One fine Sunday, I had the chance to chat with Viva hunk Nico Locco over coffee in BGC. If you've been glued to the internet, you might have seen his viral guesting in the YouTube dating show "Pusuan or Laruan" where a female searchee rejected him for being "family-oriented." (she thought he wanted babies).

Nico could only feel sorry for the young girl who became the subject of internet bashing for failing to understand what he meant. "It was an honest mistake on her part. I hope she doesn't get depressed or take it too personally."

He then clarified what he actually meant: "Like I said, I love my family...my mother, father, and brother. So I really want to be with someone who loves their family and would love my family too," he explained.

The 30-year-old bachelor ticks off the qualities he wants in his ideal woman: "Kind, loving, and God-fearing. Not high-maintenance. Playful. I want someone who can be both a friend and a lover at the same time. Lastly, she must be understanding and patient because of my work."

Nico talked about his failed relationship with fellow VMX artist Christine Bermas for the first time. Although they're now both civil to each other, he recalls the ending as a "really sad" part of his life.

"Super love ko sya and it was my longest relationship. Two and a half years is a lot of your life, right? It hurt me a lot and it took a lot from me but now I'm okay," he shared.

Nico vows to go full steam ahead in his career. After all, he can claim that he's now the only foreign actor who's really made a name for himself in local showbiz. Speaking fluent Tagalog is definitely his asset, and he’s been to more places in the Philippines than the ordinary Pinoys.  

In addition, he's bagged close to 10 acting awards, seven of which were in international film festivals. Nico credits his early exposure to the movies, as his dad was a Hollywood director. This was also the reason why he formally studied film at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA).  

This year is shaping up to be huge for Nico. He's acting side by side with "Game of Thrones" actor Iain Glen in the historical movie "Quezon."  Outside of Viva, he's also set to star in a psychological thriller in Canada where he will play a character that gives off Jeffrey Dahmer vibes. He also does vertical dramas and lastly,  there's pageant hosting, which keeps him busy year-round and  surprisingly, "it pays the bills."

"I used to host for free. Can you imagine? I was the one who approached the corporate companies and clients. They didn't even have to pay for my transport or food. Then, I hired a photographer and videographer to take a reel of my hosting.

"I wanted to see if I could do it. And then, after hosting  5 to 10 events for free, that's when I started charging," he narrated.

In his role as pageant host, Nico believes that he's been to " every corner of the Philippines. Yung mga barangay na way up north or way down south ....in Mindanao, in the Visayas region, everywhere!"

Of the places he's been to, he ticks off the following places as his favorites: the province of Masbate for having "the biggest rodeo in Asia" and Laoag in Ilocos Norte for its beautiful sand dunes located "right along the beach."

What else does he want to do in the future? Nico, who trained as a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, says he wants to do action, and "within the next five years, I see myself directing a film, 100 percent."

(For  juicy stories and other inquiries, email me at annalyn.jusay@gmail.com)