Onemig Bondoc’s awakening

Often, it takes a big blow to jolt us to reality. That big blow came to Onemig Bondoc last year, when assignments were nil.

"God tapped me on the shoulders, and taught me a few lessons," recalls Onemig. The biggest of them all was a totally new perspective. Before, he’d go after the prettiest girl, thinking good looks could sustain the relationship. Now, Onemig’s choices are simple, more realistic.

"I’d rather have a simple girl who will be my friend for life; one who will stick it out with me through thick and thin," he says. So far, though, he still has to find Ms. Right.

Before, Onemig squandered his money on late-night outs with his barkada, never mind if he ended up with a bad hangover the day after. Not anymore. The star of Jologs now prefers the comfort of home.

Neither does he spend money on impulse anymore. Onemig has put his happy-go-lucky days behind and thinks twice, even thrice before spending. Never mind if his family owns Benedictine International School near UP Diliman. The money, muses Onemig, is not for him to spend on a whim.

This newfound maturity has found its way to his career. Onemig has cast away his matinee idol roles for a more offbeat one – that of the leader of a gay-bashing fraternity in Jologs.

The bad guy role is a big departure from his meek and mild screen persona during the past eight years. As Trigger, Onemig bullies everyone and shouts at them. He has no patience for crossdressers like the one Baron Geisler plays.

Onemig must have done cartwheels when told about the Trigger role. "I’m so happy Star Cinema has realized may ibubuga pala ako," he smiles. "I want to prove that I can play such roles. Next time around, I want to portray a psychopath."

To put more oomph in his role as Trigger, Onemig had an acting workshop with Beverly Vergel.

"I told Mr. M (Johnny Manahan, a top honcho on ABS-CBN) I wanted to do something different, to sport a new look. You see, I want to be known as a versatile actor," says Onemig.

So serious with his career, the thought of quitting showbiz at the lowest point of his life never occurred to Onemig.

"I’m no quitter. Besides, I’ve always dreamt of being in showbiz even as a kid," this nephew of Jeanne Young relates.

He owes showbiz a lot, not so much in terms of the material things it brought him, but in teaching him about life itself. The pampered child learned how to get along with people, and how to handle money, thanks to showbiz.

Now, Onemig’s investments are nothing short of amazing for a 25-year-old. Aside from the school, he has real estate properties, and a travel agency.

But this does not stop him from getting off his car and riding a jeepney, the way he did when his vehicle broke down months ago. He and a friend hailed a jeepney and nonchalantly climbed in. To hell with what others may think.

Onemig loves to tell the story of how he found out if a girl he was dating loved him for what he is, not for what he has. He fetched her in a rusty old pickup no one who loves glamour and poise would be caught dead riding in. Onemig didn’t say whether the girl still liked him or not after that. But he sure did find out if it was the real thing between them or not.

Onemig’s taste for things prosaic showed up when he parked his car at Robinsons Galleria and decided to take a bus to the Makati Stock Exchange. Nothing to it, he shrugs. Onemig just wanted to mingle with Juan de la Cruz. Neither is he averse to riding the train or MRT.

"I want to prove that although I am an actor, I’m still every inch a human being," he explains.

Onemig also has his eye set on proving his worth as a dramatic actor. That could take weeks, months or even years. But this DECS spokesperson for the youth (replacing the late Rico Yan) is not in a hurry.

"I’m still young," he muses.

Young enough to bide his time in finding that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, and proving that he does deserve this second wind in his career.