Nag-celebrate ng kanyang ika-26th birthday ang Kapuso hunk na si Benjamin Alves kasama ang maraming estudyanteng Asia-Pacific College in Magallanes Village, Makati City noong nakaraang March 18.
Kahit na sa March 31 pa ang birthday ni Benjamin, minabuti ng GMA Artists Center na i-advance ang birthday treat ng aktor para sa mga students na kanyang mai-inspire dahil sa pagpili sa kanya bilang advocate ng 2016 GMA Network Excellence Awards (GNEA).
Hindi nagdalawang-isip si Benj na tanggapin ang GNEA dahil isang karangalan ito sa kanyang pagiging isang celebrity at bilang isang dating mag-aaral na nagtapos with honors.
“I was excited… ever since I started showbiz I’ve known about the program.
“When I heard that they were looking for a new ambassador I was glad that they considered me because for the longest time since I’ve been in showbiz I haven’t been able to really announce that I graduated in this and that, I wasn’t able to use my degree yet,” diin pa niya.
Graduate si Benj ng University of Guam with a degree in English Literature at nagtapos siya with a Summa Cum Laude distinction.
“I feel like this is probably the best platform as far as being able to take care of our showbiz responsibilities but also being an advocate for something that I actually believe in.
“I’m excited for it, I’m excited to see the students, and I’m really excited for the rest of the campus tours.
“I told them that as much as I can, I will be available because it’s nice to hear not only my story but to hear everyone else’s story.
“It’s excellent that we have something like this GNEA because it’s hard work, it really is.
“When they say that fame doesn’t come overnight, I think that excellence doesn’t come overnight; it’s not natural.
“It’s something that you work hard for, you stay up late at night studying, and it’s a decisions that you make. Are you going to go out with your friends or take care of your responsibilities?
“And that’s just the academic aspect, some of the applicants are going to have stories where their family isn’t doing well and there other unique stories like that.
“It’s important to recognize hard work because it’s not an easy journey but it doesn’t make it horrible, it’s a rewarding and a great experience and it should be rewarded,” pagtapos pa ni Benjamin Alves na huling napanood sa GMA teleserye na “Beautiful Strangers.” (RUEL J. MENDOZA)