▁early ▁studies ▁were ▁at ▁L our des ▁School ▁( Que zon ▁City ), ▁Sac red ▁Heart ▁School ▁and ▁University ▁of ▁Southern ▁Philippines ▁( C eb u ▁City ). ▁As ▁a ▁Rot ex ▁Sch olar ▁in ▁Ar v ada ▁West , ▁Colorado , ▁he ▁was ▁trained ▁by ▁David ▁Hel m ▁in ▁drama ▁and ▁by ▁R ex ▁Nelson ▁in ▁music . ▁ ▁Upon ▁his ▁return ▁to ▁Man ila , ▁he ▁was ▁h ired ▁by ▁advert ising ▁company ▁D ents u ▁to ▁join ▁its ▁copy ▁department ▁and ▁within ▁three ▁months , ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁copy ▁chief ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁eigh teen . ▁After ▁two ▁years ▁he ▁moved ▁to ▁working ▁in ▁theatre . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁ment ored ▁in ▁voice ▁by ▁his ▁uncle , ▁the ▁bar it one ▁A ure lio ▁Santos ▁Est an is la o , ▁who ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁head ed ▁the ▁Vo ice ▁Department ▁at ▁the ▁College ▁of ▁Music , ▁University ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines . ▁Santos ▁joined ▁Re pert ory ▁Philippines ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Teatro ▁Pil ip ino , ▁Musical ▁Theater ▁Philippines , ▁and ▁S RO ▁Philippines . ▁ ▁At ▁ 2 0 , ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁Most ▁Out standing ▁Youth ▁in ▁Theatre . ▁He ▁was ▁profession ally ▁involved , ▁either ▁as ▁actor , ▁coach , ▁assistant ▁director ▁or ▁director ▁in ▁more ▁than ▁a ▁hundred ▁stage ▁plays ▁and ▁musical es . ▁After ▁five ▁years ▁with ▁Re pert ory ▁Philippines ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁also ▁active ▁in ▁the ▁research ▁and ▁public ity ▁comm itte es , ▁he ▁eventually ▁moved ▁to ▁S RO ▁Philippines