Attendees at the GameZone booth and festival-goers were treated to the surprise of a lifetime after Kapuso actor Rayver Cruz scored 859 on the “Ikaw Ang Alas Punching Machine,” surpassing the previous score of 782 set by Pambansang Kamao and boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.

Pacquiao is a brand ambassador of GameZone. Cruz attended the booth’s launch during the Aurora Music Festival as a special guest, where he also tried several games.

Cruz downplayed his achievement, saying, “Punching the machine made me somewhat nervous knowing that Sir Manny tried it before me. You know, he is my idol. For sure, swabe lang ang pagsuntok niya sa machine (He punched smoothly). In my case, it was a fun experience, and I must say the machine is very user-friendly. Being able to release energy through a punch felt great.”

Asked about surpassing Pacquiao’s record, Cruz chuckled before saying, “All of a sudden, I feel like a boxing champ. Hey, that was a joke. Let us not take beating Sir Manny’s record too seriously, please, guys.”

In real life, the actor shared with select members of the media — including this DAILY TRIBUNE columnist — that he has never been involved in brawls or intense fistfights. He said he is neither a fighter nor a war freak, but rather a gentle lover.

Speaking of love, no conversation with Cruz would be complete without Julie Anne San Jose becoming part of the discussion. Cruz shared that their relationship is in a happy place, growing stronger, and that they are not rushing things. According to him, their happily-ever-after will happen in God’s perfect time.

Cruz also took the opportunity to remind the public about responsible gaming.

“To those who want to experience what the place offers, please play for fun, enjoy and game responsibly,” Cruz said.