“They’re not plastic. If they don’t like you, they don’t like you,” is how Baron Geisler elaborated on what he loves about Cebuanos. As someone who was born and raised in Cebu City, I couldn’t help but feel the sometimes unfounded yet undeniable pride we Cebuanos possess for simply being us. Gosh, such entitlement for island dwellers! But both the ego and the unwillingness to impress are part of our charm, I guess. Our Bisaya-ness drew Baron in and made him stay. He may have had the habit of running away in the past, but he’s finally chosen to stop, face the monster under his bed and change his life.
With genuine vulnerability, he opened up about work, mental health, family, living in Cebu, his faith and everything else in between, like anecdotes that make you go “What?” Triumphs and losses are what make life interesting after all, and Baron’s thus far is full of them.
Falling for Cebu
In our special, tiny strip of an island, Baron Geisler found the love of his life, true friends and God. He found a home. He’s always had special connection with Cebu, even way before he chose to settle down here. It was his first domestic flight destination for a show, and he would keep returning to have a good time. He described the city as a magnet that keeps bringing him back. “This is where I found God, and He found me. This is where I became normal. Cebu grounded me,” he shared.
What does ‘normal’ even mean? For Baron, it’s probably stripping off his celebrity persona, and just being him without the expectations of him messing up. Baron also credits his newfound faith for keeping his legs steady, and making him focus on becoming a better man. He found that real change only happens when one humbles himself and surrenders.
Ricardo Preto shirt from Rustans
At present, he is connected with Christ’s Commission Fellowship, and is part of two discipleship groups that acts as support for him in addition to the sobriety meetings he attends. Every effort he makes is a step towards fulfilling a promise to his loved ones and everyone else. He said, “The best gift I can give to my family, friends and my supporters is my recovery. Hopefully, by God’s grace, I get to sustain it.”
Baron’s family life and sobriety journey are a far cry from his sensationalized image of being “the cool guy” who smacked people around for fun. If that’s what’s cool, then Baron is definitely uncool now—with a wife who is unfazed by his fame, a baby who needs washing, and Cebu friends who give him tough love and aren’t ‘yes men.’ As Lester Bangs declared in Cameron Crowe’s cult classic film Almost Famous, “The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you’re uncool.”
For the Love of Jamie
Another reason he loves Cebu so much is that it’s the setting for his meet-cute with Jamie Evangelista. This name escaped Baron’s mouth multiple times during the interview. It belongs to his wife, whom he met in 2018 two weeks before graduating from his rehabilitation program.
Six months into their relationship, Baron already knew Jamie was the woman he would marry. “She was my refuge. She helped me understand who I really am, and brought me back to reality. She loved me as me,” he expressed.
He added that he had nothing when they met. He was betrayed by a friend he considered his brother, who ran away with more or less three million pesos worth of assets that Baron left in his care. According to Baron, this was his rock bottom because beyond having something of value taken from him, his trust was shattered. On top of that, unknown individuals stole his belongings when they ransacked his room in his Manila home, and then set it on fire in an attempt to get rid of any evidence.
“I thought I was the center of the universe and the best at everything. But now that I realize I’m not all that, I’m more attracted to people who are better and smarter than me.”
Jamie chose him despite all of that. While Baron appreciates Jamie for not treating him like a famous actor—he said she doesn’t give a crap at all—he jokingly confessed he misses the celebrity treatment whenever he sweeps the floor, waters the plants, or when Jamie expresses disdain verbally. Baron sees it as a test of his patience. The lesson about the difference between reacting and responding is one that he had to learn during rehab. According to Baron, “Reacting is acting without logic. Responding is stepping back first, and looking at both sides of the coin before doing something.”
While he is aware of the difference, he doesn’t pretend to be perfect in making the right choice every time. Practicing patience makes you lose it sometimes, but what matters is that you learn from it and do better next time.
He certainly has tons of practice now as a father of five, two of whom are from his past relationships. He beautifully described their blended family as, “We have hers, I have mine, and we have ours.” The apple of their eye is currently their one-year-old Talitha Cumi, who keeps Baron busy these days. Talitha is love personified as Baron and Jamie became each other’s person when they were building their relationship. Today, it’s their empire they’re building together.
Tililing and Bungo
Part of that empire is working and getting that bread, as gen z-ers might say. Tililing is a term colloquially ascribed to an individual who is mentally ill. It’s also the title of Baron’s recently released movie directed by Darryl Yap and produced by Viva Films. In Baron’s words, the film is about “three nurses with their issues working in a mental facility,” who take care of three patients whose tililing rings louder than others.
It’s a film that’s close to Baron’s heart because of his own dealings with mental health. For him, Tililing matters because it helps remove the stigma around conversations of mental illness and disorders. Baron stressed that the movie’s message is about compassion, understanding and love, which is what everyone battling mental health issues needs. He added, “We are a lot. You are not alone.”
Pedro del Hierro button-down shirt and belt, Ricardo Preto suit, and New Balance shoes from Rustan’s
He pointed out how the emotional and mental plight of many Filipinos who almost have nothing, yet laugh about everything isn’t highlighted. They say when you’re poor, you have no time to deal with depression and anxiety because you’re in survival mode all the time. This is precisely what drives Baron’s advocacy, which has seeped through his business Bungo Clothing Co., which is inspired by his character in the seemingly eternal teleserye Ang Probinsyano.
With the tagline, “Out with the old, and in with the new,” Bungo’s clothes “reflect who you have become, and not who you were.” It’s all about change and transformation for the good. As part of their mission and vision, 20 percent of Bungo’s profits are allocated to providing medication and assistance to those who need it the most. Bungo Clothing Co. also produced Tililing t-shirts, the proceeds of which would go to the lead actors’ chosen mental health organizations.
Another project lined up for Baron is with our very own Don Frasco, whom he worked with on Waves, Don’s directorial debut in 2014. Baron refers to Don as the best director in Cebu and the Philippines today. While he gushed about the filmmaker, he also confessed that they had a falling out of sorts. Baron admitted that he just wanted to party all the time back then and did not want anyone to control him, but Don was very set in his ways, so it was inevitable for some tension to brew. Despite that, Baron still believes in Don’s vision, and the door to their working relationship is open again. Don met Baron’s family, they spoke, they laughed, and it’s all water under the bridge now. It’s one success story of how time truly heals wounds.
The Gift of Now
Time is God’s gift to us, and the positive effect of its passing is evident in Baron’s life.
If the past Baron was perceived to be fearless, it was the opposite for him. “I was afraid of reality. I hated myself for hurting many people. I was very selfish. All I did was think about what made me happy,” he confessed.
He held on to his demons because of the fear of facing the ugly truth. For someone who started early in show business, easily abused substances were readily available. At the tender age of 14, he started experimenting with alcohol and drugs. His dalliance eventually developed into shackles he couldn’t escape from.
“This is where I found God, and He found me. This is where I became normal. Cebu grounded me.”
Today, Baron is free from the clutches of denial and despair. He does not play the victim card. While drug and alcohol abuse, depression and anxiety are diseases, he recognizes that it’s always been his choice to lie, break promises and hurt those around him. Instead of hiding and running away, he chooses to confront his mistakes and take steps towards change with courage—courage to acknowledge the pain he’s caused others, to be a better person, and to forgive himself in the process.
After all is said and done, Baron Geisler is not a storied character in some film who’s interesting to watch. He’s a human being simply living his life the best way he knows how—one day at a time.
Pedro Del Hierro pants and shirt, and Allen Edmonds shoes, from Rustan’s. Stylist’s own leather jacket. Harley-Davidson motorcycle, from Drei Bikes.
Quick Hits
What are your interests? Motorbikes, cycling with a mountain bike, and diving. I just got into an accident. I had to pop my left shoulder back in during an enduro trail in the mountains of Consolacion. I fell in love with motorbikes because of Harley-Davidson of Cebu. They gave me a chance to ride one of their bikes and learn how to use a clutch. I’m also a certified diver, so I want to go diving soon here in Cebu.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? Coffee. Jamie and the kids are my first love, coffee’s the second. And then I make a gratitude list while having coffee.
What’s the last thing you do before going to sleep? Meditate and pray.
If you could, what would you tell your 21-year-old self? Study. Choose your friends.
How do you maintain quality over quantity with your circle of friends? As I mature, having smarter friends who have ambitions and direction in life—God slowly introduced them to me. I’m learning from them. I thought I was the center of the universe and the best at everything. But now that I realize I’m not all that, I’m more attracted to people who are better and smarter than me.
What do you look forward to? For me to be who I am and to never veer away from the plan to be a good provider, father and husband.
Describe your life now in one word. Purposeful
photography Jon Unson | styling Edward James Castro | grooming Arnauld
In the cover image, Baron wears Pedro del Hierro pants from Rustan’s, and stylist’s own button-down shirt.