BOY ABUNDA
HUMARAP ang King of Talk na si Boy Abunda sa kauna-unahan niyang “solo” live conversation on his Facebook page recently.
Ang topic sa first episode ng kanyang online conversation ay ang tanong na “what are you grateful for ngayong panahon ng pandemya?”
Inumpisahan ni Kuya Boy ang pagsi-share ng mga bagay sa buhay niya na kanyang ipinagpapasalamat.
“Ngayon, for the first time, alam ninyo po, kilala ko na po ang mga kapitbahay namin. Nagbibigayan na po kami ng ulam.
“We have become good friends. We will engage in good conversations na hindi nangyari for the past decades because we were just too busy.
“We were too busy working and living our separate lives. With COVID, it brought us together as neighbors,” kwento ni Kuya Boy.
Dahil sa lockdown, kaisa rin daw siya ng mga kababayan natin na sobrang nakaka-appreciate ng backyard farming.
“Ang iniisip ko ngayon, kasi I was starting on television when I acquired my property, maliit na resthouse sa Lipa (Batangas). Parang ngayon iniisip ko, I want to be a part-time farmer. Totoo yan,” diin niya.
Sobrang saya daw niya nu’ng dumating sa bahay niya ang mga gulay at prutas na inani sa kanyang farm sa Lipa City. May pechay, papaya, Indian mango at rambutan.
“Ang saya-saya ko,” sabay tawa niya. “Kami ni Bong (Quintana, his long-time partner and PAGCOR’s vice-president), iba ‘yung joy na ito ‘yung produkto, produced coming from your small land. And I wanna be a farmer.
“I want to plant just like my father who is a jack-of-all trades. But at one point, he was a farmer. Binuhay kami ni tatay. Kaya I understand itong mga backyard farming,” sabi pa ng TV host.
And speaking of Bong, ang kanyang partner daw ang tumutulong sa kanya sa pagse-set up ng kamera at ilaw sa tuwing may online events siya.
“Kahapon I taped this even, the Ten Outstanding Filipinos in America (TOFA). I host this event every year. This year, virtual hosting. Alam n’yo po sino ang cameraman ko? (My) Partner ko, si Bong Quintana.”
For him, having his long-time partner daw ay isa rin sa buhay niya that he’s grateful for. He feels blessed to have a wonderful partner in life.
Ikinuwento rin ni Kuya Boy ang kaganapan sa TOFA’s event this year. Ang theme this year ay “Luminaries.” Kabilang sa mga pararangalan ay si Lea Salonga at ang Pinoy chief chef sa White House na si Cristeta Comerford.
May nagtanong din kay Kuya Boy on what he missed most sa “outside world.”
“Talagang may reference na tayo, in the outside world. Ha-hahaha! Because, we are home. I’m happy, and I’m not complaining. I’m really happy at home.
“Sabi ko, sorry (sa nagtanong kay Kuya Boy). Pinag-iisipan ko intently and I don’t really missed much. You know why?
“Kasi, for the longest time, I lived outside. Ang buhay ko ‘yung labas. Umuuwi lamang dito sa bahay para maligo, magbihis, matulog. I mean, you dressed-up for meetings, to be able for you to do show.
“I miss my house. I miss myself. I miss self-conversations. Introspection. I miss humbly myself, because I can be critical of myself, in a good way.
“I talk to myself and I say, these are the good things and the bad things. Minsan ang dami nating atraso sa sarili natin,” say pa ni Kuya Boy.