What makes Ogie ‘a better man’?

The presscon started almost two hours behind schedule because the invited movie writers were coming from another coverage at the other end of town. But the delay hardly dampened the spirit and enthusiasm of Ogie Alcasid who was eager not only to remind everybody, the press and the (buying) public alike, of the recent release of his ninth "studio album" (his first under the Viva Records label), aptly titled A Better Man, but also to sing one or two songs from it.

The "one or two" soon multiplied due to insistent requests from the movie press corps for more, more, more, until Ogie – happily, yes! – turned the Country Waffles (Greenhills) into a venue for an impromptu mini-concert, singing not just "one or two" but almost all the cuts in A Better Man.

Ogie kicked off with Sana, Bukas Mahal Mo Na Ako which the crowd jokingly described as, like Aiza Seguerra’s hit song Pagdating ng Panahon (which inspired the current Sharon-Robin starrer from Viva Films), "the theme song of denizens from the Twilight Zone." The song, written by Ogie himself (and arranged by Dennis Quila) like the other 11 in the album, was reserved for Ogie’s second album for Viva, composed with Nandito Ako as inspiration, "but when the Viva bosses heard it," recalled Ogie in his production notes in the press kit, "they insisted on including it in A Better Man."

Then Ogie sang Ikaw Sana (arranged by Marc Lopez, a sequel to Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang), which is, according to Ogie, his favorite song in the album, followed by Sa Puso Ko (arranged by Homer Flores), which is a feel-good song that sounds like an extended jingle from a commercial; Ikaw Lamang (arranged by Lopez), a wedding song reminiscent of those from Filipino romance flicks from the ’50s and ’60s; a medley (Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang; Nandito Ako; Mahal Kita, Walang Iba; Kung Mawawala Ka, and Pangako, a hit song Ogie wrote for Regine Velasquez); and a heart-felt rendition of A Better Man, the album’s carrier single (arranged by Homer Flores, with back-up vocals and arrangement by Zebedee Zuñiga), "which is inspired by the film As Good As It Gets, especially by that scene where Jack Nicholson says to Helen Hunt, ‘You make me want to be a better man,’ and is dedicated to my wife (Michelle van Eimeren) and daughter (Ella) because they make me strive to do the best I can."

The other selections in the album are: Ikaw Pa Rin Pala (arranged by Lopez), which is about a story told to Ogie by his friend about a relationship that has ended but the feelings remain the same even after a long time; Hanggang Ngayon (also by Lopez), a duet with Regine, which Ogie said he wrote inside his car while stuck in a traffic jam, intended as theme song of Regine’s forthcoming movie; Sana (lyrics by Ino Manalo and Ogie himself, arranged by Lopez, with back-up vocals and arrangement by Regine), an old song originally written 12 years ago initially as an instrumental piece; Pangako Ko (arranged by Marvin Querido), which is about commitment, love and marriage; I Will Be There (by Querido), an inspirational "friendship song"; I’ll Be Yours Forever (arranged by Flores, with back-up vocal arrangement by Noisy Neighbors and back-up vocals by Casanova), Ogie’s "boy band song"; and One (by Lopez, written by Cecile Azarcon, with Zebedee Zuñiga leading the vocal arrangement and Regine as arranger of vocal arrangement), which is about spreading love, peace and unity, with Jaya, Regine and Lani Misalucha in a quartet with Ogie.

The presscon-turned-mini-concert could well be Ogie’s belated celebration of his sweeping victory in this year’s series of music awards (Aliw, Awit, etc.) in which Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw, which Ogie wrote for Regine and was used as theme song of Regine and Robin Padilla’s Viva movie with the same title, bagged major trophies.

Look back, sing Ogie’s songs then and now, and you’ll realize what an important songwriter Ogie is, harvesting laurels and coming up with enduring (mostly romantic/love) songs with unwavering inspiration, songs that will be sung for years and years to come. With his body of work (more coming, I’m sure!), Ogie is well on his way to becoming a music "legend," on the same level/category as George Canseco and Ryan Cayabyab but with a safe edge – that is, Ogie himself is singing most, if not all, of his compositions into which he infuses the exact feelings and emotions he intends to convey.

That, among other things, is what makes Ogie the "better man" that he is now, besides fatherhood that has admittedly changed for the better the way he looks at life.

Ogie’s previous albums were produced by OctoArts and MCA-Universal, from which his departure caused him, according to Ogie, "much pain" because MCA-Universal boss Ramon Chuaying "is like a father to me." Added Ogie, "But I’ve never really said a final goodbye to MCA-Universal. I said goodbye to them (Ramon and company) only for the time being."

So what made him move – for the time being? – to Viva Records?

"After doing two songs for Regine, Pangako and Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw, Boss Vic (del Rosario, Jr). suggested to me the idea of doing a project for Viva. That’s how A Better Man came about."

Of course, there’s a catch: Part of Ogie’s deal with Viva is the creation of his own label, Giant Music (just like the Regine-Viva deal which gave Regine her own label, Songbird Music).

"You see," said Ogie, "it’s been my dream to have my own label; I guess that’s the dream of every singer. The very first album to be released by Giant Music is my own." Of course.

Meanwhile, let’s sit back and relax and savor the music of such a small man with great talent (big things do come in small packages, remember?). The name of Ogie’s own label fits the man, doesn’t it?