Cover Story

Runway lessons 

Razel Quinapundan looks beyond face value.

For someone whose childhood dream was to be a nurse by profession, Per Martin Grogaard did not find it hard to embrace what he ended up doing: modeling.

Adding icing to his cake was discovering that, as a model, he could entertain and inspire others.

”I went into modeling just to try it out and see what the fuss was all about. Surprisingly, a day’s job pays so well.”

In June 2006, Martin modeled for the “Bench Fever” show in Manila. After that show, he focused on his nursing studies at the Cebu Doctors’ University.

But he returned to the modeling scene when he was asked to join the prestigious Model Association of Cebu (M.A.C) by his manager, Valeriano “Chikoy” Tomol III, who gave him his break in modeling.

Those who remember him as an overweight teen may do a double take now that, at 21, he is a riveting figure in shows like “Bench Fever,” “Samsung Stylewatch” and “Retrospect: Collection of Ben Farrales.”

Martin enjoys TV appearances and commercials for their acting opportunities. Walking down the runway also excites him. But he observes, “being a model is not an easy thing. It’s very intimidating, knowing that I’m a newbie trying to make it in the modeling world. Being paired with established models and designers was also a tough pill to swallow.”

He made fellow Cebuanos proud, though, when he became a top finalist in the “Be Bench Model Search.”

(It) is very memorable for me because we went through all the aspects of modeling during the show. The experience made me become a better model.”

Though he always wanted to be a Bench model, he didn’t expect to receive a “call back” as he saw many beautiful and talented Cebuanos auditioning.

What may have made him stand out was his passion and determination for his career. “I just wanted to put my best foot forward in everything that we were tasked to do in the competition,” he recalls, admitting that the hardest test in the competition was crying and opening his life story to strangers.

Like many in his generation, Martin went through a period exploring the club scene. He has mellowed down now, preferring to watch DVD and read books on weekends. He also relieves stress by engaging in different sports like flag football and boxing.

Though he won as the Most Valuable Player in Basketball at their university, he thinks there is no financial security in being a professional sportsman (“one major injury can end your career”).       

Slowly reaping the fruits of his hard work, Martin believes that to succeed, one must not stop learning.

“Because of modeling, I learned professionalism and responsibility. To come on time and be courteous to everyone.”

Prioritizing and making personal sacrifices, Martin reminds himself that success in his profession rarely takes place overnight. “Accept criticism but never let anyone tell you what you cannot achieve.” 

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