TWO OF THE most promising newcomers in the new “
Iskul Bukol” are Erika Padilla and Fred Lo. Erika was part of ABS-CBN’s Star Magic 16. “I did guestings in some teleseryes but my best role so far was in ‘Imortal’,” she says. Born on Nov. 22, 1986, she’s the youngest of four kids of retired Gen. Ricardo Padilla of the PNP who now runs their own dive resort in Batangas. She majored in political science at the Ateneo but really wants to try showbiz. She auditioned as a host of “Wazzup Wazzup” and became a part of it for four months. When her contract with Star Magic expired in January, she opted not to renew it as she got an offer from TV5 to do ‘Iskul Bukol’. She’s now managed by Jojo Oconer’s Triple A who also cast her in a recent Lenten presentation on GMA-7. As Shawie in ‘Iskul Bukol’, she’s paired with Alwyn Uytingco.
Fred Lo is also a college graduate like Erika, having finished communication arts at La Salle. He’s 21 and comes from a Chinese family living in Binondo. The second of three kids, his full name is Fredison, from his being the son of Freddy, his dad who owns the Ricson Travel Agency in Chinatown. Blessed with a good singing voice, he took workshops with Trumpets and is now managed by Carlo Orosa’s Stages that also manages Christian Bautista and Sam Concepcion. He has previously appeared in musical plays like “Noah”, “Rent” and “Magsimula Ka”. He got to work with Ciara Sotto in the last show and she urged him to take the “Iskul Bukol” audition. “I was lucky enough to be hired and this is my first TV show,” he beams.
