and your host....

i still remember my first hosting stint, it was just a "katuwaan" from my classmate in college, she is soon to celebrate her debut and she jokingly asked me if i can be the host of the said celebration. and without much thought i just said yes, i did not asked her why she chose me i just said yes...

her name was jeanelyn coloma from san juan, manila. we were in second year college then at far eastern university when my first hosting stint started. it was a moment full of excitement and tension for me, it is something that is a first and something big for me. the venue was in in a multi-purpose hall at camp crame along edsa, the father of the debutante, a retired military entitled them to use the place. the funny thing was, while i was to start the programme the mother of the debutante approached me and said that the celebration will have to be until 11:00 in the evening and we should control the noise inside the hall because in one of the hall in the ground floor was the wake of another military officer.

i was in awe thinking of the irony of the situation, but i said to myself the celebration must go on and i have to make it exciting, happy and memorable for all the people who attended and most specially to the debutante herself.

i was able to pull it off and from the words of my friends who were present, manifested that i did a quite good job. it was a relief for me, a joy and a positive sign that i have a future in hosting.

nasundan ito ng isa pang debut celebration ng isa rin sa aking kaklase nung kolehiyo, si annelise turingan mula sa sta. maria, bulacan. i was not marketing myself then that i can do hosting and did not express my wanting to be a host, pero hindi ko alam kung bakit ako ang gusto nila... sa kadaldalan ko kaya, sa pagka komedyante ko o sadyang wala lang silang choice....ewan ko, hindi ko alam...

the first two events were equally budgeted and i must say pinaghirapan, pinaglaanan ng oras at panahon kaya ako ay lulang-lula sa mga kaganapan. naisip ko na mayayaman lang ang nakakaisip at may kakayahang magdiwang ng mga ganitong klaseng okasyon. mula sa mga pagkain, damit at gown ng debutant at iba pang maliliit na aspeto ay talagang pinag-isipan at ginastusan. the very reason that i am equally pressured, burdened and strained, kailangan kong galingan at paghusayan...kahit na nga ako ay walang talent fee. but believe it or not i was not after then the money, but i am after the experience, the learning and the joy i can share to everybody present.

i was not spared to do hosting stints for my beloved baranggay. from fund raising parties and barangay beauty pageants, i was able to experience it.

i have always love to do hosting for my barrio, its my way of giving back. kahit na nga ang iba ay hindi kumbinsido sa istilo ng aking pagho-host. marami din ang humahanga at marami ang nagugulat... si aris ba yun?si aris pala yun...they would always wander.

my one year teaching career at fernandez colleges also paved the way to hone my talent in hosting. from fund raising campus pageants, JS prom, college parties and school graduation...i was in the spotlight holding the microphone.

when i was busy in my career at chowking foods corporation, i was not able to do many of the hosting, pero hindi ako nakatakas sa hilig ng aking puso at bibig, kahit na nga ako ay nasa chowking i have been very active in organizing anniversary events and meetings for the store and it was a sure thing that i am the host of the event.

tanda ko pa si shane, anak ni ate nida na nakasama ko sa hanapbuhay sa feu registrar. matapos ang tatlong taon na di pagkikita at dumating ang panahon ng kanyang debut, they searched for me, tinunton ang aking kainaroroonan upang ako ay kuhaning host ng kanyang debut. nakakataba ng puso...sa dami ng mga maaaring mag host ay ako ang ang pinili ako pa ang naibigan.at ako ay nagpapasalamat...

there were times that i said no to a lot of hosting invitation, but it was not that i do not want to, but the time and situation would not permit. gusto ng puso ko ngunit hinaharangan ng panahon at pagkakataon. si ate josie na tinanggihan kong i-host ang kasal sa pangasinan. patawad ate josie, pero hindi talaga kayang ibigay ng pagkakataon.

maging dito sa singapore ay hindi ako nakaiwas sa gustong gawin ng aking puso. it was through my friends dubhe and bryan that brings me back to my hosting. i hosted their wedding rites and although i was not able to do it after a long time the skills was still there and the guest saw it and i was happy.

everytime i do hosting i make it a point that i do research, i ask what they want and i give my inputs. sinisiguro kong sa lahat ng selebrasyon ito ay natural, masaya, sincere at may koneksyon sa tao..sa mga manonood.

i must admit, hindi madaling maging host, kailangan ng bilis ng isip, paghahanda at tibay ng dibdib, pero ito ay nagiging madali at masaya kung ito ay may kagustuhang gawin na nagmumula sa puso.