October 25, 2008—Ely Buendia performed for the first time in Eat Bulaga since his concert with the Eraserheads last September. With his band Pupil, Ely gave a song number with fellow artist Francis Magalona as they both brought the house down for the Eat Bulaga viewers. Yesterday in Startalk, host Butch Francisco interviewed the Pupil frontman to ask about his present condition.

So, how exactly is he feeling right now?

"According to my doctor, okey na," revealed Ely. "One hundred percent cleared after two months of rest and cardiac rehabilitation. Handa akong sumabak sa kung ano man."

Ely's manager and wife, Diane Ventura confirmed his statement. "I was there when the doctor [performed] his test. I was also there when the doctors said that he was 100 percent fine, and I am very, very happy."

Diane remains concerned, however, for Ely's well-being. "I'm always asking him if he has taken his medicine or has he taken his exercises."

Ely related that his fourth anglioplasty took only about less than an hour. "Hindi tulad noong bypass na major thing na open heart. Anglioplasty is a simple procedure na binubuksan lang yung artery para i-unplug."

How did this experience change Ely?

"When you look back at it, parang sasabihin mo na this is a chapter...and with mom dying, it was definitely a chapter. Sabihin ko na, well, I am glad na I survived that."

Ely's mom Lizette Buendia passed away last August 28.  Only two days later, the Eraserheads held their reunion concert at The Fort.

Ely admitted that his mother's passing was still very fresh. He admitted, "Most of the time, you feel alone, you think na all you want to think of is your mom."

What are Ely's plans this All Saints Day?

"My mom is with us at the house," Ely said. "She was cremated and it was one of her last wishes because she was thinking ahead and didn't want us to spend time in the cemetery."

RELATIONSHIP WITH ERASERHEADS. Ely admitted that he did not  bond much with his former bandmates after the reunion. But he added, "We were friends kasi, we worked together and we always respected each other when it comes to work."

Ely didn't talk about the breakup of the Eraserheads before. But now, he was willing to share some info. "Malaking misunderstanding ang nangyari dito," he said, "because a lot of fans took it the wrong way and maraming na-hurt because of that.

"My own reason was that, I was simply trying to create a new career. And for me to do that, it was impossible for me to do that if I kept on talking or referring to something [that was] not part of what I was doing then, which was the Mongols and Pupil. I was trying to avoid the subject na wala nang use or wala nang point."