Saint Arnold Janssen YCC

Just when you thought you knew everything about Gary Valenciano, Mr. Pure Energy himself reveals more of himself in this installment of Conversations’ broken ‘who, what, where, when, how’ truth game. Stay tuned.

Because Gary Valenciano is celebrating his 25th anniversary as an all-around artist, Conversations asked the one person — his wife also of 25 years Angeli Pangilinan — who knows him very well to make a list of 25 adjectives that best describe Mr. Pure Energy himself. Take note:

• God-fearing

• Loving

• Childlike

• Talented

• Temperamental

• Generous

• Forgetful

• Hilarious

• Funny

• Messy

• Brilliant

• Musical

• Precise

• Excellent

• Playful

• Disciplined

• Passionate

• Focused

• Artistic

• Deep

• Poetic

• Devoted

• Self-controlled

• Humble

• Committed

To mark the milestone, he’s restaging his Gary V Live at 25 on Friday, Feb. 20, still at the Araneta Coliseum, joined by the same A-list guests including Jericho Rosales, Karylle, Rachelle Ann Go, Laarni Lozada, The Bloomfields, Sugarfree, Salamin, the Philippine All Stars, G-Force and The Powerplay...plus his children Paolo, Gabriel and Kiana with The Manoeuvres. Former Kundirana singer Mico Aytona will open the show conceptualized by Gary V. himself and directed by his bosom buddy Rowell Santiago, with Mon Faustino as musical director.

So you think you know Gary V inside-out, upside-down? Think again. In this installment of this corner’s broken “who, what, where, when, how” series, he reveals more of himself.

Who

Who between your two sons do you think will inherit your “throne”?

“Both my sons are their own person. Though they may be in entertainment, neither has expressed a desire to take on the very same responsibilities I have on my shoulders. Gabriel is a very skilled music producer more than he is a dancer/choreographer. As a music producer, he will certainly take on that mantle from me. He is much more advanced than I ever was at his age though because of technology and the resources he has to buy equipment. On the other hand, Paolo has inherited my vocals and the desire to be a video producer like me. He is amazingly so gifted in audio-visual production and stage performances in the rock arena. I am so blessed though that both have the desire to reach out to the underprivileged children and they do advocacy quietly on their own without even telling Angeli and me sometimes. It’s hard for them to fill in my shoes and they have suffered greatly because of comparison but they will find their own ‘kingdoms’ and i know they will excel by God’s design.”

Who do you consider your stiffest competition?

“Myself. I do not think much about competition now like I used to during my younger years. I am to be the best that i can be and not simply be better than whoever I’m with on stage.”

Who is Gary Valenciano away from the limelight?

“Hmmmm...good question. Gary V may come out on stage or television bringing messages of hope and encouragement but he certainly isn’t always right or perfect. He, too, goes through the ups and downs that come to every human being on earth. He is a man who loves his God, a Christian under construction. He happens to be very precise in all that he wants to accomplish so it’s not easy working for and with him.”

Who is the one person you will never forget?

“Tough question. Each and every person who has become close to me; all of them are people who mean a lot to me. My wife is one person I will not forget. The other person would probably be my brother Robby who lives in California.”

Who would you be if not Gary Valenciano?

“That’s hard to imagine but perhaps I’d be someone with the same passion as, the same energy, the same love for God as Gary V. in every area of life but unknown to the public.”

What

What do you like most about yourself (and why)?

“There is a side of me that is quite simple. It doesn’t take much to make me happy. I love to laugh and make others do the same. I love to encourage whenever it’s needed.”

What don’t you like about yourself (and why)?

“Sometimes i fail to see the bigger picture of things and this can result in more ranting and complaining than raving and complying.”

What song (yours or that of another singer) is most memorable to you (and why)?

“The song is called Break Me. It is one that I wrote. Here is when I’m in the deepest trenches of my soul. It is not just a song but a prayer said in lyrical and melodious form. It also is the song demo I presented to our partner for 19 years, Bella Tan, the hour she died. Aside from three doctors, Angeli and I were the only outsiders who were with her that night. I finished it on Good Friday and sang it publicly in church for the first time on Easter Sunday in 2005. I presented it to Bella two days later. I’ll never forget the pain of that memory.”

What is your greatest fear?

“At this point and time in my life, I really have no fear even of death as I have met it face to face several times. But during those moments when the human soul takes over the spirit, it is the fear of failure that tries to make its way into my heart.”

What is one mistake that changed your life?

“Secret! Hehehe!”

Where

Where is your erogenous zone?

“Secret! Hehehe!”

Where are you most comfortable (at ease)?

“At home watching a DVD while eating my lunch.”

Where do you want to live (if not the Philippines)?

“In the Philippines. It is crucial that someone like me stays close to people who can support me when i need support spiritually.

This is my highest priority. My desire is to be closer to my home church in Alabang so I guess that’s where i’d like to live.

Abroad... in the USA where my mom and sisters and only brother Robby live.”

Where is your Achilles’ heel?

“Achilles got hit in one heel but he really had two just like every other human being. Hehehe! I guess that shows you that I don’t have only one Achilles heel. Being a perfectionist can be considered as one heel, sometimes i can get to be very impatient when I want things done my way. That would be the other heel.”

Where do you go to unwind?

“Up on the hills of the following places: 1) Maarat, San Mateo; 2) Sta. Rosa, Laguna; 3) La Mesa Eco Park; 4) Tali Beach in Batangas; and 5) Calatagan. It is in these places that I spend time with my mountain bike and face the challenges of climbing steep hills, deep ruts, exciting descents, and thrilling off-road trails. Does it sound like something tiring? Yes, it is but that for me is the best way to unwind.”

When

When do you feel most vulnerable (to threats from younger stars)?

“When I try and do something that only fits them. I don’t ever want to look like I’m trying to be young again.”

When are you at your best performance level?

“When my heart and mind are in absolute synch with the one who has given me all the talent to shine.”

When are you happiest?

“When I’m with my family.”

When are you saddest?

“When I feel that I’ve failed to do something or did something i shouldn’t have.”

When, if ever, did you have any intimation of (your) mortality?

“When I have hypoglycemia (low sugar due to insulin overdose) attacks with my wife, no one would believe that it’s Gary V.

I can act like a special child or I can be numb and clueless, unable to speak or think properly. Or, like in 2005, I nearly died.

Without the first aid that my wife did, I could have not survived.”

How

How does diabetes, if it does, affect your sex life?

“Miraculously it hasn’t and by God’s grace it never will. Thirty years of diabetes with zero complications is something I am grateful for.”

How do you handle a crisis/problem?

“I don’t usually handle it on my own. Angeli and I are a team and so when a problem or crisis arises, we pray a lot together. Only then do we find ourselves able to make wise decisions and correct judgments over the situation with peace in our hearts. Angeli says in crisis...Christ is!”

How do you pray?

“Jesus is my friend. Before we get to the place where we want to pray, He’s already there. I speak to Him with no formula in my words just a heart that is totally open and mindful of the fact that He is pleased when I come to Him with no fear, inhibition, and doubt. I speak to Him like he’s just beside me.

I try to pray the word of God (Bible verses) itself. Including his word in my prayer seals the promises He has given to me and to you.”

.How do you keep fit (diet and workout)?

“My mountain-biking activities really help me in more ways than one. I try to do this two to three times per week but when major events like the repeat of Gary V Live@25 happen, I usually put more emphasis on dance rehearsals for my physical conditioning.”

.How do you (and Angeli) sustain your happy marriage?

“The answer is simple but the task must be an everyday effort from both parties involved to keep any marriage working healthy. Prayer, forgiveness, communication, being accountable to godly counselors and saying no to many invitations. It is no secret that we have anchored our marriage on God. The challenges will always come but like St. Peter who walked on water, he walked on it only while he kept his eyes on Jesus. Once he realized that what he was doing was an impossible feat he started to focus on the windand the waves and began to sink. When he focused his eyes on Christ again, he reached his goal, his destination — the boat. We, too, try to walk by faith, focusing our hearts on Jesus. A 25-year marriage has proven that with Jesus nothing is impossible.”

Source:

Ricky Lo