Dante Ponce back where he belongs

He was one of several pretty-boy balladeers launched during the ’90s, along with Ariel Rivera and Calvin Millado. Then just as his career was taking off, he moved to the US in a decision that surprised a lot of people.

Dante Ponce, who blew into town for a visit recently, reveals that the reason he moved to the US was because he got married. He met his wife-to-be, a doctor specializing in radiation oncology, here in the Philippines. But because her family is based in the US, they decided to settle there. His wife was originally from Cebu, but migrated to the US with her parents when she was young. “Doon na siya lumaki,” says Dante. “She actually wanted to stay here (in Manila after we were married) but I knew it would be difficult for her to understand ‘yung buhay ko sa showbiz.” So Dante said his goodbyes and left for the US in 1993. He continued to go back and forth until he settled in the US for good a year later. The couple lived in various places including Virginia and California’s San Francisco Bay area, but a year ago moved to Honolulu where they are currently based with their four children.

But even while he was in the US, Dante kept in touch with friends in the business and followed what they were doing, especially Calvin, who has been dabbling in theater (he was last seen onstage as the genie in a local production of Aladdin), and Ariel, who recently made a successful return to television via ABS-CBN’s top-rating primetime drama Ina Kapatid Anak, where he plays Kim Chiu’s father.

At the time he left, Dante says he had no second thoughts. Although he was at the threshold of stardom, he didn’t have to think twice about leaving it all behind. He wanted to start a family, which he did. He put up a photography business (he became a wedding photographer, with website address dantesphotography.com) and got into management and sales, and while he never really acted on it, Dante kept alive his dream of coming back to the Philippines and resuming his aborted showbiz career. “I always knew I’d be back one day,” he says.

Then in October 2012, the opportunity to do so presented itself. Dante attended an event organized by CITEM (Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions), an attached agency of the Department of Trade. “Because of that, nabuhay na naman ang desire ko na bumalik sa Pilipinas,” he says.

Dante told his wife about it, and soon enough was making tracks for the Philippines. He met up with old friends and industry colleagues, and has now decided to stage a comeback and move back home for good. He is now in the process of moving his life back to the country as soon as his kids finish school in the US this June. Yes, he is coming back for good to resume his career. “I feel that this is the right time,” he says.

He knows he has a lot of time to make up, but Dante — who recorded a self-titled album under Alpha Records and did a movie, Hanggang Saan, Hanggang Kailan with Dina Bonnevie, Alice Dixson, Vina Morales and Gary Estrada (he also did a lot of TV dramas, guested in a few sitcoms and co-hosted for a while with Vilma Santos in VIP) before leaving for the US — is excited about re-establishing his career here. His wife and children are very supportive of him, and everything is falling slowly into place. “This is really serious,” says Dante, now 42 but still as fit and as good-looking as he did the day he started.

He’s been staying in shape by working out regularly and is primed and ready for this comeback. “My main focus now is getting exposure,” says Dante, who has been away from the country for almost 20 years.

Right now he is biding his time and waiting for the right opportunities to come along. He sees himself getting back into acting, doing a little of hosting, maybe even going back into the recording arena. Anything is possible. He’s even willing to consider father roles — after all, he is a dad — although he could still play romantic and leading-man parts in teleseryes and TV dramas. “Whatever comes along, I’ll take it. I’m not picky, and I’m a patient guy,” he says. “I’m really, really excited and so glad to be back. This is where I belong.”