Sunday, November 8, 2015

The Rise and Fall of Jiro Manio

(Jiro Manio in his early days in film)

                Undoubtedly one of the country’s most talented child actors in the past decades, Jiro Manio had awards and prestige to his name. Sporting the innocent smile and cherubim features that won the nation over, he garnered much acclaim through his short-lived career. A series of unfortunate events led the sought-after child star off the spotlight; a tragic turn aided by drugs and misguided choices.


                Born Jiro Katakura in 1992, the Fil-Jap actor was born and raised in the Philippines and was introduced into show business at the early age of seven in his debut film Pamana. When he was nine he starred in the Diaz-Abaya movie Bagong Buwan, but it was not until his work in Magnifico that he was critically acclaimed and won Best Actor in the Gawad Urian Awards.



                Manio became the up and coming star in the business with a succession of successful work in television and film, both in the mainstream and independent scene; although by 2007, when he was just fifteen years old that his personal troubles surfaced in the news.

                Manio was reported to be using marijuana although he immediately denied it. It was quickly followed by a tragedy when his mother passed away. In the same year, he was still continuing his work in film when rumors surfaced of him having impregnated his non-showbiz girlfriend, a woman six years his senior. Like the drug accusations, Manio was quick to deny this.

                In 2009, the eventual downfall of his career officially began when Star Magic, his talent agency for over ten years, suddenly dropped him off their roster, consecutive with the dismissal of his roles in every ongoing ABS-CBN project at the time. Manio attempted to patch his sinking career by signing up with GMA on a few teleseryes. By the end of the year he admitted to being the father of his non-showbiz girlfriend’s two year old daughter, which was then followed by another baby girl the next year.

(the life of Jiro Manio presented by ABS-CBN's Maalaala Mo Kaya)

                Manio then voluntarily entered rehab for the sake of his children and finished his senior year in high school. Things seemed to be recovering for the former child star by this point and his former colleagues showered him with support. He began to appear in small-time roles on television once more.

                His eventual disappearance from the tabloids and the screen had the public thinking he had settled into the domestic life until, earlier this year he took the country by surprise.

(A homeless Jiro Manio spotted in NAIA)

                Manio was spotted in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport scavenging for food and living off the goodwill of the airport staff. Apparently, his running away was due to family troubles  about four days prior to his pictures appearing in social media. Images of the former child star spread like wildfire over the Philippine users of Facebook and Twitter.

                Relatives heard of the uproar in the news over Manio  and he was immediately brought home by his half-brother. Celebrity mentors like Ai-Ai de las Alas were concerned over his well-being and helped with his treatment and recovery.

(Manio fetched from NAIA)


                Friends from the media offered him aid in getting back into the show business but Jiro Manio refused, wanting to finally end his acting career once and for all.  Jiro Manio, the youngest multi-award winning actor of his generation has taken is final bow to the crowd and now resigned himself from the public eye.



References:
  1.  "Who is Jiro Manio?". INQUIRER.net (INQUIRER.net). 30 June 2015
  2. Noel Orsal. "ABS-CBN issues official statement on why young actor Jiro Manio has been axed". PEP.ph.
  3. http://philnews.ph/2011/05/24/jiro-manio-confined-in-rehab-for-drug-abuse/
  4. Shayla, Sirri. "After journey of renewal, ‘Magnifico’ actor Jiro Manio deserves another chance". Interaksyon.com
  5. Andrade, Jeannette (30 June 2015). "Multi-awarded actor Jiro Manio now roaming NAIA for food, clothes". INQUIRER.net 
  6. Andrade, Jeannette (2 July 2015). "'Terminal Man' Jiro Manio departs with Ai-Ai's support". INQUIRER.net 

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