FROM CARROT MAN to Badjao Girl, a handful of undeniably good-looking people went viral on social media in the past few months. The internet turned their photos into moments that made most of us go gaga all over again — so we did some digging to find out how that unsolicited fame actually changed their lives. If you’ve been asking “Where are they now?” here are the answers.
Carrot Man: The Guy That Started It All
He wasn’t technically the first Filipino to blow up on the World Wide Web for his looks, but he’s arguably the one who kicked off the trend in earnest — stealing the attention of the public, or, shall we say, the teenage girls and young-at-heart in particular.
Giant network GMA 7 quickly showed interest in him. Jeyrick Sigmaton, as he’s known in real life, was immediately featured on the newsmagazine show ‘Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho’ just days after he trended on social media, and he’s since popped up on other GMA programs like Bubble Gang.
From farming in the cold mountains of Benguet, the Carrot Man now has a budding career in modeling. He’s the new face of Boardwalk, and renowned Filipino designer Avel Bacudio, who has a partnership with the brand, even produced a collection just for Sigmaton.
But showbiz stardom hasn’t come easy. Our insider at GMA Network says the network’s artist center has struggled to ink a contract with Sigmaton after his tribe in Benguet laid down strict rules on what he can and can’t do on television. Fair enough, but showbiz isn’t just about making people famous — it’s about building a business out of that fame, and it’s hard to do that with one hand tied behind your back. If his community can’t loosen the reins, Carrot Man may never quite fit into the industry that made him famous.
GuwaPulis: Police Mister International
He actually went viral before Jeyrick Sigmaton did. PO2 Mariano Flormata — better known as Neil Perez — got his shot at fame in 2014 when he joined Misters of the Philippines with the full backing of his bosses at the Philippine National Police. From there, media attention followed him all the way to Mister International 2014 in Ansan, South Korea, where he was crowned the eventual winner, cementing him as a fixture in the news well before his social media moment ever hit.
Since winning the international title, Neil has picked up a steady stream of modeling work, including gigs at Unisilver Time’s 10th anniversary celebration, Cosmo Skin, and BFPC’s 9th anniversary celebration. He’s also landed TV projects at TV5 and guested on shows across nearly every local network.
This blogger has had the chance to talk with Neil on several occasions, including a stint judging together at an OFW community modeling search in Singapore earlier this year. He’s every bit as kind and humble in person as he seems on screen, and I genuinely wish him continued success — both as a police officer and as a celebrity role model.
The Gasoline Boy
A customer filling up at a gas station couldn’t help but notice the model-esque features of the attendant on duty: Charles Joseph “CJ” Querol, better known simply as CJ. ABS-CBN, GMA 7’s top rival, wasted no time grabbing the story, featuring him on TV Patrol’s Panalo ‘To segment — and his popularity has only grown since.
What drew people in wasn’t just the looks. CJ comes from a broken family and became the breadwinner early, working to give his mother and siblings a better life — a story that resonated with a lot of his new followers. Shortly after his TV debut, he was tapped to model for world-renowned designer Francis Libiran.
Months later, CJ followed in Neil’s footsteps and joined the local male pageant Misters of Pilipinas, where he went on to win one of the titles. He’ll represent the Philippines at Manhunt International next year.
Badjao Girl
After a string of good-looking men dominated the country’s feeds, a girl with rare, striking beauty from a Mindanao tribe took her turn stealing the spotlight. Meet Badjao Girl, whose fame arrived by pure accident when a local tourist noticed her at this year’s Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon.
Her perfect jawline, gorgeous wavy hair, and rare beauty commanded attention wherever she went, and within days she’d won over the public’s hearts. ABS-CBN moved quickly to learn her story, featuring her on Rated K’s May 22 episode.
Her real name is Rita Gabiola, and it was that same newsmagazine show that gave her a first taste of modeling by sponsoring her debut photo shoot. Her soulful eyes and perfect face proportions made it almost effortless for her to produce the kind of stunning photos you see below.
At 13 years old, Rita may end up becoming the first beggar to rise out of poverty on the strength of a viral moment. Her dream of becoming a teacher is now within reach, too, after Rated K sponsored her scholarship to finish her formal education.
Months later, she joined the local edition of Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition as one of its housemates, where the show introduced her to an even wider audience as someone with real kindness and a humble heart. That season has since wrapped, so we’ll have to wait and see how the Kapamilya network handles her showbiz career from here, if it does at all.
Beyond this bunch, plenty of other good-looking Pinoys have caught fire on social media over the past year. We haven’t tracked what’s happened to their lives since, but they’re still worth a mention here — if only for your eyes to enjoy.
Jeepney Dri-Bae
A jeepney driver in Tagaytay, he’s known to netizens by the name Angelo Booc — married, with two kids already. He’s picked up a bit of TV guesting since, including an appearance on GMA Network’s ‘Unang Hirit.’
Otap Man
If Carrot Man had his carrots, Otap Man had his otap — and true to the nickname, that’s exactly what he was photographed selling. Michael Ramos, an 18-year-old working college student, was caught mid-hustle peddling otap and dried mangoes inside a Victory Liner bus. He’s originally from Compostela Valley but now calls Quezon City home.
Beyond even these two, there’s a long list of gorgeous men and women the internet has tried, at one point or another, to turn into stars — doctors, nurses, fast-food service crew, and plenty more. We can’t say how things have panned out for most of them since their fifteen minutes, but we’re rooting for them anyway; only a lucky few ever get the chance to be seen on television and turn that into something more. Should we cross paths with any of them, expect a photo or two to show up here. For now, our radar stays on.
Spot someone we missed who deserves a mention? Let us know in the comments. Happy Holidays!