Ogie Alcasid has quite the set-up of a modern family.
He and his wife Regine Velasquez are on good terms with Ogie's ex-wife Michelle Van Eimeren, with whom he has two daughters, Leila and Sarah.
Ogie and Regine have a six-year-old son, Nate. Michele is one of Nate's godmothers, and he calls her Ninang Michelle.
While Ogie and Regine had planned on telling Nate about his previous marriage to Michelle, technology and Nate's curiosity preempted that talk.
Ogie revealed, “Ang nakakatawa nito, kasi siyempre si Nate pag nakikita niya yung Ate [Leila] niya, siyempre, ‘Ate ko, bakit hindi ko naman kamukha?’
“Di ba, parang siguro sa utak niya yun, di ba? So sabi niya… Kasi kami balak naming sabihin kay Nate, pag mga ten na siya. Yung para medyo maiintindihan niya.”
Ogie continued, “Sabi niya ba naman sa nanay niya, ‘Mommy, Dad was married to Ninang Michelle!
“Sabi niyang ganun! Si Regine, parang, ‘Ha?! How did you know?’
“‘I Googled it!’”
It was important for Ogie and Regine to let Nate process the information well.
“'Tapos sabi namin, ’How do you feel?’ ‘I’m happy’, sabi niya, ‘It’s okay!’ Ganun-ganun.”
How did Nate end up Googling this fact?
Ogie answered, “Siguro nakikita niya. 'Tapos sinabi ko kay Michelle sabi ko, ‘O, Nate knows already.’
“Sabi niya, ‘Oh no! Is he okay?’ Kasi iyon yung concern. ‘Yeah, he’s very happy!’
“At least hindi na namin kailangang sabihin pa sa kanya, Ginoogle niya, e.”
He went on, “At saka siyempre, minsan pag nagkukuwentuhan kami nung Ate niya, ‘O you remember, when you were a baby we used to go there.’
“So siyempre naririnig niya, ‘Baby?!’
“Nagtataka siya. So… e, matalino yung bata, he’s very receptive.”
When we mentioned that Nate is a techie kid, Ogie quipped, “Lahat naman ng bata ngayon, techie, e!”
According to Ogie, Nate is only allowed to use the iPad on weekends, and his gadget only contains kid-friendly apps.
PERFORMING WITH HIS KIDS
PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) caught up with Ogie at the press conference of OA: Ogie Alcasid 30th Aniversary Concert, which will happen on August 24 at the Araneta Coliseum.
The press conference was held at Hungry Samurai restaurant in Tomas Morato, Quezon City.
Ogie's younger daughter Sarah will come to the Philippines from Australia, where she and mom Michelle are based.
The songwriter said, “Yung mga anak ko, uuwi, e. Well si Sarah pala, uuwi.”
Ogie and Michelle's older daughter Leila is already based here in the Philippines, and has started her own singing career.
Leila, Sarah, and Nate will be among Ogie's special guests at his concert, a first for the crooner.
He said, “Ten years ago, ang kasama ko sa stage si Leila, pero hindi naman siya kumanta.
“Sa Araneta din, yung kinantahan ko siya, 'tapos si Sarah, baby pa nun, well, siguro mga seven years old.”
Nate hadn't been born then, and now Leila is a recording artist and a budding songwriter.
Ogie added about his eldest daughter, “'Tsaka ang galing niya, ang galing niyang magsulat.”
He also talked about their production number as a family.
“Maggigitara ako, gigitarahin ko yung ginawa kong kanta for Leila nung baby pa siya, it’s called 'When I See You Smile.'
“Kasi tinatanong ko kay Leila, ‘What can we sing together?’
“Sabi niya, ‘I think we should sing the song you wrote for me when I was a baby.’
“So pinadala ko kay Sarah yung study namin ni Leila, 'tapos inaral niya. 'Tapos si Nate, medyo alien yun, e, kaya isang pakinig lang niya alam na niya,” Ogie said laughing.
All of Ogie's children have inherited his love for singing.
He said of Sarah, “Magaling yun! Magaling yun.”
We asked if Sarah also wants to be a singer.
“Parang pero marami siyang… gusto niya ring maging doktor, gusto niyang maging… Pero siya talaga yung kumakanta kasi kasama siya sa Glee Club, ganun.”
He added, “Si Leila kasi parang late bloomer, e. More of lately lang niya na-discover na gusto pala niya. Ang gift niya talaga, pagsusulat.”