Chris Tiu has his eyes on several things: basketball, hosting, modeling, business—even politics. But unlike the jacks of all trades out there who are actually masters of none, Chris is always a frontrunner in whatever endeavor he is involved with.Blame it on passion—and also dedication, hard work, and discipline, all of which are synonymous to Chris Tiu’s name. This certified basketball superstar, after all, started playing the sport when he was just five years old, joined the school’s basketball team when he was in Grade 4, and then just took it all the way from there. After playing for the Ateneo Blue Eagles during his college days, he is now a part of Smart Gilas, a developmental national basketball team aiming to play at the 2012 London Summer Olympics.
To make sure he’s on top of his game, Chris plays basketball six times a week, and attends court training, which involves weights, cardiovascular exercises, and agility drills. Of course, this hunk also makes sure that he eats healthy by watching what he puts on his plate. He avoids fatty foods, and cuts down on carbs, especially white rice, at night. But when he feels like having a good meal, he goes for salads, which he loves, steak, Japanese food, and a lot of Chinese food.
A familiar face on TV (he is a commercial model, after all), Chris has recently joined the world of show business as a television host. Gifted with gab, presence and charm, he has two TV programs on GMA 7: “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not,” and “Pinoy Records,” which he co-hosts with Manny Pacquaio.
The list doesn’t end there for this young achiever. Chris is also a businessman who does some stocks on the side. He’s a regular traveler who likes experiencing different cultures. And then after being a Sangguniang Kabataan chairman for five years, he is now a kagawad who has various sports-related projects for the youth.
But while Chris has several interests and passions, one thing is for sure: he trusts only Hanford when it comes to underwear. It is actually the brand’s versatility that he likes the most. “I can use Hanford products anytime, anywhere, 24/7,” he says, sharing that he uses the undershirts to sleep, the tank tops for training and at the gym, and the supporters during practice, since he plays basketball almost everyday.
An endorser for the underwear brand for a year and a half now, Chris considers it a privilege to be part of Hanford’s very select endorsers. “They are unlike other competitors, who have lots and lots of models,” he says. “With Hanford, they are very selective, and to be chosen as one of the very few, I am very honored.”Known to be very shy and traditional, Chris admits that he does enjoy the photo shoots and that he understands how he needs to sometimes be a little bit daring. Hanford is an underwear brand, after all. Just how daring has he posed for the brand so far? “Maybe when I was wearing the tank top with my low-waisted jeans, I was showing the garter, and I had a sexy pose,” he recalls. “For others maybe it’s just normal, but for me that’s already pretty sexy.” For a conservative guy coming from a very conservative family, that is indeed an accomplishment!
Accomplishing great things—that’s something that Chris Tiu is good at, whether it’s in the basketball court or the entertainment industry, the business world or even the political arena. Just like Hanford, Chris aims to always be the best. Both in pursuit of excellence, there is no wonder why there is a strong partnership between this overachiever and the country’s leading undergarment brand.