(NOTE: This is a REPOST. Originally published on August 7, 2011)
Marcelito Pomoy
(Screenshot from ANC Headstart interview by Karen Davila)
For the past several weeks now, I've been preoccupied with things about Pilipinas Got Talent (PGT) Season 2 grand winner Marcelito Pomoy--that is, watching his video clips on youtube, reading news articles about him on the Net, and watching his guest appearances on TV. Apparently, I am greatly magnetized by this instant celebrity whom one blogger referred to as "darling of television".
Marcelito's life story--with all its loneliness, deprivations, and hardships is one for the movies. His eventual success via PGT Season 2 where he emerged as champion will surely inspire anyone who has come to know about the difficult life he has had and clearly see the hands of God lifting him from the sufferings he had gone through.
His is not just a Cinderella-like story but a poignant story of longing and love for his own family he never grew up with and one of forgiveness.
His story not only gives hope to those who are weighed down but also strengthens their faith in God and renews their belief that God sees all their sufferings and that sooner or later, He will liberate them from their woes.
To start with his lonely yet inspiring life story and basing on his TV interviews and information from various Internet sources, Marcelito Pomoy first saw the light of day in Mangagoy, Bislig City in Surigao del Sur. He is third in a brood of four.
When he was about two years old, his father, on false accusation, got imprisoned. His mother, together with his eldest sibling who was then about seven years old, left him and his two other siblings to somebody else's care to look for a job elsewhere.
When someone reported to the authority that nobody was attending to them, they were brought to his father in prison where they were fed on foods shared with them by other prisoners. When their father got sick, however, and could no longer take care of them, he was forced to have them adopted by a local policeman in the person of Ali Macawili.
Marcelito stayed with the Macawilis until he was eight years old. When he experienced maltreatment from Macawili's mother, he asked his foster parents who his real parents are. After disclosing to him the truth that his father was jailed that eventually led to his adoption by Macawili, Marcelito left home the following day to look for his father in prison but miserably failed to find the latter there.
Marcelito, in subsequent turn of events and despite his tender age, found himself engaged in various economic activities in order to survive. He worked as pin boy in a bowling alley, sold balut and ice cream, and performed other odd jobs.
When he was sixteen years old--eight years after he left his adoptive parents--and while selling balut, a suki (regular customer) recognized him and told him he knew what happened to his family and that he also knew of his father's whereabouts. The man brought the excited Marcelito to his father. His father cried when they met and upon telling him of the story behind his mother's leaving them, Marcelito harbored ill-feelings against his mother.
Marcelito stayed with his father who then has a new family but only briefly as he decided to leave him because he could not get along well with his stepmother.
Through an illegal recruiter, he later moved to Manila to seek employment. He worked in a furniture shop, washed empty Emperador Brandy bottles, worked in a poultry farm and in a piggery, and also worked in a construction outfit.
It was during his employment in a poultry farm when he started singing using his female voice. He would sing as he sprayed the chicken house.
When Marcelito turned 24, he went back to his father in Surigao. His father then informed him that his mother was in Manila. He didn't know that while he was working in Manila, his mother and siblings were also there.
Equipped with his eldest sister's cell phone number which his father provided him, Marcelito returned to Manila to look for his mother and siblings and this time successfully found them.
When Marcelito first met his mother, he could not describe his feeling. He said he was kind of angry as though asking why she left them. His mother, however, hugged him and asked for his forgiveness.
Shortly after finding his mother and siblings, Marcelito got sick. He was operated in appendicitis. It was his second-to-the-eldest sister who spent for his hospitalization.
When Marcelito got out of the hospital, he was brought to his eldest sister who made unsavory comment that hurt him. He was challenged by that kind of offensive comment so he decided to join reality TV talent search.
He first joined ABC 5 Talentadong Pinoy but didn't make it there. Not giving up, he tried ABS-CBN's PGT Season 2 where he garnered 19.56% of the total text votes making him the grand champion and winning a whopping P2 million. All the members of his family were present showing their support during the grand finals at the Araneta Coliseum where he impressively performed "The Prayer", a song popularized by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli. Marcelito was given a standing ovation by the audience and all three judges. When asked what his prayer was during that night, Marcelito said he prayed that his performance be successful so his family would be proud as that was the very first time in his life that he saw all the members of his long-lost family together and complete. Marcelito got emotional when he answered that question.
Couples of weeks after his win, somebody uploaded a video on youtube showing Marcelito being the object of affection, admiration, and pride of Bisliganons when he visited his hometown during its fiesta celebration. There, with high government officials of the province and the city present, Marcelito was accorded the hero's welcome that he deserved.
Marcelito's lonely and difficult life seems over. With his "beautiful voices" coupled with his unique style of singing and his legions of fans ready to support him, no doubt, this "darling of television" will be going far very successfully.
(Please click to play video uploaded by 050177eful and watch Marcelito Pomoy perform during the semi-finals at the PGT Season 2)
Marcelito's life story--with all its loneliness, deprivations, and hardships is one for the movies. His eventual success via PGT Season 2 where he emerged as champion will surely inspire anyone who has come to know about the difficult life he has had and clearly see the hands of God lifting him from the sufferings he had gone through.
His is not just a Cinderella-like story but a poignant story of longing and love for his own family he never grew up with and one of forgiveness.
His story not only gives hope to those who are weighed down but also strengthens their faith in God and renews their belief that God sees all their sufferings and that sooner or later, He will liberate them from their woes.
To start with his lonely yet inspiring life story and basing on his TV interviews and information from various Internet sources, Marcelito Pomoy first saw the light of day in Mangagoy, Bislig City in Surigao del Sur. He is third in a brood of four.
When he was about two years old, his father, on false accusation, got imprisoned. His mother, together with his eldest sibling who was then about seven years old, left him and his two other siblings to somebody else's care to look for a job elsewhere.
When someone reported to the authority that nobody was attending to them, they were brought to his father in prison where they were fed on foods shared with them by other prisoners. When their father got sick, however, and could no longer take care of them, he was forced to have them adopted by a local policeman in the person of Ali Macawili.
Marcelito stayed with the Macawilis until he was eight years old. When he experienced maltreatment from Macawili's mother, he asked his foster parents who his real parents are. After disclosing to him the truth that his father was jailed that eventually led to his adoption by Macawili, Marcelito left home the following day to look for his father in prison but miserably failed to find the latter there.
Marcelito, in subsequent turn of events and despite his tender age, found himself engaged in various economic activities in order to survive. He worked as pin boy in a bowling alley, sold balut and ice cream, and performed other odd jobs.
When he was sixteen years old--eight years after he left his adoptive parents--and while selling balut, a suki (regular customer) recognized him and told him he knew what happened to his family and that he also knew of his father's whereabouts. The man brought the excited Marcelito to his father. His father cried when they met and upon telling him of the story behind his mother's leaving them, Marcelito harbored ill-feelings against his mother.
Marcelito stayed with his father who then has a new family but only briefly as he decided to leave him because he could not get along well with his stepmother.
Through an illegal recruiter, he later moved to Manila to seek employment. He worked in a furniture shop, washed empty Emperador Brandy bottles, worked in a poultry farm and in a piggery, and also worked in a construction outfit.
It was during his employment in a poultry farm when he started singing using his female voice. He would sing as he sprayed the chicken house.
When Marcelito turned 24, he went back to his father in Surigao. His father then informed him that his mother was in Manila. He didn't know that while he was working in Manila, his mother and siblings were also there.
Equipped with his eldest sister's cell phone number which his father provided him, Marcelito returned to Manila to look for his mother and siblings and this time successfully found them.
When Marcelito first met his mother, he could not describe his feeling. He said he was kind of angry as though asking why she left them. His mother, however, hugged him and asked for his forgiveness.
Shortly after finding his mother and siblings, Marcelito got sick. He was operated in appendicitis. It was his second-to-the-eldest sister who spent for his hospitalization.
When Marcelito got out of the hospital, he was brought to his eldest sister who made unsavory comment that hurt him. He was challenged by that kind of offensive comment so he decided to join reality TV talent search.
He first joined ABC 5 Talentadong Pinoy but didn't make it there. Not giving up, he tried ABS-CBN's PGT Season 2 where he garnered 19.56% of the total text votes making him the grand champion and winning a whopping P2 million. All the members of his family were present showing their support during the grand finals at the Araneta Coliseum where he impressively performed "The Prayer", a song popularized by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli. Marcelito was given a standing ovation by the audience and all three judges. When asked what his prayer was during that night, Marcelito said he prayed that his performance be successful so his family would be proud as that was the very first time in his life that he saw all the members of his long-lost family together and complete. Marcelito got emotional when he answered that question.
Couples of weeks after his win, somebody uploaded a video on youtube showing Marcelito being the object of affection, admiration, and pride of Bisliganons when he visited his hometown during its fiesta celebration. There, with high government officials of the province and the city present, Marcelito was accorded the hero's welcome that he deserved.
Marcelito's lonely and difficult life seems over. With his "beautiful voices" coupled with his unique style of singing and his legions of fans ready to support him, no doubt, this "darling of television" will be going far very successfully.
(Please click to play video uploaded by 050177eful and watch Marcelito Pomoy perform during the semi-finals at the PGT Season 2)
