Ogie Alcasid Learns To Accept Daughter Leila's Growing Up And Having A Boyfriend

OGIE ALCASID just renewed his contract with Universal Records. He’s been with them for six years and he signed up for another three years. “Maganda ang teamwork namin ng Universal,” he says. “Alam nila ang pulso ng music lovers natin so all my albums with them are top sellers, starting with my first album with them, ‘The Great Filipino Songbook’ where I recorded the hit songs of other singers for the first time. Then I did ‘The George Canseco Songbook’ na tribute to the songs of Mr. Canseco tapos, bumalik ako with my own songs being sung by other sings in ‘The Songwriter and the Hitmakers’. Lahat ito, naka-gold so Universal and I really complement each other.”

Universal now releases “Koleksyon”, a compilation of Ogie’s best songs in his past albums in two CDs: 16 songs in the first one and 14 songs in the second CD with such classics as “Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin”, “Kahit Na”, “Ngayon”, “May Minamahal”, “Handog”, “Kung Ako’y Iiwan Mo”, “Dito Ba”, “Langis at Tubig” and many more, all for only P250.

Ogie is one busy bee as he’ll be seen every night on TV5 soon. Monday to Friday at 7:30 PM, he’ll do drama in “The Gift”, Saturdays he makes people laugh in “Tropa Mo Ko Unli” and Sundays he sings to them in “The Mega and the Songwriter”. But despite his busy sked, he’ll find time to be with his daughters with Michelle Van Eimeren in Robertson, Sydney.

“My eldest, Leila, is turning 16 on October 16 and I’m flying to them with my parents on October 14. Birthday rin kasi ng dad ko on October 16, but Regine and Nate, maiiwan sila rito. I’ll be back on the 21st to resume work on my three shows.”

Ogie reveals that Leila now has a boyfriend. “I met the blonde boy, who’s 17, sa birthday ng youngest kong si Sara the last time I was there. Pero hindi sila pa on then. Ngayon, boyfriend na raw. I’ve talked to the boy and he’s okay naman. Gusto raw niyang magdoktor. I feel so old na, but what’s nice about my daughter is she knows her priorities, school and family pa rin. As a dad, you learn to have to accept your children are growing up and learn to let go.”

What can he say that the pilot of episode of “The Mega and the Songwriter” was panned by some folks? “Technical naman ang mga puna, but content-wise I think we did our best to please our audience. Talagang ganun, nanganganay kami and we welcome all feedback kasi we learn from them. We really want a homey set na parang nandiyan ka lang sa sala ng bahay nyo, not one na aagawan pa kami ng eksena. Even yung pagho-host namin ni Sharon, very conversational lang. Nagbabaklaan lang kami. We’re just fostering awareness pa naman of our show and we’re glad na somehow, lagi kaming nagtre-trending.”