JUST A THOUGHT: “When you cease to dream you cease to live.” – Malcolm Forbes
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BENJAMIN REJECTED: Throughout his high school years at a private school in Guam, actor Benjamin Alves kept auditioning for roles in campus productions. He never landed any part.
Instead, he was always assigned to being production personnel.
‘I was painfully shy as a teen, and couldn’t pass the auditions,’ he recalls.
Looking back now, the fast-rising drama actor considers all those rejections a source of inspiration to work harder.
Now a certified professional actor, Benjamin says he wants to channel his current status to more lofty endeavours.
Such as encouraging young people to attend school, finish their education.
It has been a good thing, he says, that GMA recognizes this passion of his. For the second year in a row, Alves has been assigned by network to be its Excellence awards ambassador.
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TO BE A TEACHER: Benjamin’s other passion, aside from acting, is teaching.
The revelation, which is not new to those who have known him, raised a few eyebrows. How could a well-paid actor trade his career with a teaching job, knowing full well that actors get paid a lot better than teachers?
Benjamin admits that before going into acting as a profession, his dream was to be based in academe, either as a college professor or administrator. Armed with a degree in English Literature from the University of Guam (summa cum laude), Benjamin hopes to get a master’s degree sometime soon.
His current assignment as ambassador of GMA Network Excellence Award (GNEA),is right up his alley.
On his second year as GNEA ambassador, the PinulotKa Lang saLupa star hopes to help discover and recognize more Filipino youths who excel in academics and leadership.
Benjamin will tour the country in search for candidates. He will also be part of the panel that will choose this year’s GMA Network Excellence Awardee. (NESTOR CUARTERO)