ALCASID. His heart is in the right place.
MANILA, Philippines—Ogie Alcasid appears to be running on second and even third wind these days. Already one of local show biz’s busiest and most visible personalities, with burgeoning careers as singer, program host, comedian and songwriter, he’s even busier now, because he’s added a “leadership” level to his commitments—as OPM head, People Power Movement convenor and NCAA Heritage Ambassador, among other new responsibilities.
To top it all, he’s gotten married to Regine Velasquez and they’re “expecting,” so he has spousal obligations to fulfill, as well. Does Ogie ever sleep? Maybe, when he’s in the john, he catches a few tiddlywinks.
Burden
More to the point, why does he do it? Music has always been his first love, but the “leadership” aspect is harder to explain, because it’s often a frustrating and thankless burden.
Well, somebody’s got to do it, and it helps a lot if he’s a guy like Ogie, whose heart has always been in the right place. He’s been in the biz long enough to know the score and what needs to be done to set things right—and how.
As the new president of the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit, Ogie has more than enough issues on his plate to give him acute indigestion—fewer job prospects for local singers and musicians due to unfair competition from foreign acts; the country’s “deathless” colonial mentality that makes many Filipinos prefer foreign over local; excessive entertainment taxes; covers and revivals inhibiting musical creativity and originality—etc!
Many tasks
But, Ogie and OPM’s other movers and shakers can’t get daunted by the many tasks at hand, because music has always been a strong part of the warp and woof of the Filipino social fabric. If our music goes the way of all flash, cash and cultural-colonial clash, how will the new generation of Filipinos ever get to learn to sing its authentic, self-defining song?
As for the other issues on Ogie’s smorgasbord of duties and concerns, we trust that they won’t excessively cut into the time he needs to continue to develop his own skills as a musical and musical-theater artist. He should make the time to perform in another musical play, because his popularity can boost original musicals in Filipino, which are being upstaged by local versions of “Broadway” shows (there’s our undying colonial mentality rearing its pointy head again.)
Better yet, Ogie, who’s a hit songwriter, should compose songs for his own original Filipino musical. Wouldn’t that make local music and theater buffs’ day? Since Ogie has a strong nationalistic bent, he could make his musical’s themes relevant to young Filipinos today, thus combining entertainment and enlightenment.
Never mind sleep, Ogie, there are many promises on the local music scene that need to be made—and kept. Happy season’s greetings to the busiest and most committed Easter person we know!