Early Life
He was born in Zamboanga City on April 20, 1946. His mother was Basilisa Herrero, who has Spanish lineage and hails from Ozamis Oriental. His father Jaime O'Hara was the son of Irish-American Thomasite; Jaime was a member of the UP Dramatic club. Mario had eight brothers and three sisters. Because Jaime was the son of an American citizen, Mario's family was eligible to apply for US citizenship; however, Mario rejected any such offers.
Originally from Zamboanga City, the O'Haras moved to a middle-class community in Pasay City; behind their house was a slum area, and Mario claimed that some of his works were inspired by real-life incidents that happened in this area. He took up Chemical Engineering at the Adamson University but at the same time also auditioned for a radio show sponsored by Procter and Gamble. In 1963, at the age of 17, Mario stopped attending classes to focus on his work in radio drama with the Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC) and DZRH.
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