considered giving up his studies for showbiz. “I instilled in myself the concept that I would never stop my college years kasi once I stop, I’ll succumb into not learning anymore. I really wanted to achieve that goal,” he admits to Push.com.ph. 

 Aside from being one of the hosts in the recently concluded Pinoy Big Brother Unlimited, Robi is also busy with hosting ASAP Chill Out every Sunday. The 22-year-old says he never thought he would be able to get this far in his career while still going to school. “I told myself after I did PBB Teen Edition that I’ll still be doing my school so in the long run I’ll be losing my work. Kasi hindi mo talaga kaya pagsabayin eh. It seemed na ganun. I told myself, ‘You’ll be working 24/7’ .Pero yung iba yung mga MYX, ASAP, rehearsals sa Studio 23, they were experiences na ang dami kong natutunan. I do not regret a single thing, even if .04 na lang kulang ko to get the honors. I would trade those honors any time just to get all of the teachings that I have garnered from my four years, both in ABS-CBN and in the Ateneo,” he explains. Robi also received a loyalty award from the University being a true-blue Atenean who finished his elementary and high school years at the Loyola campus. 

Robi shares that he really struggled during days when he was busy in both school and work. “There was an instance na two hours lang yung tulog ko. Talagang literal na gapang. I’d have a cup of coffee on one hand and then talagang kinakapa ko yung walls while going up the stairs. There are lots of times that I’ll be late but may excuse naman ako na galing ako sa work. I can remember talaga na sobrang hirap ng mga pinagdaanan ko,” he recalls. 

The actor-host also admits that being part of PBB’s Season 4 was a good test of his hosting skills. “Minsan talaga I kind of forget my lines, I stumble, I do crazy stuff in the show na hindi ko talaga nagawa before and i can probably say na being in this kind of platform has taught me lots of stuff and it made me grow not only as a host but as a person as well,” he says. Looking back, Robi says he feels proud to work with experienced hosts like Toni Gonzaga and Bianca Gonzales. “Unlimited was the longest season ever. Being here for almost five months, it’s kind of weird being thrown into this arena of people ready to criticize you and being with Toni and Bianca na talaga namang andun na yung caliber nila when it comes to hosting. After being in this show as a housemate and then now hosting the show, at first it was an absurd feeling, kasi dati ikaw yung pinapanuod ngayon you relay information to the taong bayan.” 

CREDITS TO: Rhea Manila Santos

Robi Domingo says he looks up to Toni Gonzaga and Bianca Gonzalez as hosts.

As part of Pinoy Big Brother’s select group of celebrity hosts, former housemate Robi Domingo admitted he felt very privileged to chosen as one of the PBB Teen Edition hosts along with John Prats. Robi revealed that at first he felt intimidated to be working with PBB’s veteran hosts Toni Gonzaga and Bianca Gonzalez, but he has also learned a lot from them.


“At first, there was a certain fear na you feel your this tiny compared to them. Sino ba hindi luluhod sa mgagoddess ng PBB? Yun yung ginawa ko eh. As the days progressed, they instilled this code na hindi naman nila sinabi sa akin pero they taught me this code through their actions, that the most important thing that a host must do is not to open his mouth  but to listen. And with listening you get to really talk to the person,” he told Push.com.ph.


Robi admitted that he had to sacrifice his summer plans with his family in order to grab the chance at hosting PBB Teen Edition, but he does not regret missing out because he says he can always go on vacation when the season is over. “For Holy Week I had hoped that I could go to Canada to visit some of my relatives there but because of plans for the launching of PBB Teens, it will be cancelled pero okay naman kasi this time around I’ll be hosting with JP (John Prats) so I’m also very much happy and excited about that,” he said.


After coming out of the PBB house in 2008, Robi honed his hosting skills as a VJ on MYX and a host on ASAP. The 22-year-old said he has definitely grown as a host because of all these experiences. “It was hard at first. When I auditioned for MYX I didn’t actually know that they were going to accept me. Before I had just a simple dream of being like my classmate when I was in grade school when he was a hosting a certain event. I told myself I want to be like that guy on the stage. I was happy with the idea of getting so much attention before.Tapos mahirap talaga kasi I was too shy, bulol-bulol pa ako, I couldn’t really find the words when I’d be on stage na tapos I couldn’t talk to the opposite sex pa so that was really a big dilemma for me. And then sa loob ng bahay ni kuya I was the silent type kasi yun nga, I don’t know how to talk to people. I don’t know what to bring up first. Tapos yun, through my experiences inside the house, natuto naman ako. And from there naisip ko na kaya naman pala,” he said.


Robi admitted that he was really looking forward to meeting the newest batch of teen housemates after being part of PBB Teens himself. “First of all, ito talaga yung show na kinalakihan ko. Dito it’s not puro seryoso. I’m also more familiar with this format and everything since I came from that show. I could say na alam ko yung mga pagdadaanan ng mga teen housemates this coming season,” he said.


Robi said that he only has one piece for advice for the teens inside the PBB house right now. ”My sole answer would forever be is just be yourself. I don’t have any particular goal or game plan in store for you, just be yourself and at the end of the day, people will like you no matter who you are,” he said.


CREDITS TO: Rhea Manila Santos