Michael ʻtornʼ between singing and acting
The song didn’t win in the 2014 Himig Handog P-Pop
Love Songs competition but it went on to be ever more popular than the winner, turning singer Michael Pangilinan into an overnight sensation. Because of its easy recall, the song, Pare,
Mahal Mo Raw Ako, readily resonated with the public, particularly with the LGBT community. Joven Tan, who wrote the song, is the director and coproducer of its movie version starring Michael himself with Edgar Allan Guzman as the friend who harbors a secret love for him.
“Michael is an ambassador of the LGBT community because he supports the fight for equal rights through his song and the movie,” said Bemz Benedito, chairperson of Ang Ladlad LGBT Party, whose members gave the song (and Michael) their collective thumbs-up.
“When I agreed to do the song,” Michael told Funfare, “I knew that I would be helping the LGBT community. It’s a love song na hindi nakakabastos. The message is loud and clear: that it’s okay for a guy to maintain a relationship that is pure friendship with another guy but not beyond that.”
The song made people curious if Michael has had an encounter with a friend who expressed romantic love to him.
“They have been asking me that question,” said Michael, “and I always tell them, ‘No, nothing like that has ever happened to me.’ I don’t think none of my friends is secretly in love with me, hahaha!!!”
What if, just IF, after a drinking session, one of his friends would propose to him?
“I will just tell him to listen to my song,” replied Michael.
And what if he and his friend woke up in a drunken state and he found out that the friend did “something” to him?
“If that would happen,” said Michael in jest, “he shouldn’t tell me about it;
huwag na lang niyang sabihin sa akin. Anyway, I was unaware when he did that, so it was without my consent.”
Max’s advertises itself as “The house that fried chicken built.” In the same way, Michael can boast about “the song that built Michael Pangilinan.”
“It really changed my life radically,” admitted Michael. “Because of the song, I got noticed by the public. It has helped my career in a way that I never imagined. I’m earning; I was able to buy a car and make some investment. Ang laki ng ipinagbago ng buhay ko. I can help my family even more, even better.”
His family now includes his five-monthold child with a non-showbiz ex-girlfriend.
“I’ll do everything for my child,” promised Michael who, unlike most actors,
readily admitted that he was going to be an unwed father. “I can’t deny my child; I don’t want him to grow up hating me for denying him. I want him to be proud of me and to be glad that I never denied na anak ko siya,” added Michael who also didn’t deny that his new girlfriend is upcoming singer Garie Concepcion, daughter of Gabby Concepcion with Grace Ibuna.
Also unlike most actors who would deny to death (even if the evidence is, pardon the pun, strong and hard), Michael nipped what could have been a prolonged “guessing game” by telling the whole world that, yes, he is the guy in the sex video pleasuring himself, an indiscretion that taught him a lesson.
“Next time,” he joked, “dapat walang ilaw; the lights should be off so that nothing would be seen, hahahaha! Why should I deny it when it’s obvious that it’s me on the video? Ako talaga
yon! I was young and it’s natural for people my age to be doing that. It was a video chat with a girl. I was careless. I should be more careful.”
No such scene, even far more mild and tamer than that, can be found in Pare, Mahal Mo
Raw Ako, although Michael and Edgar Allan are shown in “tender moments,” and another scene showing Michael showering topless.
“No butt exposure,” reiterated Michael, a first-time actor.
And no acting at all, direk Joven reminded Michael.
“Direk Joven kept reminding me to be natural, huwag daw ako umarte. I also asked for tips from Mama Guy. Edgar Allan didn’t make me feel like a newcomer. He was helpful in our scenes together and even in the scenes where he’s not with me.”
Now that he has survived his acting “baptism,” is Michael ready, willing and able to do more acting jobs?
“As of now, I don’t know yet,” said Michael, “although everything depends on my manager (Jobert Sucaldito). I found out that acting is a tough job. In singing, you study the song and record it and it’s done. In acting, you have to study the script, memorize your lines, become the character you are playing and, the hardest part, puyatan sa shooting.”
But if Jobert says go, Michael said he had no choice but to obey.
“Anything goes,” he assured. “Ready for anything.”
Pia thrice honored as HIV/AIDS advocate
Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach was recently honored by three different entities as a staunch HIV/AIDS awareness advocate.
On May 6, Pia in Monique Lhuillier was named Madrina (godmother or patroness) of Latino Commission on AIDS during its annual Cielo Gala event with the theme “Designing A World Without AIDS” at Cipriano Wall Street in New York City. Actor J. W. Cortes (a.k.a. Det. Carlos Alvarez in Gotham) and NBC4 New York news anchor Sibila Vargas co-hosted the event.
Pia received from Guillermo Chacón, president of the Latino Commission on AIDS and founder of the Hispanic Health Network, a necklace as a symbol of being the new Madrina and miniature flags of USA and the Philippines which are now displayed on her bedside.
She officially became an advocate for HIV in January, and has also attended a workshop focusing on global statistics, HIV and its relation with the LGBT community and Gender and Sexuality from the non-profit organization Aid for AIDS.
On May 18, Pia was recognized along with two other honorees by the Apicha Community Health Center during its 26th anniversary gala, A Thousand and One Champions, held in New York City.
Pia traveled to Ecuador on May 27. Upon arrival, she proceeded to the Red Cross headquarters to participate in the relief operations and meet the victims of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck some parts of the country in April. Pia was welcomed by Machala Honorable Mayor Carlos Farquez Aguilar who named her honorary volunteer of Guayas Red Cross and invited her to participate in the worldwide appeal to raise funds to build 6,000 homes for the earthquake victims.
Later that night, the mayor presented her with a plaque of recognition during the Cena Solidaria benefitting La Casita de Mis Sueños held at Hotel Oro Verde.
With Ecuadorian beauty queens including reigning Miss Universe Ecuador Connie Jimenez, Pia participated in the Annual Machala Festival Parade on May 28, riding in her own colorful float.
While in the city, Pia paid a courtesy call on Philippine Consul General to Ecuador Corazon Oliva de Reyes.
Last night (US Time), Pia graced the 2016 Miss USA pageant where last year’s Miss USA, Olivia Jordan, crowned her successor in Las Vegas. The winner will be Pia’s new roommate until Pia relinquishes her crown to 2016 Miss Universe which will staged later this year (venue still to be announced).
Pia and Olivia were the ambassadress of US National Health Week, May 8 to 14, joining other celebrities including athletes, entrepreneurs who are volunteer champions for women’s health issues.