After his stint as producer of the hit reality show America’s Next Top Model, Michael Carandang has been spending some time in the Philippines to fulfill his long-time dream.

In a quick chat with PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) on June 8, at the launch of Daphne Oseña’s Home Scents Collection for Bench, held at Dimensione in Bonifacio High Street, Taguig, he said, “I’ve been here since March and I’m going to be here probably till October.

“Hopefully, I get to come back and dito na lang [magtrabaho].

“Actually, I’m here now to fulfill a dream.

"I’ve been working in the US for the past 10 years and I’ve always wanted na parang umuwi sa Pilipinas and to learn from the Filipinos and to be a part of the industry.

“I have done three [local] projects so far. I co-produced a project with G Tongi called the Basco Balikbayan project, I’ve produced a show for GMA Pinoy TV called RSVP, and now I am focusing on a documentary for Bench for their 25th year.”

FUTURE IN MANILA. Having worked on one of the biggest reality franchises in America, is Michael interested in working on a local show?

“There hasn’t been an offer yet kasi I’m really focusing on the Bench documentary right now. But my niche is really reality TV and also talk shows.

“I also would like to come in here and be a consultant for some of the big networks.”

Besides being a producer, Michael hopes to teach and share knowledge based on his working experience in the US.

“You know, one thing I’ve noticed and I have been told, when it comes to producers, kakaunti talaga iyong mga producers dito.

“Kasi it’s hard to train them, e. It’s like nobody really takes up producing.

"I’d like to be able to come in and help. I’d like to mentor and I’d like to teach what I know.

“There’s a system that we’re accustomed to sa America, on how to produce, and I think if anything else it would  benefit iyong mga aspiring producers or mga [current] producers dito to learn something different, to think outside the box.

“Kasi when you live in a certain place, like you live in this country, para bang you only know what you’ve been trained or what you’ve seen in this country.