HE’S AN avowed Bruce Lee fanatic.
This Vic Tiro–actor, writer, cinematographer, director and producer.
Aside from being a fan of the late Hong Kong and Hollywood icon, Vic, by his sheer guts of mimicry and egalitarian spree, is named unofficially, though, Bruce Lee of the Philippines.
He is taking no offense, as a matter of course, to the still living aping or stripping off Bruce Lee, namely Rey Malonzo, Levy Ignacio and Trovador Ramos, interchangeably, as the case maybe, or the late Ramon Zamora (the original Bruce Lee of the Philippines), Robert Lee and Roberto Gonzales, both popular judo-karate screen icons.
By virtue of this moniker, Tiro is able to inspire and motivate himself to go on and move forward his dreams of living in local cinema’s colonial shadow of famous foreign Oriental as well as Western idols in making a name for himself as an auteur action star no matter the cost.
His latest outing, “Ransom,” an action caper about a father and daughter fight against political gangsterism, although no attempt at effacing Mel Gibson’s highly charged drama of the same title, is an independently made project.
Early on in his movie, television and multimedia acting career, Vic wanted to be the next or just simply approximation of Bruce Lee.
He was still a kid, he disclosed in an interview, but fascinated immensely by the larger-than-life image and quotidian-ness of the controversial Hollywood’s King of Kicks and Chops if not Kick for Kicks.
“Nangongolekta ako ng mga larawan ni (I was collecting photos of) Bruce Lee. Nagpagupit din ako ng ala-Bruce Lee, ‘yong may (I even cut my hair like him with) bangs,” he enthused.
As a matter of fact, he added, it was the late Monza (sobriquet Ramon Zamora) who baptized him as Bruce of the Philippines.
Although these days, roles on TV and film vary, Vic has remained steadfast that he could land, finally, in his ideal character–that of an action hero as death-defying as Bruce Lee in the old days.
When he was just starting his showbiz career, Vic would join other newbies in field day acting workshops especially on weekends either in the public spaces of Luneta or Quezon Memorial Circle or Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife.
There, they would have sense memory exercises, internalization processes and other acting theories and practices.
Vic wouldn’t pass the day, though, without undergoing stunt solo acts or spars with his fellow struggling action stars.
Regularly, self-defense or martial arts like the typical judo and karate, the native sipa (kick) and arnis, the borrowed muay Thai or tai chi, kung fu, kenjutsu, taekwondo, the usual tumbling, wrestling etc. were in Tiro’s stunt menu either led and performed by him or his various fight instructors as teammates or facilitated by film, TV or theater workshop groups.
From his peers in the entertainment industry like indie directors, actors, writers and producers Noriel Jarito (“Rindido,” “Ex-OFW,” “Huramentado” etc.) Jek Jumawan (“The Glance,” “Dear Mama,” “Isa sa Isang Daan,” among others), Ern Antonio (“Daughter’s Angel,” “Distansiya,” to name only a few) and Bon Labora (“Plastic Eaters,” “Paano Ko Sasabihin,” and others), Vic has learned the tricks of the trade like writing and directing.
“Lakasan lang ng loob (It just takes guts),” quipped Vic, Gaspar Victor Tiro in real life.
In “Ransom,” which is produced by GVT Film Productions, Tiro wants to express his unique action stunts akin to Bruce Lee although localized in the contemporary setting of the Philippines.
This June, according to Vic, “Ransom” will be streamed live at Flicoola apps.
“Sana, maipakita ko ang iba’t ibang klase ng fight scenes ni Bruce Lee pero Filipino ang (I hope I can show his diverse fight scenes but with a native) sensibility,” explained Vic.
Before its stars who are mostly theater persons (namely, Kris Ann Hernandez, Tony Leyba, Jay Martin, Bart Balmosa, Vosh Mike, Ruel Anoche, Antonio Adlawan, Ens Sevilla and Jess de la Cruz) were set on camera, they underwent acting workshops.
This creative process will also be taught by Vic when he conducts an acting workshop with the students of Art Apprenticeship 1 of the Leon Guinto Memorial College in Atimonan, Quezon on Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 14, 2026 under the coordination of Prof. Christian Furio.
“I would like to spread the good words of acting workshops to students because they are mostly receptive to learning in and out of the classrooms,” opined Tiro.