Ogie Alcasid transfers to TV5
(UPDATE) Ogie Alcasid is facing a whole new ballgame, now that he has decided to turn into a Kapatid after getting the blessings of his former bosses in GMA-7.
"As Ogie Alcasid moves on to explore new grounds, GMA Network, his home for almost two decades, wishes him all the best. We thank him for being a part of the Network's success all these years,” GMA corporate communications consultant Butch Raquel said in a statement sent to Yahoo! Philippines OMG!.
“His achievements as a singer, songwriter, comedian, host and actor make Ogie the icon that he is now. And the Kapuso Network is proud to have been with him throughout this journey,” he continued.
Before his contract with GMA expired last June 30, Ogie appeared in the newly-launched “Sunday All Stars” with his wife Regine Velasquez and some of the stable of talents gone jobless from the defunct weekly variety show “Party Pilipinas.”
“Bubble Gang,” GMA’s long-running gag show and Ogie’s first project with the network, will also have one less mainstay. The said program has been on-air as long as Ogie’s tenure with the network.
Back to Channel 5
The singer-songwriter’s reported transfer to TV5 (formerly ABC-5) signals his return to his original home network where he started his TV career in the gag show “Tropang Trumpo.”
Ogie will join his “Trumpo” co-star Gelli De Belen (also an ex-Kapuso) in the Kapatid Network.
In today’s Philippine Star issue, columnist Ricky Lo reported that Ogie has already said his final goodbye with the network bosses.
“Last Friday morning, Atty. (Felipe) Gozon and JRD (Jimmy R. Duavit) and the other (GMA) bosses received me at their office and they wished me well. They have no problem with it and said that I may ask them for support if I need it,” Ogie shared with Lo in a phone interview.
“I was deeply touched by their gesture and I told them that I am truly thankful for the 18 years that I spent with them. Atty. Gozon said that he understood and that he didn’t want to stop me from pursuing other goals. God is good,” he continued.
Ogie's projects with TV5
Ogie Alcasid has a Herculean task ahead of him as TV5 talent. The network’s owner, Manny V. Pangilinan (MVP), has assigned him to head the station’s music department.
As consultant, Ogie will be in charge of creating music content for the Kapatid network. So expect Ogie to write theme songs for various TV5 shows, among others.
“It’s not a secret that TV5 is not doing quite well. MVP has been very supportive of me. He was my wedding sponsor. I want to help him,” Ogie told Yahoo! OMG Philippines.
The OPM (Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit) president’s new job is right up his alley.It matches his work as head of a group of Filipino singers. He started an online music stores to boost OPM.
Ogie has also been helping Philpop, the songwriting competition Pangilinan is himself supporting as head of the foundation running the said project.
“My affinity to that department (music) has begun a while back,” explains the new Kapatid artist.
He clarifies, though, that while he is under contract with TV5, Ogie is free to write theme songs for GMA Films and Star Cinema.
Ogie’s lips are sealed, however, about the duration of his contract and just how much TV5 is offering him.
“I don’t want to get into that,” he states.
Meanwhile, Ogie and TV5 are still ironing out details about the music department and his other projects for the network. (With reports from Maridol Ranoa-Bismark)
