The former Editor-in-Chief of Lifestyle Asia takes on a dual role
Dong Ronquillo is the brand new MEGA Man and MEGA Active Editor. He spoke exclusively with MEGA, sharing with us the positive outcomes of his tenure in Lifestyle Asia and his vision for his two new titles.
A former EIC’s impact
“Dong Ronquillo has valuable experience in the worlds of men’s fashion and fitness,” says Peewee Reyes-Isidro, MEGA Editor-in-Chief and lead of all the MEGA brands. “He is the epitome of the two brands and will undoubtedly take both further.” Dong showed his tenacity in ensuring that Lifestyle Asia grew into something beyond what others see it as. “I was appointed as [Lifestyle Asia’s] EIC to relaunch and rebrand the magazine. My biggest contribution or success for the magazine was being able to refresh the brand, changing its image from old to dynamic, current, and relevant.” He proudly added that Lifestyle Asia eventually became attuned to the times in terms of its look and feel, messaging, and engagement even for the younger generation. “The central DNA of Lifestyle Asia is [having] a life full of meaning.”
For Dong, the question of how they can evolve the brand always came to mind. “Evolving the brand means that we are reimagining [it] in terms of who it is now and who it should be.” This is the reason why he wanted to redefine Lifestyle Asia into something more than just a luxury magazine—hence, the tagline of Beyond Luxury Living. Apart from the actual stories and content they were releasing, Dong also boasts of the refreshing visual branding that LA has embodied.
A change of scenery
Now that Dong is the newest Editor of not one, but two MEGA titles, he’s more than excited to experience a different journey and get MEGA Man and MEGA Active to reach even higher heights.
When asked why he decided to move from LA to MEGA in the first place, he shared that he can relate to the target market of both titles simply because he is a prime example of both markets. “There’s a lot of things we can do to the Filipino men in general. We [are seeing] a huge opportunity to grow and hone that market through MEGA Man.”
“I live and breathe both the men’s industry, and the healthy lifestyle.”
Meanwhile, he shared that there has been a huge trend in people’s desire to be healthy. “There’s a complete change and focus in terms of how people should live their lives. People basically realized that health is of primary importance regardless of age, gender, or status in life.”
What’s next
Despite the fact that the two titles that are now under his wing are both under MEGA, there’s still the need to have different plans for each. For MEGA Man, Dong mentioned that he would like to usher in the modern Filipino MEGA man. But what does it actually mean to be a modern man? “My vision for the men’s industry, especially in fashion, is how do we elevate Filipino men? Men shouldn’t stop improving or bettering themselves. It’s a continuous process, it’s a journey we all need to go through.” He added that with his guidance and familiarity with what MEGA Man wants to be, he also wants to break stereotypes of men in terms of fashion.
“I want to break those barriers that are restrictive of men’s stereotypes [to usher] in the modern Filipino man. The way to get there is by informing, educating, and recommending insights and ideas to the men around us.”
For MEGA Active in particular, he also aims to provide different tips on how to achieve the proper diet and active lifestyle, depending on the needs and wants of the title’s readers. Dong posed the question: Why do we want to live a healthy, active, and well life? He answered this by saying, “Because we want to be happy. We want to live a full life. We want to be able to do anything and everything we want to do. If we are not fit, healthy, how can we be able to enjoy life to the fullest?
“MEGA Active is changing the mindset of people. It’s broadening [one’s perspective] on why you need to be fit. It’s not just about looking good or feeling good—it’s about living a fuller life.”
Photographed by DOOKIE DUCAY
Grooming by GERY PEÑASO
Hair by MARK FAMILARA
Styled by GEE JOCSON
