Rico J in the eyes of daughter Tosca
Did you know that in 2015 when he suffered a stroke, Rico J. Puno lost his voice? It was caused by the life-support tube inserted into his throat.
“Doctors said that his vocal cords were traumatized,” recalled Tosca Camille Puno-Ramos, one-time councilor of Makati City and the eldest of Rico’s four children with his ex-wife Doris Tayag. “While he was at the ICU recovering from open-heart surgery, I held his hand and said, ‘Dad, I’m going to sing you a song.’ I choked a bit as I started singing May Bukas Pa and I saw a tear fell from Dad’s eye.”
May Bukas Pa is one of Rico J’s hit songs which was used as theme song of a Kapamilya soap and which Rico sang when he guested on Willie Revillame’s Wowowin’s recent tribute to the Marawi soldiers.
“It’s a very touching song,” said Tosca (named after the opera). “It’s about having hope if you have faith in God.”
Rico will surely include it in his repertoire for Tatak Rico J, A Tribute to 40 Years of the Total Performer set for Dec. 2, 8 p.m. at The Theatre of Solaire Resort & Casino. Produced by Starmedia and directed by Rowell Santiago with Louie Ocampo as musical director, the concert features as special guests Willie Revillame, Ogie Alcasid, Randy Santiago, Imelda Papin, Claire dela Fuente, Gloc-9 and Ai-Ai delas Alas. (For tickets, call Ticketworld at 891-9999 or log on to www.ticketworld.com. ph.)
Of course, the show won’t be complete without Rico’s trademark green jokes.
“I think those jokes click with the audience because of the way dad delivers them,” said Tosca who has inherited her dad’s musical gift and has guest performed in some of her dad’s concerts. “His jokes are like Andok’s Chicken. Kahit pauli-ulit mong kainin, OK pa rin. Ganoon din ang jokes ni Daddy. Even if you have heard them again and again, natatawa ka pa rin.”
After his brush with death, Rico has changed a lot, according to Tosca.
“He has realized that life is short and he values the time that he has now,” revealed Tosca. “One time, I asked dad, ‘Can I ask you a question?’ He nodded. I said, ‘What did you learn from the experience?’ He sighed and replied, ‘After I regained my voice, I realized that it was the best gift God has given me, so I have to take good care of it.”
Although Rico has been with Queen (“Younger than me,” smiled Tosca) for more than eight years, he has remained friends with Doris who opted not to remarry. “She doesn’t say so but I could feel that my mom still loves my dad. Every time I would visit my dad, she would say, ‘Ikumusta mo ako sa Daddy mo.’ Ganoon.”
After serving three terms as Makati City councilor, Rico quit politics for a while and ran again and won.
“At 64,” noted Tosca, “he was appointed in-charge of the city’s senior citizens. Masipag na konsehal si Daddy, just like Jhong (Hilario, also a Makati councilor).”
Describing Rico as a “very supportive” dad, Tosca noted that Rico continues to grow and has become “more expressive, more cuddly and more open” after he recovered from his illness.
“Mabait si Daddy; hindi ka niya matiis. He said that he has been realizing many things as the days pass by. Sabi niya, ‘At the end of the day, what really matters is the family.’ He loves us the best way he knows best.”
Punong-puno best describes Rico’s life now.
“I have a new grandchild. I have a caring Queen with me,” said Rico, “and I have become closer to my children
who visit me on Sundays.”
Asked which of his songs would he choose as theme song for his biopic, if ever, Rico smiled, “Kapalaran.”
Then he proceeded to sing a line from
it, “Kapalaran kung hanapin di matagpuan. At kung minsan lumalapit nang di mo alam…”