Category: Iago Raterta

Jules Revealed

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Sexy, isn’t he? With his hot looks and bod, Jules Aquino can give the Brazilian and foreign models a run for their money. This tall moreno hunk has done runway jobs for fashion designers and commercial brands. After his appearance in the Cosmo hunkfest last year, he’s now one of the prime Bench Body models in the September 19 underwear spectacle.

Cosmo Night

It’s Cosmo Night later! The boys and the men are out to play for the girls. Of course, we’ll see the usual wet, sweaty bods on stage. Some may pull down their pants. Others will just have to be prissy with their jeans on. But just the same, it will be one wild night with all the half-naked men.  Here are some moments in the past Cosmo Bachelors Bash that I remember.
 The water gun was introduced in 2008, to douse the guys, including Bruce Quebral.
 Many were surprised to see the transformation of singer Christian Bautista in 2010.
Bonus: hair!

 Actor Dennis Trillo first appeared in the Cosmo event in 2005 looking cute and hot.

 Dingdong Dantes went nekkid on the cover of the magazine and he was the night’s star in 2007.
 An unknown youngster by the name of Enchong Dee failed to elicit loud screams in 2006.

 Newbie Jon Mullally was still a bit player in 2006, relegated to the fly-in models group.

 Daring actor Marco Morales was the opening act in the 2007 edition.
Surprisingly, he didn’t pull his shorts down.
 Actor Marco Alcaraz had his undies cut into pieces and threw them into the crowd.

 In 2005, Will Devaughn boldly stepped out of his pants.
Zanjoe Marudo, then a fledgling model, also showed up in his underwear 
at the 2005 edition [with Iago Raterta]

Grainy Pics

Grainy pics. Old pics Sunday. At the biennial Bench underwear show in 2006 dubbed as Bench Fever, the models came out hot and ready for the fleshfest. 

 A then-unknown model by the name of Jon Mullally appeared on stage in tiny jocks. 
He went on to become a Bench underwear model favorite.

 Bit player Marco Alcaraz also showed his fine moreno form.

 Veteran model Luke Jickain could hardly contain his excitement and hard-on.

 Model Robby Mananquil was game, pre-rhinolasty.

Promising model Iago Raterta made his last appearance before becoming an illegal alien in the US.

And, of course, the cream of the crop then – a butt-nekkid Andrew Wolff!

Searching for Iago

NEW YORK CITY – UPH is also here and sometimes we meet up for a bit of talk and for some ogling at people. To while away the time, we resolved – rather giddily – to look for Leonardo Litton, that 90s actor who wore bikinis in all his movies. He has moved to this side of the hemisphere, married with kids. And then again he has grown plumpish as soon as he settled here in the Big Apple for good, judging from the pictures sent to us most recently. Surely, we presumed, we would be very disappointed seeing a cute butterball, a far cry [and a sigh] from the time he lorded over the soft-porn movies of his era with Rodel Velayo. So our attention veered towards a model who has also settled in the city – Iago Raterta. One of the top models of his time, just a couple of years ago, Iago left a bustling career to live here. Nothing has been heard about him. Too bad, because he was this exotic male model who was in-demand at home. He probably didn’t continue being a model here in NYC after his stint at this modeling contest in Los Angeles. We were hoping we could see him, accidentally. And then UPH can take his picture.

What is a “Class A” model?

[l-r: Trishan Cuaso, Derek Ramsey, Iago Raterta]

[l-r: Andrew Wolff, William Devaughn, Peter Nordell]
[l-r: Victor Basa, Rocky Salumbides, Bruce Quebral]

During dinner, my friend UPH, who has finally put up his site [ http://www.ultimatepinoyhunks.net] after the Ram Sagad saga, was diss-cussing with me recently how some D-list models classify themselves, conceitedly, as “Class A.” The subject matter came about after UPH recalled how one wannabe model [D.] he purposely met suddenly self-proclaimed that he is a Class A model, together with A., G., and a host of others I could only tick from the back of my mind’s D-list. And then again, I do not even remember the bigger-league male mannequins calling themselves “Class A models.” They are simply called models. Top models.

Finally, it dawned into smart aleck UPH that in Greenhills Shopping Center, home of the counterfeit goods, the vendors classify their wares from Class A imitation to Class D crock. Say, for example, there is a Class A Rolex in Greenhills – which means that it is a precise replica, but still a replica; the Class D would be crass-fake big-time. And it all made sense.

And so, we finally understood what that wannabe model was saying all along. Since they cannot go a bit higher and join the ranks of the Iagos, Victors and Dereks and all the models shown above [representing a select few of the top male mannequins], the Daves, Alizons, Guinesses and a multitude of others go a step nearer and call themselves respectably as “Class A models.”

Our concerns, precisely.

Oh Iago!

For a time, I always thought Iago Raterta was a Brazilian [of the Tupi-Guarani stock] fly-in model. When he first came to the scene a few years back he was all over the Bench underwear ads in funny green cotton briefs. Totally unknown [except for die-hard collegiate basketball fans as he played for the UST Team], Iago had it easy entering the modeling biz, with his virile and potent looks. He really grows on you, I mean, he may not be drop-dead gorgeous but he is drop-dead gorgeous after 4 minutes staring at him. At the moment, he is one of the most requested models for ramps shows, as he is well-known for being quiet, efficient and a professional.

Beach Wear Alert!

Not that I am complaining: the good designer at the 2007 Philippine Fashion Week put Iago Raterta in those clothes, and it brings good delight to us all. But the question would have to be: Will you wear those to the beach? Or, when you go pick dainty pink flowers with a woven basket over at Barangay Balabag or Yapak, way up the hills where you get a remarkable view of the Island of Boracay, will you doll up with what Iago’s bearing, I mean, wearing? Of course, you will.