Andrew James Estrella Arellano[fn 1][2] (Tagalog pronunciation:[ʔɐrɛlˈjanɔ]; born January 16, 1980) is a Filipino actor and host. He is one of the traveling hosts of the daily morning show, Unang Hirit[3] and the host of informative/educational show AHA! on GMA Network. He is also the host of the now defunct show Balikbayan, and Biyahe ni Drew on QTV (now GTV).[4]
Early life and career
Arellano was born to Aga Arellano and Bernie Estrella Arellano on January 16, 1980, in San Jose, California, USA.[citation needed] He has two brothers and two sisters.[citation needed] He graduated high school at Xavier School in March 1997, and he graduated Marketing Management at De La Salle University in October 2001 (also the same university as his wife Iya Villania).[citation needed] Arellano formerly worked in an advertising agency before he began his showbiz career.[citation needed] Arellano's first stint in showbiz on TV was in a youth-oriented show called Click, with longtime girlfriend and now wife, Iya Villania.[citation needed] He won his first solo award from PMPC Star Awards For TV as 'Best Travel Show Host' for Balikbayan, formerly aired on QTV 11 (then GMA News TV; now GTV 27), and a year later he won again in a same category.[citation needed] He also won the Unang Hirit Barkada for Unang Hirit as 'Best Morning Show Hosts' also at PMPC Star Awards For TV, three times in a row.[citation needed]
Arellano currently hosts AHA!, an informative/educational show on GMA Network, and the travel show Biyahe ni Drew on GMA News TV which has garnered several fans as it explores the beautiful islands of the Philippines and the countries outside it. He has remarkably shown talent in his job which paved way to his long running show "Biyahe ni Drew".
Personal life
Arellano enjoys basketball and triathlon[5][6] which has won him various medals in a triathlon competition held every year.
In 2004, Arellano began dating actress and television presenter Iya Villania.[7] They married in Nasugbu, Batangas in January 2014.[8] The couple have four children: Antonio Primo (born 2016),[9] Alonzo Leon (born 2018),[10] Alana Lauren (born 2020),[11] and Astro Phoenix (born 2022).[12]
Arellano is a practicing Catholic.[13] In January 2022, Arellano, alongside Villania and their three children, tested positive for COVID-19.[14][15][16]
^ abAlthough born in the United States, Drew Arellano still possesses his mother's maiden name (Estrella) as is the convention in the Philippines as indicated on his birth record.[1]