A REGISTERED nurse, Rico Robles, 25, has chosen to become a radio jock instead. He has been with RX Radio for five years.

“Nursing is depressing,” he explained. “I like taking care of people, but I guess it’s not the right time yet. Teenagers are not really caring nowadays. But when my parents get old, I wanna take care of them.

“But right now, I’m making a life, not a living. I’m living my life.”

For several years, Rico lived in the US with his parents, who pursued the American dream, which turned out into a nightmare. To legalize their stay in the US, Rico’s parents had to marry Americans whom they paid to petition their children.

Rico and his siblings stayed with their mother, who was then living with the white guy she had married. Their father would visit them on the weekends.

“My parents couldn’t be seen together,” Rico said. “They got together secretly on the weekends. Dad didn’t live with the white woman he had married. But Mom lived with the American guy she had married. They slept in separate rooms. But the guy started taking advantage of the situation. He wanted more money.”

When a jealous relative of his Dad reported to immigration that his Dad had bought a new car, his mother’s American husband asked for $30k to appear in with her in court.

“That’s when my Dad decided to return home,” Rico said.

In the Philippines, Rico auditioned for TV and got into GMA 7’s “Best friends” where he “did a lot of corny stuff with Aubrey Miles.” In 2001, a girl he was dating asked him to check out the radio scene. He auditioned in RX and was taken in as a deejay.

While doing board work, Rico continued his studies. He finished nursing at the Manila Central University.