Richard Frank Icasiano Gomez (; born April 7, 1966) is a Filipino actor, television presenter and director, politician, and épée fencer. He has been serving as the Representative of Leyte's 4th district since 2022, and was mayor of Ormoc from 2016 to 2022.
Gomez was a leading actor in the early 1990s, earning several awards and nominations. He played the title character in Super Islaw and The Flying Kids (1986) and appeared in the romantic drama films Nagbabagang Luha and Babaing Hampaslupa (both 1988), and starred in Hihintayin Kita sa Langit (1991) opposite Dawn Zulueta. From 1987 to 1998, he co-starred in the ABS-CBN sitcom Palibhasa Lalake alongside John Estrada and Joey Marquez. In 1998, he married actress Lucy Torres, who later also became a politician. The couple starred in the ABS-CBN sitcom Richard Loves Lucy from 1998 to 2001. He was then part of the main casts of Mano Po (2002) and The Trial (2014), and appeared in the GMA sitcom Lagot Ka, Isusumbong Kita (2003–2007), and teleseryes Captain Barbell (2006–2007), Marimar (2007–2008), and Codename: Asero (2008). He was paired again with Zulueta in Walang Hanggan (2012), The Love Affair (2015), and You're My Home (2015–2016). He also co-hosted the talk show S-Files (2002–2007), and presented the Philippine version of Family Feud (2008–2009).
In politics, Gomez had an unsuccessful start. His party was disqualified in the 2001 House of Representatives elections, and he then lost in the 2007 Senate election. He moved to his wife's hometown of Ormoc to run for the local House seat in 2010 but was disqualified for failing to establish residency. In 2013, he lost the mayoral election but won in 2016 and was re-elected in 2019. In fencing, he was a member of the Philippines team that won gold in the team men's épée event at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games. He is also serving as president of the Philippine Fencing Association (PFA) since 2016.
Biography and entertainment career
He is the only child of race car driver Eddie Kelly Gomez and Josephine Icasiano (known famously by her stage name Stella Suarez), an actress in the 1960s, both ethnic Tagalogs from Metro Manila (paternal ancestry) as well as Bulacan (maternal ancestry). His cousin is Stella Suarez Jr. (also known as Pinky Suarez) who was adopted by his parents and raised as his sibling. He was raised by his grandmother after his parents separated.
He was working at McDonald's when he was discovered by his late talent manager Douglas Quijano. He then became one of the faces of Bench, a Philippine clothing brand. He debuted in acting in the 1984 movie Hindi Mo Ako Kayang Tapakan.
In 1998, he married Lucy Torres with whom he has a daughter. In 2002, he transferred to GMA network with his first melodrama show, Ang Iibigin ay Ikaw and its sequel Ang Iibigin ay Ikaw Pa Rin as well as presenting S-Files. His first GMA sitcom was Lagot Ka, Isusumbong Kita which aired from 2003 to 2007.
He was a gold medalist in fencing at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games, and was elected president of the Philippine Fencing Association (PFA) in 2016; he was re-elected in 2021. He is an organizer for "Goma Cup" and MAD (Mamamayan Ayaw sa Droga), a campaign against use of illegal drugs. He became one of the owners of "FELIX", a restaurant in Greenbelt 5 Makati.
Gomez hosted the Philippine edition of Family Feud on GMA Network. He is a former GMA Network contract artist under GMA Artist Center.
After his movie Filipinas in 2003, Gomez made a comeback in the indie film Bente which starred Senator Jinggoy Estrada and Iza Calzado. He briefly returned to GMA Network in the weekly drama anthology, Claudine, and returned to the Kapatid Network The 5 Network after 17 years by hosting the weekend variety show, P.O.5.. He appeared in the drama show, My Driver Sweet Lover, and Mga Nagbabagang Bulaklak. Gomez was part of the teleseries Walang Hanggan from January 16, 2012. He co-hosted The Biggest Game Show In The World (Asia) with Joey de Leon, and appeared in the comedy-drama, Madam Chairman. In 2015, he starred in the mystery drama You're My Home with Dawn Zulueta and an ensemble cast.
Aside from his native tongue Tagalog, Gomez is also fluent in English and Cebuano.
Education
He graduated from the University of the Philippines Open University (Associate in Arts, 2009) and the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA (Masters in Business Administration, 2016). He earned a doctorate in public administration from the Cebu Technological University in 2019.
