MANILA, Philippines, September 27 ------ Even after decades in the entertainment industry, Gabby Concepcion continues to draw strength and wisdom from the words of his late father, Rolando “Rolly” Concepcion. As his father’s death anniversary, the veteran leading man shared how his father’s guidance still influences the way he deals with the highs, lows and everything else in his life and career. The elder Concepcion passed away in 2008, the year Gabby made a showbiz comeback after a 13-year hiatus. “Sa lahat ng bagay, I remember him, even in my career. He was my first manager,” Gabby said during a recent intimate press interview. “He was really a father.”
Even when looking at himself in the mirror, the Kapuso star somehow gets reminded of his dad. “In fact, I have pictures wherein I look like my daddy. Nung bata ako, may picture akong nakita na baby siya, during communion, sabi ko sa Mom ko, ‘Ma, kelan ako nagpakuha ng picture kay Lolo nung communion?’ ‘Hindi ikaw yan, Daddy mo yan.’ We looked alike when he was young. He was just a bit moreno because he was always at the beach.” His favorite means of destressing — a beach trip — is something he also inherited from his father. “It's my vice. I'm always at the beach, I cannot do without it,” he revealed, noting how being near the water brings back childhood memories. “Basta nasa beach ako, naaalala ko lang yung time na dinadala ako ng father ko. ‘Pag nasa sand ako and I see the waves, balik 14 years old ako.”
He continued, “I got that from my father. That’s true, you learn a lot from your parents, whether it's your father or mother, as you're growing up. Marami kang makikita sa kanila, especially if you've spent time with them. I miss my father so much. I get emotional when I think of him. “Many times, not just on his (death anniversary), I remember him… We really look for somebody who can ease the burden… Of course, God, I pray to Him but my father, kapag tao pinag-uusapan, talagang father ko.”
Interestingly, Gabby’s entry into the entertainment business was never planned. “Ang linya ko talaga pilot but I'm color blind. I learned I was color blind when I enrolled for flying school (around first or second year in college). They gave me a test for color blindness. Yes, I was disappointed,” he recounted. “That's why nowadays I enjoy being on an airplane during long-haul flights. OK lang sa akin. My only frustration is that I never got to be a pilot but I already played the role of a pilot. “Tatlo lang talaga gusto ko mangyari sa buhay ko — flying, dentistry and real estate. Nagampanan ko naman one out of three. I was a real estate broker in America.” “Showbiz was accidental for me,” Gabby further looked back on his showbiz journey that started off with the hit 1980 film “Katorse.” “Sabi nga nila, may kumukuha ng mga kursong natatapos nila, pagiging doctor katulad ni Subas Herrero, pero ‘di naman nila nagagamit. Ako natapos ko ang advertising pero ‘di ko naman nagamit. But in a way, it's related to showbiz.” He stressed that sometimes life takes unexpected turns and one must be open to opportunities. “Maraming ganun na natatapos nila pero ‘di nagagamit because they went for another business or livelihood, tapos yun pala yung calling. But whatever it is, sabi nga nila, ‘di naman totoo din kung ano gusto mo yun ang gawin mo. Yes, to a certain point, but if an opportunity comes, tingnan mo rin baka okay din. This is what happened to me.”
Indeed, despite initially feeling that he wasn't cut out for showbiz, the actor eventually accepted it as his calling. “Again, sabi kasi ng Daddy ko, ‘Andyan ka na kasi, galingan mo na,’” he noted. Forty years into his career, Gabby feels nothing but gratitude for how things have played out and for the fans who have supported him throughout. He particularly witnessed and felt their loyalty during the successful “Dear Heart” reunion concerts in Manila and Cebu with ex-wife and love team partner Sharon Cuneta in late 2023. Concert producer NY Entourage Productions led by Nancy Yang has announced a US-Canada tour edition of “Dear Heart” that will commence on Oct. 26 at Harrah’s Resort in Southern California. A string of shows follows: Oct. 27 at Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, California and Nov. 2 at The Meeting House in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. They will also perform at The Venue, Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, Canada on Nov. 15; Las Vegas Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on No. 17; Club Regent Events Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba on Nov. 21; Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu on Nov. 23; and Chandos Pattison Auditorium in Surrey, British Columbia on Nov. 29.
Reflecting on the enduring fanbase, Gabby once again remembered his father, “I always mention my father because siya yung pinaghuhugutan ko. My father said, ‘What did you do to make (the fans) love you?’ Actually, wala naman talaga. Kinuha ka ni Mother Lily (Monteverde of Regal), gumawa ng pelikula, sila nanood ng pelikula, minahal ka nila, for whatever reason.” They've obviously stayed and stood by him when he left for the US in the ‘90s and when he came home to restart his career. “I no longer wanted to come back because (I felt) showbiz wasn't for me… But it's what gave me my life back. So, I’m thankful not only to the producers but, of course, to the many fans who support the (shows) of our producers, who in return indirectly support me.”
Gabby recognized how rare it is to get a second chance in the industry, not to mention to sustain it this long. “I’ve heard that not everybody gets the chance to go back, so I don't know eh. Whenever I'm asked, ‘What's the formula?’ I really don't know. Maybe He's the formula,” he said. “Whenever I'm asked, ‘Do you believe in God’? In my case, how can you not? After everything a person goes through — everyone has ups and downs — and yet, you're still placed there, why? So, how can I not?”
Source: philstar.com
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