by CHITO JAVIER

ABS-CBN News-Australia

Former matinee idol Bernard Palanca has been touring many cities in Australia, but he fell in love with Melbourne’s music and art scene and is planning to migrate there in the future.

“In terms of my lifestyle and how I like things, more or less they are all here in Melbourne that is why I chose Melbourne,” Palanca said.

Bernard came to Australia to test the waters for his potential career there. He even auditioned for an HBO television drama mini-series “The Pacific” which is a sequel to “Band of Brothers”. He was offered a role but unfortunately he doesn’t have a working visa yet.

“I want to get in, into the acting world locally here in Australia and hopefully and eventually that will lead to my bigger dream which is obviously Hollywood,” said the actor.

At the moment, Palanca’s priority is to get his working visa. In the meantime, he is very much willing to accommodate requests to host various events, to be a guest on the Filipino community radio and to catch up with friends.

In his spare time, this former member of “The Hunks” is just happy to walk around the city, play football, train in kickboxing, and of course do his household chores.

He said he enjoys the independence in having to cook for himself, do his own laundry, and being domesticated.

Palanca said he does not miss the showbiz lifestyle and now enjoys the freedom from showbiz intrigues.

“I like the fact that I can go out in the market and shop for fresh fish here and nobody knows me,” he said.

In the future he wants to bring his son and the rest of his family in Melbourne and call Australia home.

The actor said, “I love it, I love it here in Melbourne.”

Note: Pics are from Bernard Palanca’s matinee idol days with The Hunks. Last year, Pep published a photo of Bernard Palanca in a not so flattering way, see photo here.

I don’t know if we can consider Bernard Palanca to be another member of the druggie society because from the way he looks, he’s fat. But take a look at the photo of Bernard Palanca before and Bernard Palanca today…

Bernard Palanca from being a member of The Hunks with such hotties as, and still are, Piolo Pascual, Diether Ocampo, Jericho Rosales etc.. to this, what a waste…