Game! with Dingdong Dantes and Piolo Pascual
Dingdong Dantes and Piolo Pascual are leading a different kind of star-studded affair this Sunday—not a movie or television project, but a fitness competition.
The two actors are among the personalities taking part in the Bench Active X Aktor PH Hybrid Games, a special edition of the Bench Active Hybrid Games. Happening today at Space @ One Ayala, the event aims to bring actors together through sports, fitness, and a shared commitment to health and wellness.
The partnership is part of the third leg of the Bench Active Hybrid Games, which returns on Nov. 7 and 8.
Organized by Bench Active, Bench’s sportswear and fitness brand, this is the biggest Hybrid Games yet, welcoming 1,200 participants. “We started with 300 participants, then 400, and now we have 1,200. We’re doing it at a much bigger venue—Space @ One Ayala. It will be mounted in a 2,400-sqm space, with an additional 900-sqm activation area,” said Bryan Lim, Suyen Corporation vice president for business development.
The response from fitness enthusiasts has been overwhelming—slots for the Nov. 7 games filled up just a week after registration opened. “We still get requests from people who wish to join,” Lim shared.
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The Nov. 8 edition, meanwhile, is a collaboration with Aktor PH, the organization of professional actors.
Dantes, who is the chairman of Aktor PH, said, “When we founded Aktor six years ago, the goal was to build a community of empowered professional performers. That was our North Star. Front and center of our program is the welfare of our actors, the well-being of actors, not just physical but also their mental well-being.”
Dream come true
Dantes said that the partnership between the league of actors and Bench is a dream come true for them. “It’s been our dream to have this kind of activity—a health and wellness day for actors. We would like to thank Bench for giving us this opportunity, this platform to gather as a community and celebrate one another.”
Pascual, Aktor PH’s public affairs director, said, “This is a big thing for Aktor PH. I’m so happy that Bench said yes to us being a partner.”
Lim, Dantes, Pascual and Suyen Corporation founder and chairman Ben Chan formalized the partnership by signing an agreement at a ceremony held at The Peninsula Manila.
The Bench Active Hybrid Games blends running with functional workout stations. Athletes run 400 meters before completing a functional exercise, repeating the cycle eight times, with a different movement in each round: wall balls, sandbag lunges, farmer’s carry, RowErg, burpee broad jumps, sled pull, sled push and SkiErg. There are different categories: women’s solo, men’s solo, women’s doubles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles.
All actors are welcome, Dantes and Pascual said. The Bench Active X Aktor PH Hybrid Games are not just for Aktor PH members.
Dantes said, “It’s all about community and inclusivity, regardless of studio, genre, and age. We sent out invitations to different management groups and networks. If you’re an actor, you’re part of Aktor. We’re opening this event to all actors.”
‘Everyone can participate’
Pascual said, “The bottom line is we want to encourage everyone—those who are just starting out in this business and also those who have been around for a long time. We want them to feel that we’re a community. We’re here to support you, to encourage you, to motivate you. It’s about creating a community that’s inclusive. Everyone can participate. It’s not just about competition—you can be a newbie, advanced, or you can just show up to support the participants. We want this event to be celebratory.”
It is their hope that the event will inspire actors to become more active.
Dantes said, “Sana magtuloy-tuloy sila.”
“It’s important. It’s not just about aesthetics. You have to put in the hard work, you have to work out, you have to be agile,” said Pascual.
Dantes added, “As actors, we use our bodies, our emotions as our instrument and most of the time, we don’t get to take care of ourselves; that’s why we really want to highlight the health of our members. We think the Hybrid Games is the perfect opportunity for us to come together —not just for everyone already into sports but, more importantly, for those who have yet to start. We would like to encourage them to move. The Bench Active Hybrid Games are all about movement, all about belonging to a community.”
Part of the goal is to jumpstart people’s fitness journeys. To help newcomers prepare, Aktor PH partnered with gyms to organize training sessions and simulations ahead of the event. Dantes said, “The games may seem intimidating, but these are functional movements mixed with running. They’re very easy to learn.”
Dantes and Pascual are excited to participate in the games. “There’s a doubles category, and I’m trying to convince my wife to partner up with me,” Dantes said.
He thinks doing wall balls will be tough. “Yung wall balls, yun yung isa sa pinaka-challenging so kailangan paghandaan yan.”
New to games
Pascual, meanwhile, is completely new to the games. “I haven’t done it. I’m a gym enthusiast, I do triathlons, I play badminton, I run a lot, I bike, I do strength training, but it’s the first time I’m doing it so I’m excited because this is a different ball game… I’m just going to encourage myself and get myself there and see how far I can go.”
It’s also a good chance for actors to get together, Dantes said. “Gusto namin parating magsama-sama ang mga aktor… to get the chance to connect with one another, to talk about work and just relax.”
The idea is to create experiences together, said Pascual. “‘Pag nagkasama kayo sa event, that can open doors for you to become friends.”
According to Dantes, Pascual has always been an advocate for the health and wellness of actors. “He’s also the industry’s idol when it comes to health and wellness. Across generations, we all look up to Piolo because he’s a good example of how no matter how busy you are, if you dedicate time and discipline to staying fit, it can be done.”
Pascual, who is now 49, said, “Yun yung maganda—there’s no age limit to sports. There’s no age limit to wanting to look better and wanting to look your best. Last year, I personally approached Mr. Ben Chan (to ask) if I could do Bench Body because I’m not getting any younger.”
Pascual looked absolutely sculpted for his return to Bench, starring in the “Living Statue” campaign of Bench Body, and living up to the hashtag #PioloInHisPrime.
He said, “Ever since I did the Bench Body photo shoot, I haven’t stopped. My day starts with a prayer and I work out right away… If I have more time or if I’m not doing anything that day, that’s when I ride my bike or I play badminton for four hours. It’s not something that you have to do but it should be part of your lifestyle. If you want to feel good about your body, if you want to feel healthy, you know what to avoid, you know what you shouldn’t do… I just go on YouTube and I look for different workouts para hindi ka mag-stagnate sa isang workout. I change my programs every so often. I change my sport. Bottom line, I just stay active.”
Dantes also likes working out in the morning. “Kahit gaano ka-busy kailangan may oras ka na maisingit yan. Yung iba gusto nila sa gabi pag uwi from trabaho. Pero ako mas gusto ko sa umaga hangga’t maaari.”
Pascual joked that maybe he and Dantes can do Bench Body again after the Hybrid Games. “Why not? Kasi hindi na kami bumabata,” he said.
Dantes said, “To me, this is very personal. I became part of the Bench family around 18 years ago and I will always be grateful to Bench. I’m so happy that we are doing something so meaningful. Maraming salamat, Bench, sa tiwala.”
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