Super Inggo tours the world

When Makisig Morales failed to bag the Brightest Star title on ABS-CBN singing search Little Big Star, he lost not just the P1-M grand prize, but also the chance to go to his dream vacation spot, Hong Kong Disneyland.

With the success of his superserye Super Inggo, however, ABS-CBN executives planned to bring the  child star to Hong Kong for the taping of the finale episode of the series. But luck was not on his side because the trip was canceled due to time constraints.

“More than the Little Big Star grand prize, I was more thrilled about the Hong Kong Disneyland package, but I lost. Then, I got excited again when Super Inggo people told me that we might shoot the finale episode in Hong Kong,” says Makisig in Filipino. “When the plan was canceled, I just hoped there would be a next time.”

True enough, only a few weeks after Super Inggo ended its first season, Makisig was swamped with offers to perform abroad.

Last June, Makisig left for Singapore to do his first international gig at the Kapamilya Independence Day tour of The Filipino Channel (TFC).

“I was so excited to go to a foreign land,” he says. “Ang galing! It was something new to me. You felt that you were away from the Philippines and yet parang nasa Pilipinas ka pa rin.”

Even if it was only his first time to be in that country, Makisig got a very warm reception from the audience. Some even called him Budong/Super Inggo,  proof that, indeed, the superserye has caught the fancy of Filipinos worldwide.

Makisig also had the chance to have a three-city-tour of the US from July to August. He performed in California, San Francisco, and Washington with other kapamilya stars like Yeng Constantino and Anne Curtis, among others.

Makisig, who first caught the public’s eye on Little Big Star as a kid singer, dished out songs like Breaking Up is Hard To Do, a single from his album Mak and the Dudes, to the audience’s delight.

“I am happy to see that TFC subscribers enjoy what I do,” Makisig admits. “But, the best thing about my trip to the US is that I was given the chance to visit new places with my Daddy Jong.”

Makisig is joined by his father in almost all his showbiz commitments.

“Makisig enjoyed the trip because he had a blast performing for the TFC subscribers and having his photo taken in tourist spots in the US like the White House and the Lincoln State Building,” admits Daddy Jong. “We also had time to bond in the States. Makisig also had time to rest.”

Aside from his live shows abroad, Makisig also made waves in the TV industry worldwide when Super Inggo was named semi-finalist in the 2007 International Emmy Awards, the most prestigious TV award-giving body in the world.

“Astig talaga,” Makisig excitedly says. “I am really proud of our show. I hope we will again win next year.”

Makisig was also named by Nickelodeon as the country’s Big Help ambassador, who frontlines the channel’s campaign to instill the virtue of sharing to his fellow kids.

This month, Makisig and the whole cast and crew of the Sharon Cuneta starrer, London Caregiver, are set to leave for London to shoot parts of the movie. The Star Cinema production has multi-awarded director Chito Roño at the helm.

“It is a dream come true for me to do a movie with Tita Sharon and direk Chito,” says Makisig. “I owe everything to Super Inggo and ABS-CBN. I am thankful that they have faith in me.”  

Undeniably, Super Inggo, which highlights a boy’s love for his mother, had a strong impact not only on Makisig’s life, but also on young fans of the show.

Acknowledging this, ABS-CBN is bringing the series back with Super Inggo 1.5: Ang Bagong Bangis, which will premiere in November on ABS-CBN.

“I hope our show will still get a good reception. Who knows, I might finally make it to Hong Kong Disneyland.”