For his role as President of the Philippines in the new drama series, ?Tanging Yaman,? Rowell Santiago personally designed the seal of his office.

Rowell, who will play President Juan Policarpio, said he consulted with designer Paul Cabral, who created outfits for the late president Cory Aquino, for the perfect barong Tagalog. He also bought himself a pair of very distinctive eyeglasses.

Rowell told Inquirer Entertainment during the ?Tanging Yaman? press launch last week: ?Erap has his wristband. FVR is known to roll his sleeves when he works. Kailangan iba ako, so I designed my own seal. Then I called, not only Paul Cabral but also other designers who make clothes for [the current crop of] presidential wannabes. I wanted an outfit that people would identify only with me.?

He added: ?I took a vacation in Hong Kong before I started working on the show. I went to a store there to buy eyeglasses. I was surprised when the Chinese salesman handed me this pair?just like Ninoy?s! I took that as a sign.?

Rowell, who is better known as a director of live shows, said he enrolled in an acting workshop facilitated by award-winning actress-director Laurice Guillen, who megged the movie version of ?Tanging Yaman.?

?When she first saw me, Laurice hugged me and said ?Thank you for accepting the role.? Coming from her, that?s something. It also helped that I was in Cathy Molina?s two movies earlier. That was good training,? he said.

Rowell was referring to Molina?s block-buster film ?A Very Special Love? and it?s sequel, ?You Changed My Life.? Rowell played Albert, the very demanding brother of John Lloyd Cruz?s character Miggy.

Unlike movie

In ?Tanging Yaman,? Rowell is a former fireman, who rises from the ranks to become the country?s chief executive. ?He?s street-smart but principled. He?s very determined. All his life, he works hard to provide only the best for his family,? the actor-director said. ?Like Juan, I?m focused on one thing?to share with others the knowledge that my dad (the late director Pablo Santiago Sr.) has bequeathed to me.?

?The TV series is very different from the movie version,? said Manny Palo, who co-directs the show with Lino Cayetano. ?It centers on the lives of the members of the First Family residing in Malacañang. We did some research. We studied the protocol that the President follows, for one thing. We also had to find the right location for the presidential palace. It?s tough working on this show.?

?Tanging Yaman? premieres today after ?TV Patrol? on ABS-CBN. Also starring Erich Gonzales, Melissa Ricks, Matt Evans, Enciong Dee, Agot Isidro, Mylene Dizon and Leo Martinez.