ANTIPOLO CITY -- ?Pilipinas Got Talent? graduate Markki Stroem moved with his Norwegian dad Rune, Filipino mom Lea, and younger brothers Eirik and Kai into a four-story home in Antipolo eight years ago.

Although Markki spent some of his growing-up years in Germany and Norway, he remains very Pinoy at heart, he insists.

?I am more Filipino than Norwegian. I?m very family-oriented. I respect my parents. I?m very focused,? he says.

Good Filipino boy that he is, Markki turned his back on impending stardom and a slot on ABC 5?s ?Philippine Idol? four years ago because his parents wanted him to finish college in Europe.

Back-up plan

?At first, I wasn?t happy about that,? he admits, ?but I understood my parents. I?m glad I listened to them; now I have a back-up plan, just in case things don?t work out in show biz.?

He grew up shuttling between Europe and the Philippines and speaks five languages? German, French, Spanish, English and Filipino.

After obtaining a Hotel and Restaurant Management and Marketing degree at the Glion Institute of Higher Education in Switzerland, Markki opted to return to Manila.

First thing he did was audition for the ABS-CBN reality show ?Pilipinas Got Talent,? where he impressed judge Freddie M. Garcia with a neo-soul rendition of ?Anak.? During the initial tryout, he sang in Filipino, but with a distinct modern vibe.

Just like his music and roots, the home?s decor is a fusion of East and West. ?On display are lots of memorabilia from our travels, mostly in Europe and Asia,? he notes.

Virgin Mary icons

All over the living room are wayang golek puppets from Indonesia, troll dolls from Norway, wooden figures from Brunei, and woven hats from Burma, among others. ?I brought home most of the Asian décor from my triathlon competitions in Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan,? says Markki. Some mementos are from his European trips?like Virgin Mary icons from Prague and Fatima.

He relates, ?When I was 16, I worked as a summer tour guide volunteer in Fatima because I spoke German, Spanish and English.?

At home, he is most comfortable in his bedroom, surrounded with more souvenirs from his triathlon days.

He feels he inherited his athleticism from his dad who is also a triathlete, and his artistic side from his mom, a ballet/jazz dancer.

In the Stroems? sprawling mountainside property, dad built an Olympic-size pool. ?Dad wants us to train regularly,? he notes.

All three Stroem boys are into sports. ?I run, swim and bike, while Eirik is into basketball and soccer. Our youngest, Kai, is into rugby,? says Markki.

A soccer goal also stands in the garden, where pet Golden Retrievers Odin and Troy often frolic, near the pool.

Markki calls his dad the ultimate sportsman: ?He got into school with a scholarship for cross-country skiing.?

Although now based in Pakistan as managing director of the Asian Development Bank, Markki?s dad will fly back to the Philippines next year.

At the time of this photo shoot, his parents and brothers were in Sandefjord, Norway, visiting his grandparents and aunt.

Alone but not lonely

Home alone, Markki?s not necessarily lonely. His plate is constantly full, with dance workshops, the ?PGT? national tour, and his acting debut on the TV musical, ?1dol.?

Even at home, he keeps himself busy. ?I?m always on the Internet,? he confesses. Not for pleasure though, but for business.

?I update my Facebook fan page to promote myself and other Cornerstone artists,? he says.

(Cornerstone, which manages his career, also has Sam Milby and Richard Poon as talents.)

Asked to name his fave leisure activities, he quips: ?To relax, I run, swim and go to the gym.?

All work, no play? The guy?s self-reliant; years in Europe taught him a valuable skill? cooking. ?In Glion,? he says, ?I specialized in pastries. I can bake cakes and brownies. I make chocolates and ice cream.?

Friends insist that his baked goodies are delicious. ?I make them with Lindt chocolates,? he says.

Songwriter

In his room, he writes songs using his keyboards or sax.

?All my songs are spawned in my room. I am like the painter on the TV show ?Heroes.? I can?t force myself to create. I wait for inspiration to come to me,? he says.

He didn?t include an original composition, ?Pinoy You Got It? (with the Ezra Band and Sherwin Baguion), in the ?PGT? compilation CD on Sony Music and Star Records. But he hopes to present his own material in a solo album.

?I?ve done a song in Filipino entitled ?Pag Gising,?? he says. (He also acted in his first music video for his debut single, ?Tell Me.?)

Truth to tell, he doesn?t have to wait for inspiration because the home?s terrace offers a breathtaking view of the Ortigas and Makati skylines.

It?s quite spectacular.

?Especially on New Year?s Eve, with all the fireworks,? he says. ?I should look out and enjoy the scenery more often.?

Markki appreciates the other perks of living in Antipolo: ?Lots of trees. The air is fresh. I feel bad for people in the city who are inhaling all the pollution.?

E-mail: bayanisandiego@hotmail.com