What Ogie Alcasid is OA about

Ogie Alcasid

After three decades (and counting!), Ogie Alcasid still has what it takes to hit our hearts in all the right spots with his songs. Let’s celebrate the master songwriter’s 30th anniversary in the biz and his 51st birthday on Aug. 24, 8 p.m. at the Big Dome in his concert, “OA” (for tickets, call 9115555).

I’m more than happy to be one of Ogie’s close friends. He is super down-to-earth, that I almost forget how famous he is. I am forever grateful to Ogs for being so game to sing in all my parties. His impromptu “mini-concert” is the highlight of my celebrations. I was touched when he bought me a special edition of Rolling Stone magazine, featuring Michael Jackson. Ogs said that as soon as he saw the mag in the US, he remembered me because he knows how crazy I am about MJ.

Even without all the accolades, Ogie is already award-worthy in the friendship department.

He is genuinely kind even when there are no cameras around.

Bravo, dear Ogs, for all the amazing things you do on and off stage. OPM (Original Pilipino Music) could very well stand for Ogie’s Pilipino Music because without his songs, the local music scene would not boom. Take a bow for a job well done and for being so well-loved.

Here’s my chat with Ogie:

What are you OA (over acting) about? I am a bit OA with details. I make sure everything is taken care of. I am an OA husband and father—making sure that I do not neglect my family in giving them all my love.

If you could travel back in time, what period of your career would you like to relive? I would probably go back to the beginning. It was so much. Every little triumph was just full of excitement. New discoveries, meeting stars and learning new things about the biz.

Among all your hits, which was the easiest and hardest one to write? There probably was no easy song to write, no matter how fast I wrote them because it was the emotion that went with writing the songs. There was so much emotional investment.

After 30 glorious years in the biz, what else do you want to achieve? I am in the process of writing a musical, which features all my songs and some new ones.

After coproducing “Kuya Wes,” I plan to coproduce more films that deliver positive messages.