Rey and Jessa was the first to arrive at the show’s presscon at Jet7 Bistro, then came Marco and Hajji. Rico was so late and came more than one and a half hours late. “Sanay na kami diyan, sa the late Rico Puno,” quips Rey whose career is getting a big boost with his exposure as a judge in “Tawag ng Tanghalan’ for nearly a year now. “Minsan nga, out of town ang show namin, nandun na kaming lahat sa airport for our flight, pero si Rico, wala pa. Madalas, naiiwan ng eruplano. So sa concert, paano yan, wala si Rico? Hajji is the one who leads us and tells us what to do so, nagre-rehearse kami nang wala siya. Tapos, sa concert mismo, kapag lalabas na kami on stage, biglang darating si Rico, so babaguhin namin uli ang earlier na napag-usapan namin para isali siya. Pero tanggap na namin yun. Ang importante, benta sa tao mga jokes niya on stage. So nahahawa kami sa pagpapatawa niya. Kahit inatake na siya’t naoperahan sa puso, parang walang nabago sa kanya.”
When Rico finally arrived, he admits his lifestyle has changed after his operation. “Hindi na ako masyadong gumigimik. Nire-reserve ko na lang ang energy ko, lalo ngayon, konsehal uli ako sa Makati. 63 na ako, e, so mas concerned ako sa mga gaya kong senior citizens.”
The hitmakers promise to make the night very entertaining for their audience on their “The Best of the OPM Hitmakers” concert on December 9, 2016 at The Newport Performing Arts Theatre as Resorts World. “We’ll be singing our own hits dahil siempre, hahanapin yun ng tao,” says Marco. “But we’ll also sing a lot of new songs for the younger crowd.” You can get your tickets at Ticketworld, 891-9999 or at their website, ticketworld.com.ph