(From left) Liza Soberano, Ogie Diaz. Images: Facebook/Ogie Diaz, Instagram/@lizasoberano
Just hours after speaking up about Liza Soberano’s career move, Ogie Diaz has shed light on what it’s like to work as a talent manager, as he stressed that the future of his present wards is part of his responsibilities.
On Facebook, Diaz said non Tuesday, Feb. 28, that managing celebrities is difficult, noting that it’s more than overseeing the day-to-day affairs of his talents.
“Akala n’yo, madaling mag-manage ng talents? Ay, hindi po. Apakahirap. Para kang buntis. Binubuo mo pa lang sa iyong sinapupunan, iniisip mo na ang future niya. Hindi ka lang basta manager — nanay, tatay, kapatid, kaibigan ka din nila. Ibig sabihin, pati personal nilang buhay, kailangan mong gabayan — nang walang komisyon. Nang labas na sa trabaho mo bilang talent manager,” he began.
(You think it’s easy to manage talents? Not at all, it’s very hard. It’s like being pregnant. While you’re nurturing them in the womb, you’re already thinking of how to give them a bright future. You’re not just a manager — you’re also their mother, father, sibling, and friend. This means that you have to guide them in their personal lives, but don’t get a commission for it, even if it’s beyond your job responsibility.)
“Pag napapa-trouble sila sa labas, kailangan ka nila. Di pwedeng di mo sila samahan kahit wala ka namang kinalaman. Pag nasasangkot sila sa isyu na sila rin ang may gawa, dahil manager ka, troubleshooter ka din,” he further stated.
(If ever they get into trouble, they need you. You have to be there for them even if you had no part in it. If ever they get into scandals caused by their own doing, your name will be attached to them, just because you are their manager.)
The TV host personality then addressed critics who alleged that being a talent manager is merely earning from the actors’ appearances and other day-to-day pursuits.
“Akala ng ibang mga mema, kuha lang nang kuha ng komisyon ang talent manager. Hoy, ano’ng feeling nyo? Kakakilala ko lang sa talent ngayon, gusto nyo, sikat na siya next week? Eh, [kung] ganun pala gusto nyo at marunong pa kayo sa manager, ba’t hindi kayo ang mag-manage? Ang dami nyo palang alam, eh,” he added.
(Other people think that talent managers just take commissions from their artists? Hey, what kind of thinking is that? That just because I have met a talent now, they would already be popular next week? If that’s what you think a manager does, then why don’t you try to manage their careers instead? You know a lot about the topic, anyway.)
Soberano’s former manager also pointed out that he has been working in showbiz since 1986, and has been dabbling in many fields including editing, writing, field reporting, and hosting, among others.
“Binanggit ko na lahat yung pinagdaanan ko kasi gusto kong sabihin sa inyo na hindi ko naman overnight na-achieve ang goal ko in life. Pinatibay din ako ng mga trabahong pinasok ko. Yun ang humubog sa akin, kaya very grateful ako sa mga taong naging bahagi ng success ko,” he said.
(I had to share my experiences because I want to clarify that I didn’t achieve my goals overnight. These experiences made me into the person that I am today. They’ve shaped me into the person I need to become, this is why I’m very grateful for the people who were behind my back in my success.)
Image: Instagram/@ogie_diaz
Diaz expressed his gratitude to the Lord, media conglomerate ABS-CBN, and Cristy Fermin, who took him in as her assistant in the past.
“Gratitude and humility, dapat meron ang isang tao para tuloy-tuloy lang ang blessings,” he added. (A person must have gratitude and humility to keep on receiving blessings.)
In a follow-up post, the talent manager clarified that his priority now is vlogging, and he’s not looking for more aspiring celebrities to manage at the moment, as he already has his hands full with his current roster of talents.
“For now, di po ako naghahanap, dahil abala ang lola nyo sa vlogging. Me mga hina-handle kami sa The Ogie Diaz Talents, pero konti na lang. Ayaw ko na nang marami, masakit sa bangs. Sa halagang barya, pasasakitin ang ulo mo,” he said. “Nagre-release na din po ako ng talents. Ibig sabihin, pag gustong lumipat sa iba o gustong i-manage ang sariling career, gow!”
(For now, I’m not looking for any talents to manage since I’ve been busy withvblogging. I’m still managing the careers of some under The Ogie Diaz Talents, but they’re just a few. I don’t want to manage a lot, it’s hard. For a small price, you’re going to give me a headache. I am also letting go of some talents, so for those who want to switch to different managers or become a free agent, go!)
Soberano ‘never lost’ communication with Star Magic
Meanwhile, Soberano stressed that she is still in “constant communication” with her former talent agency Star Magic, in her first public appearance following the release of her “life update” vlog.
“I am in constant communication with my Star Magic family. I’ve never lost touch with them,” she told ABS-CBN’s Mario Dumaual during an ambush interview. “Some of my directors from ABS-CBN who I worked closely with throughout the years, I’ve always been supportive and grateful towards everyone. Thank you to everyone,” she added in the report.
The actress earlier revealed that she’s been selected as an ambassador and chief advocacy officer of an e-commerce brand. EDV