IT HAS BEEN the hottest summer to date, and the weather gives us that steamy, uncomfortable feeling. But I think you’ll agree that not everything that makes us feel steamy and, well, uncomfortable is a no-no. Take, for example, the hot, young, talented male actors in the local entertainment industry.

For sure there’s a handful of names on your list, but the one we’ll get to know in this article might just outshine them and turn every bone in your body into jelly. We’re talking about none other than Kapuso’s very own Jak Roberto.

Three Years in the Making

Jak, born Jan Rommel Osuna Roberto, is one of the most sought-after heartthrobs at GMA Network. We first met him at the bloggers’ conference for the GMA show ‘With A Smile’ in 2013, and from then on he became one of our ultimate favorite celebrities at the Kapuso network. I remember telling a friend at the network that with that handsome face and manly aura, they could grow him into one of the network’s leading men.

Yes, it took us almost three years to feature him “solo” on this blog, but is it worth the wait? Jak has definitely become the man he is now, though we believe the best is yet to come.

During a short tête-à-tête with the actor recently (in which he showed us his abs without hesitation), Jak said he’s excited for bigger things in his career in the coming years, as projects have started coming in. He’s set to star in GMA’s afternoon soap “Hanggang Makita Kang Muli” opposite Kim Rodriguez.

Beyond the Abs

Most recently, we saw Jak try his luck at singing with 3Logy, a three-male singing group with equally appealing Jeric Gonzales and Abel Estanislao. Catch them at one of their gigs if their schedule permits.

But if you’ve seen him on the ramp with that six-pack, you’ll never wonder why a wider, more promising future is materializing in showbiz. The sight of gays and gals in awe, shouting for more as he strutted his sexy body for the first time at Cosmo Bash in 2014, is still vivid in our eyes. Who would blame them?

But Jak is not just the sexy bod, the macho man, or the boy-next-door face you’d want to sit and chat with at the bar. He has immense talent, and he has proven it in a couple of indie films, such as the 36th Fantasporto International Film Festival award-winning “Laut,” in which Barbie Forteza bagged the Best Actress title, not to mention equally brilliant performances from Rodjun Cruz, Boobay, and Gabbi Garcia.

Jak also filmed another indie as the lead. “Tibak” is a story about the youth and student movement in the time of Martial Law, in which he plays the young Prof. Jose Maria Sison. It paints a more concrete picture that Jak isn’t only about strutting his half-naked body on the catwalk, but also about sharing his talent through socially relevant films like this one. “Tibak” is set to hit local theaters this quarter.

Don’t fret if the movie isn’t out yet, because you can get enough of this hotshot through his regular shows, “Sunday Pinas Saya” and “Hanggang Makita Kang Muli,” where he plays Elmo.

Success in a showbiz career takes time, and those who last long before fading take a rough but sure path to stardom. That’s probably how Jak’s path is being paved: steady but sure, and by the looks of it, he’s getting there. His is the planned, worked-for type of career, not the one-time-big-time sort.

You go, Jak. Keep up the good, hard work!