Ogie: Family above all else

It would have been a good chance to, well, "get away from it all," away from the hustle and bustle of Manila and from the maddening crowd, but Ogie Alcasid changed his plans at the last minute and decided to stay home with his family (wife Michelle van Eimeren and their four-year-old daughter Leila).

Home for the Alcasids now is a bigger house in Acropolis (Quezon City) to which they moved last September from a townhouse, also in Quezon City, which was the first that Ogie bought and where they stayed for more than four years until he decided to sell it.

"It would have been my longest Holy Week ever," said Ogie sans regrets, "from March 26 to April 3. Our first plan was to take a vacation in Tokyo where Michelle would have visited her alma mater, Sophia University, where she studied as a scholar even before she represented her country (Australia) in the Miss Universe Contest here in 1994. But then, naudlot because Michelle is into her fourth month of pregnancy. Maselan (delicate) siyang magbuntis and the doctor advised her to get as much rest as she can."

It turned out to be a blessing in disguise because Ogie, busy as a bee most of his waking hours, was able to spend real quality time with Michelle and Leila right at home, going out only on Easter Sunday for an Easter-egg hunt.

"I enjoyed it," gushed Ogie, "we enjoyed it."

While Michelle has decided to quit showbiz to devote her time to Ogie and Leila, Ogie spends his days working. On Sundays, he’s co-hosting GMA’s S.O.P., Mondays he tapes for Bubble Gang (also for GMA), other days for Family Feud (an ABC 5 game show) and the rest of the week writing/composing songs if he’s not having concerts here or abroad. But Tuesdays are set aside as a family day during which Ogie turns off his cellphone, doesn’t answer any phone (landline) call and spends his time with Michelle and Leila.

"No," clarified Ogie, "I didn’t ask Michelle to stop working; it’s her choice. Her life now revolves around Leila. For a hobby, she does pottery. You go to our house and you can see sacks of clay. Sa pottery hobby ’yon ni Michelle. She might turn her hobby into a business venture, why not? In fact, she’s inviting two potters from Australia to conduct lectures and a workshop here."

During Michelle’s infanticipation period, according to Ogie, she was craving for Japanese food and sinamak (suka with siling labuyo) which goes well with Chicken Inasal, both delicacies from Bacolod. Michelle was always looking for them.

When Michelle was heavy with Leila, Ogie himself experienced infanticipation symptoms such as morning sickness, sleepiness and craving for whatever food Michelle was craving for. But not this time.

"We are looking forward to having a boy this time," said Ogie. "Like before, Michelle will give birth in Australia sometime in September, in Sydney where we are building a house. Michelle’s family has moved to Sydney from Brisbane."

Ogie and Michelle would like to call the baby either Herminio, Jr. (Ogie’s real first name) or Jonathan.

Meanwhile, Ogie is, as usual, busy writing songs not only for himself but for other artists as well, such as Ayen Munji-Laurel (Bawat Gabi), Pops Fernandez (Ikaw Na Nga Kaya? and Bakit Ka Lumayo?), Side A (Nais Ko), Manilyn Reynes (Kulang Pa Ba?) and Anna Dizon (Di Magbabago).

He’s also rehearsing for his One Night Only concert on April 18 at the Onstage Theater in Greenbelt, with Regine Velasquez as his special guest and the new boy band Casanova (also managed by Premiere like Ogie). The pop concert, with Tats Faustino as musical director, will feature a 12-minute medley of ’80s songs, a medley of seven boy band songs to be performed by Ogie with the Casanova, an "RT" medley and Ogie’s own hit songs (Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang? Pangako, Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw, Nandito Ako and Mahal Kita Walang Iba, among others).

Asked why the concert is called One Night Only, Ogie smiled, "Onstage is so fully-booked that it can book me for one night only."

(One Night Only is a special production of Star Concerts, and is presented by Don Henrico’s Pizza, Pasta & More and Café Puro. In cooperation with Midea & Haier Home Appliances, Colours Jeans, Fa Soap by Henkel, Fibisco Geez Cream Sandwich, Goodwill Bookstore, Nativa Tea and Cream Silk Conditioner. Media sponsors are K91 FM, [email protected], RX93.1, 93.9 KC-FM, Mellow Touch 94.7, 96.3 WRock, RJ 100 and Manila Bulletin. Tickets at P600, P900 and P1,200 are available at all TicketWorld outlets in major National Bookstore branches, Robinsons Place and Galleria, Tower Records Makati and Alabang, and Music Museum. For inquiries and reservations, call tel. no. 891-5610.)