“Rayver Cruz: A Gentle Giant”
Rayver Cruz plays the role of Cocoy, a street smart lad who eventually found shelter in the monastery in the about to end top-rated tv show titled “May Bukas Pa”. Paired as a love team with Maja Salvador, this six-footer hunk started out as a child actor and had grown up in the tv series to become one of the more promising young actors. 
When we started the show last year, I had this funny, nay embarrassing experience with Rayver. I told him that I remembered that in 2004, I appeared as one of the buddies of Mr. Paquito Diaz in an episode of ABS-CBN's once a week fantasy show “Wansapanatym” titled “Wally Wolf”. We played the roles of hunters of wild animals. In that show, I proudly reminded Rayver that TJ Trinidad played the lead role and Rayver played the role of the young TJ Trinidad . Well, that was some six years ago. The gentle giant, could not recall that show anymore and I insisted that indeed it was a fact that we appeared in that show together. I told him that we taped our hunting scenes inside the La Mesa Dam Reservation and in fact I had some pictures showing Rayver as a child in that show. Rayver who was unsure about it ( or so I thought) was so polite to ask me to bring the pictures. While I was looking for the pictures in my photo album, I laughed and was so surprised when I discovered that it was not Rayver Cruz who played the young TJ Trinidad but someone else!
The next taping day, I was embarrassed to admit to Rayver that I was mistaken: it was not him but someone else who played the young TJ Trinidad in “Wally Wolf” episode of Wansapanatym!
Rayver goes to the set with his personal assistant and driver Francis. As we are about to end the show, I would never forget Francis because everytime that Rayver would be looking for Francis for a personal errand, Rayver in a patended voice would shout “Francis”! Such that everytime he does it, most of us would be shouting with Rayver as if a choral group the words ”Francis”! One time, Francis came into the taping with a new haircut, similar to the hairstyle of Mr. A in the A Team tv show. I asked Francis who was his barber. Francis replied it was his ward – Rayver who styled his hair! I guess it was a joke!
In another instance, I wanted to satisfy my curiosity regarding the height of Rayver, who is a six footer, taller that most of the other young stars belonging to his age group. I asked Rayver if he was taking Cherifer. He answered he did not take Cherifer, a popular vitamins for children with claims that it enhances rapid growth in children!
One day, I told Rayver that I read in the tabloids that the mother of Sarah Geromino was not keen on a Rayver Cruz – Sarah Geronimo love team for a new movie. In that article Sarah's mother averred that she is not favorable that her daughter would be paired with Rayver because Rayver does not belong to the level of a John Lloyd Cruz! The gentle giant simply smiled on this.
Having appeared in May Bukas Pa for the entire year gave Rayver the training ground under Directors Jerome Pobocan and Jojo Saquing for a lead starrer in his next project – “Magkano ang Iyong Dangal” where he plays opposite Bangs Garcia and Sid Lucero.
This blogsite wishes Rayver Cruz success in all of his projects in the future! Good Luck!
