Jao Yago discovered a means to express his artistry at an early age through acting, which he describes as his love. He hopes to play more roles in films and television.
Yago was raised by supportive grandparents who introduced him to Fernando Poe Jr.’s (FPJ) films, opening his eyes to the world of cinema. Aside from that, Yago thanks his grandparents for teaching him essential values that he applies in his daily life.
When Yago told his parents that he wanted to be on TV, they moved him to Manila to pursue acting. He entered show business with the support of talent manager John Rey Malto.
Yago’s parents said they noticed his particular interest in acting when he was six years old. As a result, they enrolled him in various training courses, such as singing, acting, modeling, and dancing, to help him improve his skills.
The child actor has previously worked on a number of shows. He has participated in several GMA Network series, including Black Rider, Mga Batang Riles, and Slay. He also portrayed the starring role of young April Boy Regino in a movie that focused on the late April Boy Regino’s childhood. Additionally, he appeared in a Milo commercial.
Aside from that, he has appeared in ABS-CBN’s teleserye Bagman. He continues to hone his craft by attending several programs, including the acclaimed Star Magic Acting Workshop. His efforts have been recognized, and he is one of the recipients of the Asian World Class Award.
“Ang pinakagusto ko sa pag-arte ay ang paggawa ng action scenes. Iniidolo ko talaga si Ruru Madrid dahil hinahangaan ko ang kanyang husay sa pag-arte, lalo na sa kanyang mga palabas sa TV. Isa sa mga paborito kong panoorin ngayon ay Lolong,” he said.
“Bilang isang batang puno ng pangarap sa mundo ng showbiz, gusto ko pang mahubog at mas gumaling bilang isang aktor at singer. Gustung-gusto ko ang ginagawa ko, kaya naman lubos ang suporta ng aking mga magulang sa aking pangarap. Lagi nila akong sinasamahan sa aking training, workshops, at taping,” the child actor added.
Balancing education and a showbiz career is a big challenge for Yago, but he fully embraces both duties. He is confident that with discipline, hard work, and dedication, he will attain his goals.
He emphasized, “Para sa akin, napakahalaga ng edukasyon. Kaya sinisigurado kong hindi ko ito pinapabayaan. Mahalaga rin sa akin ang mundo ng showbiz, kaya ginagawa ko ito nang buong puso. Maaga akong gumigising at sinisigurado kong maaga rin akong dumarating sa lahat ng taping ko.”
Upon leaving his grandparents in the province to pursue a showbiz career in Manila, he shared, “Lumaki ako sa aking lolo at lola sa Tabas, Bicol. Pinalaki nila akong may mabuting asal at may takot sa Diyos. Noong nasa probinsya pa ako, madalas kaming manood ng TV ng aking tatay. Iniidolo niya si Fernando Poe Jr., at sinabi niya noon na gusto niyang makita ako sa TV balang araw. Dahil sa pangarap niya para sa akin, sinamahan ako ng aking mga magulang sa Maynila upang mas mabigyan ako ng pagkakataon sa showbiz. Masakit man iwanan ang aking lolo at lola, pero ginagawa ko ito hindi lang para sa sarili kong pangarap kundi para rin matupad ang pangarap ng tatay ko para sa akin. Ngayon, sobrang saya nila dahil napapanood na nila ako sa TV.”
Yago also thanked GMA for giving him opportunities to play a variety of roles.
“No one knows my name yet, but GMA opened its doors for me, for which I am grateful. This is only the beginning, and I will work hard to attain my goal of being a well-known actor. Every artist I’ve worked with has guided me. I’m hoping to work with more Kapuso actors soon,” Yago said.
Aside from Ruru Madrid, Yago admires Primetime King Coco Martin, whom he hopes to meet and work with someday. He claims that Martin is a role model for many budding stars, not only because of his brilliance but also because of his compassion.
“Magaling na aktor si Kuya Coco. Tuwing manonood ako ng Batang Quiapo, marami akong nakukuhang techniques sa kanya sa pag-arte, lalo na sa action scenes. Maganda rin po ang advocacy ni Kuya Coco na binibigyan niya ng trabaho ang mga beteranong artista, kaya naman sobrang blessed niya. Isang malaking role model sa showbiz si Kuya Coco. Sana ay ma-meet ko siya. What an icon,” he said.
When asked about his life mantra, he replied, “Laging gumawa ng mabuti sa kapwa, sapagkat ang kabutihan ay laging bumabalik bilang biyaya.”