Ogie’s contract with TV5 is ending next week. Is it true that Michael V is already worried that he might return to GMA and “Bubble Gang”? “Ano ka ba? We play basketball together and feeling ko nga, nami-miss na niya ako. Kaya lang, pag lumipat ako sa GMA, baka magalit si Janno Gibbs at siya naman ang iiwan ko sa TV5,” he laughs. “But seriously, wala pang concrete plans for me. It will all depend sa magiging pag-uusap namin ng aking ninong (Manny V. Pangilinan). Siya naman ang nakiusap sa’king tulungan ko naman sila sa 5. So now, after three years, I want to ask him, Ninong, kailangan mo pa ba ako? Alam naman natin, wala akong ginagawa sa 5 ngayon kundi ‘Happinas Happy Hour’. It’s good nga they allow me to appear sa other channels to promote my album and my upcoming concert, ‘Ayokong Tumanda’. You know, as a boss, wala akong masasabi about MVP, napakabait niya, very humble. Baka sabihin niya kung lilipat ako, dahil alam kong lumulubog na ang barko, aalis na ako. If I’d hear from him na we still need you para takpan ang mga butas ng barko para hindi lumubog, then I will stay. But if he’d let me go, anything is possible. Pero gusto ko munang tapusin ang concert ko bago ko makipag-usap sa kanila.”
“Ayokong Tumanda” is slated at Music Museum on August 26 and 27. “Yung title is from a song of Itchyworms and it’s about embracing midlife but not forgetting the child in me. Kasi, in my heart, totoy pa rin ako, e. I still play with my old toys every now and then. Naitago ko nga yung mga original pokemon toys ko na nag-hit na naman uli ngayon, di ba? My guests are my own talents, Lara Maigue who’ll go classical this time, Davey Langit who just won sa Himig Handog and also Basti Artadi who’s going solo. At siempre, my wife, si Regine. On August 27, I have a special guest, si Ai Ai de las Alas. My writer-director is Floy Quintos, who’s my original director when I was starting in shows like ‘Ogie Da Pogi’. My musical directors is si Mr. C lang naman (Ryan Cayabyab). Wala kasi akong ibang makuha, e.”
His two daughters, Leila and Sarah, are now both teenagers and both beauty queen material like their mom, former Miss Australia Michelle Van Eimeren. Will they follow in their mom’s footsteps? “E, they lack height. Si Sarah, puede raw mag-artista. She sings, but actually, she writes better. She tops her English classes. Binasa ko yung mga sinulat niya at namangha ako. Malalim. Her teacher told her daw that someday, she will be a big novelist.”
