Boy Abunda renews contract with GMA Network
On Tuesday, February 18, King of Talk Boy Abunda renewed his contract with GMA Network.
Present at the event were GMA President and CEO Gilberto Duavit Jr. and Senior Vice President of Entertainment Group Lilybeth Rasonable.
In his speech, Boy said, “This has always been my home. Hindi ako nahirapan bumalik sa GMA 7 because dito ako nag-umpisa,”
Looking back, Boy shared that he did not expect to be part of the talk show business when he first started. He was working with GMA Films back then, promoting films such “Jose Rizal” and “Muro Ami,” which he admitted, was one of the proudest moments of his life.
“I was here and I was over talking, they noticed that there was a possibility that I could have done talk shows. So umuwi lamang ako at nang ako ay bumalik, hindi ako nahirapan,” he said.
Meanwhile, Duavit described Boy as a beacon of hope in terms of the value and substance of the information received and the questions asked by the people.
“Sa tagal na nating magkaibigan, what really resonated with me, is as time went by and as the times changed, so did you, but in a unique manner. The gist of it is, as I see it, you stayed the course and redefined not yourself, but what is still the best course in the world we live in,” Duavit said.
“You are a testament to what the value or benefit of the virtues really are. Sa lahat, ang mahalaga pa rin, ang integridad, ang natural na dinadamdam at iniisip at ang kahalagahan sa kapakanan ng kapwa mo, ng kausap mo, at yung katulong mo,” he continued.
Duavit ended his speech by saying how it is an honor and pleasure for him to be a fellow Kapuso and a long friend of Boy's. He then thanked the veteran host for his continued trust.
Rasonable, on the other hand, expressed her gratitude to Boy for always thinking about GMA Network's artists by giving advice and suggestions both to improve and protect their image.
“Always that willingness to share whatever you know about interviews and about giving talks. Thank you for always being interested in improving not only our programs, but the network also,” she said.
Apart from his contract renewal, Abunda is also celebrating the 3rd anniversary of his Afternoon Prime talk show Fast Talk with Boy Abunda.
Take a look at Boy Abunda's humble beginnings and trace his path from where he started in this gallery.
Boy Abunda
Boy Abunda's real name is Eugenio Romerica Abunda Jr.. He was born on October 29, 1955 in Borongan, Eastern Samar.
Family
In an interview with award-winning broadcast journalist Jessica Soho, Boy admitted that he came from an ordinary family. His parents, Lesing Abunda and Eugenio Abunda Sr., raised him and his sister, Maria Fe Abunda, in a simple life in the province.
“Nanggaling ako sa napakahirap na pamilya kung saan ang mga ninuno ko ay mga magsasaka at mangingisda,” Boy told Jessica Soho.
Humble beginnings
Before becoming one of the biggest showbiz icons in the Philippines, Boy used to work as a stage actor and assistant stage manager at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila and later became a public relations manager in a public relations firm. He was working as a public relations consultant for GMA Network when he was offered to be a TV host.
How it started
Boy Abunda started his showbiz career on television in GMA through the showbiz-oriented talk shows titled Show and Tell from 1994 to 1995 and Startalk from 1995 to 1999.
King of Talk
Boy Abunda was dubbed as the Philippines' King of Talk because of his excellence as a TV presenter. However, in an interview with Jessica Soho, Boy shared that he never dreamt of becoming a TV host. “Hindi ko nga alam na may telebisyon. This is true. In Samar, wala kaming television set, I didn't know there was such a job as a talk show host. It was none of my dreams,” he said.
Education
Boy Abunda took up Business Management course in Ateneo De Manila University but he failed to finish his studies there because of his father's death. “Tatay ko pumanaw sa ospital sa San Juan De Dios, hindi namin mailabas dahil wala kaming pambayad. My father died sa loob ng taxi in the arms of his mother, my grandmother. That was a sad experience,” Boy shared with Jessica Soho during their interview.
Later in 2009, he graduated in Philippine Women's University with a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Masters of Arts in Communication Arts in 2011, and Doctor of Philosophy in social development in 2016.
Author
One of his greatest achievements in life is being a book author. Boy has already published several books including 'It's like this,' 'Nanay's Gay Boy,' and 'Make Your Nanay Proud.'
Loving Son
Emotional Boy Abunda admitted that he is still in pain because of the passing of his mother.
“Ngayon na wala na ang nanay, nami-miss ko siya ngayon kasi I'm making a move. She will always be my moral compass. Sentro siya sa buhay ko. In the beginning ang hirap, ang hirap mawalan ng nanay, ang hirap mawalan ng magulang. Sabi ko, ayokong mawala 'yung pain kasi sabi ko yun 'yung connection ko sa Nanay ko. I want her to be present in my life. I'm okay with the pain,” Boy shared in an interview.
Bong Quintana
Boy Abunda also found his source of happiness in life in his longtime partner Bong Quintana. Boy met Bong in a dance class by Douglas Nierras and have been together since 1983.
Relationship
Talking about the formula to a long lasting relationship, Boy related, “I don't think relationships work without God's intervention.”
Content Creator
During the surge of the COVID-19 pandemic, Boy Abunda launched his own YouTube channel titled 'The Boy Abunda Talk Channel,' where he posted his one-on-one interviews with celebrities, personalities, and other public figures.
Led back home
On December 15, 2022, Boy Abunda returned to his first home as he officially inked a contract with GMA Network.
Ultimate Goal
In an exclusive interview, Boy Abunda shared that his ultimate goal in every interview is to become a part of the storytelling and convey relatable messages from his interviewee to his audiences.
Learnings
The King of Talk revealed that the key to sophisticated thinking is the ability to ask simple yet honest questions.
Acceptance
"Dati natatakot akong mag-Tagalog, mag-Ingles, kasi nabi-Bisaya ko ang 'e' at 'i' ang 'o' nagiging 'u' ngayon hindi na ako takot. Kapag nagkamali ako, sasabihin ko lang, because I like to be very honest about my beginnings, matigas talaga ang dila namin, anong magagawa ko? But that does not define how I live and how I think. That does not define who I am as a person," Boy Abunda revealed.
