Jake on Kuya Germs: Tatay watching over me

Six months after German “Kuya Germs” Moreno passed away, his protégé Jake Vargas (who calls him Tatay) is hardly out of the grieving period.

“I’m trying hard to move on,” Jake told Funfare, “I’m recovering but very slowly.”

Jake’s Tatay’s death came barely five years after Jake’s mom lost her long-drawn battle with cancer.

“Even before and after my mom was gone,” said Jake, “Tatay had been there for me. He really pushed me and worked hard to put me where I am. He was hands-on in taking care of me. I owe everything to him. Talagang pinasikat niya ako.”

On Saturday, July 9, as he turns 24, Jake will miss the preparation that his Tatay used to do to make his special day.

“I know that up to now, Tatay is watching over me and he will be doing it for years to come.”

Since he was discovered by Kuya Germs, Jake has been in his Tatay’s fold, no contract signed as Jake’s manager, and no commission cut from Jake’s earnings. In fact, Kuya Germs was spending for all the needs of Jake who was the last in the long roster of talents that Kuya Germs had built up.

It was only last week did Jake sign up a five-year exclusive contract as a Kapuso talent (managed by the network’s Artist Center), just a week after he did a head-turning performance as Carrot Boy Jeyrick Sigmaton in an episode for Mel Tiangco’s Magpakailanman.

“I’m sure Tatay was smiling from where he is, very happy for me.”

To date, Jake has proven his acting mettle by winning Best Rising Star for his performance as Aiko Melendez’s son in Asintado at the WorldFest Houston International Film Festival.

“I’ll never forget that movie,” said Jake. “In one scene, I peed in my pants when I was terrorized by a drug lord, who pointed a gun at me, after I lost the bag of drugs that he asked me to hide. Before the shoot, I drank three bottles of water but it took a while before I felt like peeing.”

Among his Tatay’s reminders, Jake bears in mind three: To save, not to be lazy and to be professional “sa lahat-lahat na.”

He’s a regular on the Sunday sitcom Pepito Manaloto and guest performer on Lipsynch Battle Philippines. In August, he will topbill the concert Oh Boy at Music Museum with Aljur Abrenica, Derrick Monasterio and Rocco Nacino.

Jordan Ong (left) and Dondi Ong at the CCP Little Theater on July 9 and at the Fil-Am Life Auditorium in Alabang, Muntinlupa City on July 10

Ong2Ong in 2-night concert

Mark the dates: Ong2Ong will be staged on Saturday, July 9, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP)’s Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater) and on Sunday, July 10, at the Insular Life Auditorium in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. The stars: Dondi Ong, tenor; and Jordan Ong, pianist.

Thanks to my friend Marshall “Mars” Lu for furnishing Funfare the following backgrounder:

Conrado Calnea “Dondi” Ong III is a magna cum laude AB Music (major in Voice) graduate from UP. He studied under the late Prof. Elmo Makil and Prof. Cecilia “Bechie” Ongsiako-Valeña. He was an amateur chorister until he was discovered and developed as an opera singer, training with the UP Singing Ambassadors, the Kasarinlan Philippine Music Ensemble, the Philippine Chamber Choir and the Philippine Madrigal Singers. He had sung at the CCP, The Concert at the (Rizal) Park, The Paco Park Presents, and other notable venues all over the country. With Kasarinlan, Dondi had traveled to the US and Europe, performing for both Filipino and foreign audiences.

Since graduating, he had been busy performing with various groups like the Noir, Serenata, Handog Himig, Harana ng Kasarinlan, Power Voice Three and I Tinori. He has been featured in radio programs like Bravo Filipino in DZFE and Your Classical Music Hour in DWBR and was a regular singer at DZRH teleradyo program.

Dondi has been featured as vocal soloist for numerous and varied programs including for the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra under Maestro Oscar Yatco, the Manila Chamber Orchestra, the Clarion Chamber Orchestra under Mr. David Johnson, the role of King Rayo in the world premiere of Lucresia Kasilag’s opera Why Flowers Bloom in May, and the role of Rodolfo in Puccini’s La Boheme under the joint production of the Philippine Opera Company and the CCP under the baton of international conductor Helen Quach. He has essayed the operatic roles of Gerald in Delibes’ Lakme and Elvino in Bellini’s La Somnambula. His productions include Boni Ilagan’s Pagsambang Bayan, and Floy Quintos’ Isang Panaginip na Fili.

Dondi has worked with the late director Behn Cervantes on various UPAA projects. He taught at the Ryan Cayabyab’s Music School, at the Sta. Isabel College and St. Stephen’s Parish, aside from maintaining private students. The Consumers Pakiusap (Santiago) Philippines.

Jordan Shangkuan Ong is a 23-year-old musical prodigy who has been garnering musical awards since age of five, when he was the youngest to be named Young Artist of Arizona. At age seven, his musical composition won the Yamaha Corporation Composition award. Recently, he became the recipient of the Houston Young Artist Award. He was also featured on NBC and ABC as a Best and Brightest Young Musician.

Since age 12, he has been featured in many concerts around the world including US, Europe and Asia. Jordan has been taught by some of the world’s greatest pianists: Dr. Dariusz Pawlas, a professor at Rice University who is annually honored to play in Chopin’s birthplace in Poland, Greg Allen, winner of the Arthur Rubenstein International Competition and was personally awarded by Queen Elizabeth herself, and currently, by Dr. Sergey Kuznetsov, winner of the China International Piano Competition and a Van Cliburn Foundation organizer.

Jordan received his Bachelor’s degrees in Music, Piano Performance and Computer Science from the University of Texas and received his Master’s in Digital Media — a cutting-edge fusion degree of computer science, art, journalism, film, and music.

Recently, his talents have attracted the attention of the USANA Corporation where he was a finalist in the Canada branch of the USANA’s Got Talent competition. He has also gotten the attention of Lake Conroe TX Online and will be featured in the next issue of Parkway Magazine, a performing arts magazine in the US.

Jordan is also a filmmaker. In the pursuit of his Master’s in Digital Media, he was the producer and composer for the film Magic History of Cinema, which not only features interviews with Martin Scorsese and J.J. Abrams, but was also showcased at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. Jordan’s new film, Magic Medieval Masquerade, which was submitted to the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, is a documentary about the Texas Renaissance Festival and includes over 40 interviews. In creating Magic Medieval Masquerade, Jordan directed, produced, edited, composed and interviewed the subjects.

(Invitations will come from the sponsors. Or call Josephine Shangkuran at 0923-9017612 or +1832-331-6851.)

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