M.E.S.S.: iStyled Stef Prescott and Mara Lopez for Manila Bulletin 03282012

Too Hot Too Handle

Article By ALDO J. AVIÑANTE

Photos by JERICO MONTEMAYOR

Styled by JP Diche and PIERRE PERALTA

Makeup By RHINA MONTEMAYOR

Grooming by ANPY TORIO

Hair by KLICK VIKTORIA

Clothes and Accessories from SM DEPARTMENT STORE

and FOLDED AND HUNG

Shoes from SUELAS

Male Models: Migo Ybanez, Miguel Gonzaga, and Troy Cuizon

unpublished photo

Steff Prescott, Swim Fan

A passionate swimmer and licensed scuba diver, Stef Prescott comes out from a successful stint in Survivor Philippines with renewed confidence, all ready to meet new challenges.

At first glance, this mestiza stunner looks intimidating with her strong features. But really, she is quite the opposite.

“I just look maldita. But after Survivor, mas nakilala na ako. People approach me more,” Stef says.
The Seattle-born showbiz newbie came to the Philippines originally to pursue swimming as a sport. But she was quite disappointed to learn there are not much opportunity for her to continue her passion.

“Since I was a kid, swimming was all I did. We didn’t have beaches in Seattle, but there were indoor pools. Parati akong laman ng indoor pools. I really love the water. I would have wanted to be a member of the swimming team, but it seemed basketball is the top priority here,” she adds.

The Survivor Mentality

Steff showed strength of character and poise throughout her Survivor stint. After all, she went into the competition armed with a clear strategy and wits to outlast her competitors.

“Survivor for me is a mental game. It doesn’t matter if you win the challenges, what’s important is who is going last in the voting system. I planned out strategies in my head, picturing different circumstances to ready myself. I learned some tricks from watching Survivor,” recalls Stef, who has been a fan of the show since it premiered in the US.

But still, there were things she chose to keep to herself even if Survivor was a reality show. “I didn’t want to bring the real Stef. Ang dinala ko lang dun ‘yung pagiging maldita ko.”

Survivor has given Stef a different outlook in life. She has learned to value and appreciate the things that are constantly overlooked and unnoticed.

“Life after Survivor has a lot more meaning. There, I experienced what it’s like to live with nothing. It makes you work hard for the things you want in life,” she looks back. “Before, I underestimated myself. After Survivor, I’ve become more flexible and open. To succeed, you don’t need someone telling you what to do. Trust yourself and keep your eye on the goal,” she ends.

unpublished photo

Mara Lopez Yokohama, Surf Girl

Survivor Philippines is the coming-out party of 20 year-old professional surfer Mara Lopez Yokohama.
After her successful stint in the reality game show, where she was partnered with her mom, beauty queen/actress Maria Isabel Lopez, the young De La Salle University graduate is ready to move on to the next level – to be a serious actress.

“I miss everything about Survivor because that is my lifestyle. It was a dream come true for me to be stuck on that island. The only thing I needed was my surfboard and I was all set to stay forever,” Mara says. “My mom and I are best friends. I was the one who insisted that we join Survivor. She motivates me to achieve more than what she has achieved.”

Indeed, Mara and her mom played to win.

“Our huge advantage was we were the only blood-related partners in Survivor, so we were certain we wouldn’t betray each other,” explains Mara, who is slowly but surely stepping out of her mother’s shadow, as the vibrant professional surfer is now ready to face the waves of show business head on.
Dreams And Aspirations

More than the glitz and the glamour, Mara’s first passion really is surfing.

“I started surfing when I was around six years old. Surfing for me is very spiritual. It’s something that I share with my Dad, that I share with the ocean,” she says.
Mara may not follow in her mom’s footsteps as a beauty queen, but she dreams of walking the red carpet in international film festivals. Her first taste of acting was when she played the young Maria Isabel in a true-to-life drama anthology.

“I want to be really involved in terms of making advocacy films. I want to go to the Cannes Film Festival like mom,” says Mara, who has done mostly independent films including “HIV”, “Tulak”, and more recently, “Happy Land”, which is about underprivileged kids who aspire to become football players. Mara will next be seen in an entry for the upcoming Cinemalaya Film Festival.

Although Mara is still young, she has her priorities and goals in check.
“Aside from my dream of going to Cannes, I hope to travel the world before I’m 25. I also want to finish my master’s degree in Japan or maybe take up Marine Biology,” she quips.