Playing a disaffected youth in the ongoing play with music by the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) titled "Charot," Star Magic talent CJ Navato said he has learned a lot from the character he is playing, named appropriately, Millennial Boy.

"Pagod na ako sa sistema," he told ABS-CBN News recently and he's not talking about show business, to which he's still very much part of, but Philippine politics, elections, governance, and the status quo in general.

"I've learned that it’s nice to participate. It's nice to know. It's nice to be aware of what’s happening. It's nice to care. 'Yun ang natutunan ko sa play na 'to. Na kailangan kong mag participate. Hindi ako tumitira lang sa Pilipinas. Isa akong participant para sa nation-building," Navato added.

"Charot" is the newest original interactive theatrical production of PETA that aims to educate the audience on various issues related to federalism, charter change, elections, and voting wisely.

• READ: Ahead of May polls, PETA stages election comedy 'Charot'
• READ: Theater review: 'Charot!' is PETA's hilarious riff on charter change

For those who grew up in the last decade whose Sunday past-time included watching late-afternoon television, Navato's face is easily recognizable. He was one of the cute and funny kids in ABS-CBN's top-rating children's comedy gag show every Sunday afternoon titled "Goin' Bulilit".

He's in third year college now, studying culinary arts at the DLSU-College of St. Benilde but he still manages to act on television. He's part of "Dok Ricky, Pedia," being aired on ABS-CBN every Saturday morning. It's an educational sitcom about nutrition, parenting, child-rearing and everything in between, co-produced by ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation and National Nutrition Council.

It was PETA member, veteran theater-TV-film actress Lotlot Bustamante, who convinced him to try acting in theater. Bustamante plays village chief or "Kapitana" in "Dok Ricky, Pedia". In "Charot," she plays the town mayor who speaks via video phone patch.

"'Tita Lotlot convinced me to try theater. Actually earlier pa, with 'Rak of Aegis,' but I wasn't able to send a video for audition. Now I did with 'Charot' and when my friends in 'Dok Ricky, Pedia' learned about me acting in PETA, they congratulated me," Navato said.

He has since learned a lot from acting for television to theater, starting with the required physical regimen.

"When I got here (PETA), nakita ko kaagad mapapagod ako sa ginagawa nila. I needed a change of lifestyle. Nagbago ako starting with having a healthy lifestyle. As preparation, nag-gy-gym din ako. Naisipan ko mag work-out. Mag iba ang physique ko," he said.

Used to acting infront of a camera, he also needed to make major adjustment in his acting technique.

"Kailangan lakasan ang boses. (What I was doing on TV), hindi sya papasa sa theater. (I was told) i-project mo boses mo. Kahit katabi mo ka-eksena mo, lakasan mo ang boses mo. So sila (co-actors in 'Charot') tumulong sa akin. Sila nagre-remind sa akin," Navato said.

He has plans of watching other plays, too. He recalled the last time he saw a play was during a field trip in high school.

"May napanood ko sa CCP. I think it was 'Noli Me Tangere' or 'El Fili,' Basta isa sa dalawang yun," he said, laughing at his own forgetfulness. He recalled he has tried acting for the stage in high school but it was just a minor role.

"Hindi ako part ng main cast, parang one scene nga lang eh yung role ko. It was a play on the life (Dr. Maria) Montessori," he recalled. He studied at OB Montessori from grade school to high school.

He said despite the demanding schedule of acting for television, he never left school. He's always been enrolled as a regular student, until now. He said his priority has always been education. If school work requires him more time, he'd take a rest for a year or two from acting.

After "Goin' Bulilit", he had guestings in "Maalaala Mo Kaya," and some gag shows or sitcoms. In his teens, he was part of director Bobot Mortiz's "Luv U" a comedy series also on ABS-CBN that featured fellow former 'Goin' Bulilit' alumni like Miles Ocampo, Angeli Gonzales, Kiray Celis and Igi Boy Flores. It introduced then newbie Marco Gumabao.

He finished high school on time but now in college, he said he has the luxury to take fewer subjects or "underload" to accommodate more acting roles, whether on TV or theater.

"Dati ko pa gusto mag theater. First entrance ko sa college, second choice ko ang theater," he added. And so after acting for television since he was six years old, "Charot" has become Navato's baptism of fire in professional theater.

As Millennial Boy, he is boyfriend to -- well, Millennial Girl -- Navato's character learned that it's not all about oneself and "selfies" but someone whose responsibility is taking care of others and protecting the country's future.

"Sobra laki ng pinagkapareho sa character kong si Millennial Boy to how the play affected me. Hindi naman ako registered voter pero kahit hindi ako bumoboto. Every time pag election meron ako manok (bet). Then, (after the elections) Ano ba yun? Parang balik na naman sa dating (situation)," he said.

When we asked him if he still has aspirations to act full time on television and be molded in the likes of Jericho Rosales, he had a good laugh at himself.

"OK na ako dito. Gusto ko i-balance study ko. I wanna be a chef. At my age, gusto ko yung lagi lang akong may ginagawa. (But) I want to act more in theater. I wanna try again (auditioning in other productions). Na-e-enjoy ko eh. After this, manonood na rin ako ng mga plays. Sobrang na change ako."

The closing weekend run of "Charot" happens now until Sunday, March 17. There is a plan to tour it in schools nationwide.