Chito S. Roño

Chito Sarmiento Roño (Tagalog pronunciation: [ˈɾɔɲo]; born April 26, 1954), also known as Sixto Kayko and Chito S. Roño, is a Filipino writer, producer, and director. He is known for his expansive vision and special-effects-heavy films. He came to prominence in the Philippine film industry as a director with films like Private Show (1986), and Itanong Mo Sa Buwan (The Moonchild; 1988) with the latter earning accolades from the Gawad Urian Awards.^[2] He also won the Metro Manila Film Festival Award for Best Director for the films Nasaan ang Puso (Where is the Heart; 1997), and Yamashita: The Tiger's Treasure (2001).^[3] In the 1990s, he was instrumental in the formation of the Pinoy rock band Rivermaya as well as the dance group Streetboys.^[4][5] He also directed the family drama Signal Rock (2018) which was the Philippines' entry to the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 91st Academy Awards.^[6]

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Sarmiento and the surname or paternal family name is Roño.

Chito S. Roño
Born	Chito Sarmiento Roño (1954-04-26) April 26, 1954 (age 70) Calbayog, Samar, Philippines
Other names	Sixto Kayko[1]
Occupations	Writer producer director talent manager
Years active	1986–present

He also directed television shows like Spirits (2004), Magkano ang Iyong Dangal? (How Much Is Your Dignity?; 2010), Imortal (2010), and Maria Mercedes (2013). He is also Vhong Navarro's manager.

Early life

Chito Sarmiento Roño was born on April 26, 1954, in Calbayog, Samar, in the Philippines to Jose Alvarez Roño (1923–2002),^[7] a politician who later became governor of Samar and Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, and Carol Dominado Sarmiento. He is the eldest among six siblings. He is an alumnus of the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication. During his college days at the university, he was active in Dulaang UP with Tony Mabesa as an actor, stage manager, props man, and director.^[1] Chito Roño, with Lizza Nakpil, also founded Rivermaya and Streetboys in 1993, the latter of which included future actors Vhong Navarro and Jhong Hilario^[8][9]

He is also related to most of the Veloso Clan, a political family from Calbayog.^{[citation needed]}

Filmography

Film director

• Stella Magtanggol (1986)
• Private Show (1986)
• Olongapo: The Great American Dream (1987)
• Itanong Mo sa Buwan (1988)
• Baleleng at ang Gintong Sirena (1988)
• Kasalanan Bang Sambahin Kita? (1990)
• Bakit Kay Tagal ng Sandali? (1990)
• Kailan Ka Magiging Akin (1991)
• Narito ang Puso Ko (1992)
• Ikaw Lang (1993)
• Sige! Ihataw Mo! (1994)
• Separada (1994)
• Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin (1994)
• Eskapo (1995)
• Patayin sa Sindak si Barbara (1995)
• Di Mapigil ang Init (1995)
• Dahas (1995)
• Nasaan ang Puso (1997)
• Curacha, ang Babaing Walang Pahinga (1998)
• Bata, Bata... Pa'no Ka Ginawa? (1998)
• Ang Babae sa Bintana (1998)
• Hinahanap-hanap kita (1999)
• Laro sa Baga (2000)
• Spirit Warriors (2000)
• La Vida Rosa (2001)
• Yamashita: The Tiger's Treasure (2001)
• Dekada '70 (2002)
• Spirit Warriors: The Shortcut (2003)
• Feng Shui (2004)
• Sukob (2006)
• Caregiver (2008)
• T2 (2009)
• Emir (2010)
• Bulong (2011)
• The Healing (2012)
• Shake, Rattle and Roll Fourteen: The Invasion (2012)
• Badil (2013)
• Boy Golden: Shoot to Kill (2013)
• The Trial (2014)
• Feng Shui 2 (2014)
• Etiquette for Mistresses (2015)
• The Ghost Bride (2017)
• Signal Rock (2018)
• Ang mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan (2023)
• Espantaho (TBA)

Television director

Year	Title	Network
1997	Wansapanataym (Episode: "Kapirasong Langit")	ABS-CBN
2004	Spirits
2007	Mars Ravelo's Lastikman
2010	Magkano ang Iyong Dangal?
2010	Imortal
2013	Maria Mercedes
2022	Mars Ravelo's Darna	Kapamilya Channel

Writer

• Si Baleleng at ang Gintong Sirena (1988)
• Istokwa (1996)
• Curacha ang Babaeng Walang Pahinga (1998)
• Spirit Warriors (2000)
• Spirit Warriors: The Shortcut (2003)
• Feng Shui (2004)
• Sukob (2006)
• Caregiver (2008)
• T2 (2009)
• Emir (2010)
• Bulong (2011)

Film producer

• Hula (2011)

Film editor

• Itanong Mo sa Buwan (1988)

Awards

Year	Award-Giving Body	Category	Work	Result
1997	Metro Manila Film Festival	Best Director	Nasaan ang Puso?	Won
2001			Yamashita: The Tiger's Treasure	Won
		Best Original Story (with Roselle Monteverde-Teo and Roy Iglesias)		Won
		Best Screenplay (with Roy Iglesias)		Won

References

1. "'Rebel director'". Manila Standard. April 10, 2017. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
2. Carballo, Bibsy M. (August 27, 2016). "Chito: (Not only) Master of the Macabre". philstar.com. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
3. Capino, Jose B. (November 10, 2010). Dream Factories of a Former Colony: American Fantasies, Philippine Cinema. U of Minnesota Press. pp. 89–. ISBN 978-0-8166-6972-1. Retrieved May 8, 2011.
4. Caruncho, Eric S. (October 24, 2004). "Rico Blanco: Geek God". Sunday Inquirer Magazine. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. Q2. Retrieved February 13, 2024. It turned out to be the auditions for an as-yet unnamed new band that managers Lizza Nakpil and Chito Roño were putting together...
5. Valle, Jocelyn (June 22, 2002). "Danilo Barrios learns to forgive and forget". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. D2. Retrieved February 13, 2024. When film director Chito Roño was looking for new members for the Streetboys, the dance group that he helped found and now manages...
6. Dimaculangan, Jocelyn (September 26, 2018). "Signal Rock is Philippine Foreign Language Film entry to Oscars 2019". PEP.ph. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
7. Lo, Ricky (December 21, 2002). "The spirit is with them". Philstar.com. Philstar Global Corp. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
8. "Who does Rivermaya belong to?". The Philippine Star.
9. "THROWBACK: Streetboys started 24 years ago". ABS-CBN Corporation. April 24, 2017. Archived from the original on August 21, 2022.

External links

• Chito S. Roño at IMDb