MANILA, Philippines - Edgy. With an intense look that seems to go right through your defenses. And that barely concealed tension every time he states that he means business.

At first glance, rising star Jake Cuenca does have that combination of ruthlessness and derring-do that makes him perfect for the title role of ?Palos,? ABS-CBN?s new thriller. Then the twenty-something breaks into that sunny smile that has always melted young hearts and one is transported to teenybopper land again.

Jake has definitely paid his dues in that department. At age 9, he started modeling for print and TV commercials; six years later, he entered the entertainment industry as one of its fresh, charming faces. Though he first gained attention in GMA-7?s buddy series ?Click!? which ran for four seasons from 2001-2005, it was obvious that this young actor had always wanted to do more.

?As a kid, I always wanted to entertain, and it wasn?t because I wanted the attention or the popularity,? says Jake. ?I couldn?t imagine myself holding a desk job. It was fine with my parents that I do modeling, but they initially didn?t allow me to go into showbiz. It took a year of pangungulit (pestering) before they let me try TV.?

Always fiercely independent, this middle son among three siblings tried to live within his limited means during those early showbiz years. They were lean times, he recalls, but he didn?t feel too comfortable asking for cash support from his parents. ?Nakakahiya kasi nagtratrabaho na ako (It was embarrassing because I was already working).?

That sentiment reflects his upbringing which, Jake says, is rooted in a firm moral code. Knowing that, his parents felt confident enough to leave him on his own. Jake?s father, Juan Tomas, a pure-blooded Spaniard, teaches in Valencia, Spain and stays in his native land with Filipina wife Rachel, a homemaker. Years ago, they made sure their son knew enough about staying grounded even when his star started getting brighter.

?Don?t limit yourself as long as you?re not hurting anybody,? Jake quotes a maxim often repeated by his parents.

Though he?s in constant touch with his family overseas, the young actor also takes his cues from other mentors, including co-star Cesar Montano, whom he describes as his childhood idol and now treats like an older brother. Cesar advises him about his career, says Jake. ?He once told me, ?Don?t just think of the perks of showbiz, but also remember your responsibility to the audience.? ?

Cesar and Jake play father and son Fabio and Giancarlo in the ?Palos? secret agent series, with Cesar?s real-life spouse Sunshine Cruz playing Jake?s mother. The heart of the two-season series lies in the two men?s ignorance of each other?s existence and identity as the legendary crime-fighter. Jake?s character who, as a young kid, saw his father kill his mother, was raised by a trusted major doma played by Gloria Romero.

The series is more spy-thriller than sci-fi, and Jake promises realistic fight scenes where the hero gets down and dirty. Prior to the shoot, Jake and the cast did some serious training in wushu, mixed martial arts, and parkour three hours a day for three to four months. Fortunately, Jake is a physical fitness buff who practically lives in the gym. To keep in shape, he does regular push-ups and abdominal crunches, and has abstained from eating rice and pork these past three years. ?I crave that adrenaline rush,? he points out. If he had his druthers, he?d like to do his own stunts rather than depend on a double. But his director cautions him, he says. ?He told me, ?If you get hurt, we won?t get to do any taping.? ?

His daredevil streak emerges when he goes bungee jumping. Time permitting, he?d also like to try skydiving, Jake adds.

But the actor is more cautious when it comes to romance, partly because his father has always advised him to behave like a gentleman at all times. Ask him about his on-again, off-again romance with onscreen and offscreen partner Roxanne Guinoo and he plays it safe.

A lot of stuff has been written about them, he says, but they really have no problem between them. "What I always say is, the work is a blessing, and [Roxanne and I] have to give it our attention. Nagkakaintindihan na kami (We understand each other).? Which, he admits sheepishly, is neither denial nor confirmation of the buzz.

Work is his main focus right now, he adds. The leading role in the ?Palos? series is one opportunity he has always dreamed of. After a string of character roles in such series as ?Pedro Penduko? and ?Sana Maulit Muli,? he and Roxanne were finally given the romantic leads in ?Natutulog Ba ang Diyos?? The show became a sleeper hit and was probably one reason why Jake was given the solo lead in ?Palos.?

Like his onscreen persona who stole into a villain?s hideaway in exotic Macau, Jake likes travelling. The action star who grew up in the US holds a Spanish passport which he regards as his dad?s greatest gift: ?He told me, ?Ito na ang pinakamalaking regalo na maibibigay ko sa iyo?now you can travel anywhere in the world.? ?

Like all gifts given him, it is one that Jake treasures?although for now globetrotting offscreen might just have to wait. Showbiz has finally opened wide its doors and he?s rushing headlong to see what it has to offer.