For Dulce, love is worthless if you don’t give your all

November 10, 2024 | 12:00am

Dulce and I share a beautiful friendship for life. We know each other so well, which makes it difficult for me to sit down with her for a one-on-one interview. But lo and behold, her recent guest appearance on “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda,” my 20-minute showbiz-oriented talk show on GMA, led viewers to discover more about Dulce on and off the performing stage.

Dulce, popularly referred to as Asia’s Timeless Diva, is one of the best singers this country has ever produced. Her distinct vocal power never fails to make people sit up and take notice.

The George Canseco composition titled Ako ang Nasawi, Ako ang Nagwagi became her entry at the second Metropop Song Festival in 1979. She never made it to the top, yet it paved the way for her to represent the country at the fourth Asian Singing Competition in Hong Kong, where she bagged the grand prize despite performing Ako ang Nasawi, Ako ang Nagwagi in Filipino instead of its English version.

“When they said we’re not going to win because the song was in Tagalog, I said that it would be difficult to sing the English lyrics kasi hindi madama (it lacked feelings). So, I insisted on singing in Tagalog, pero nag-wagi naman,” ruminated Dulce.

She also revealed the reason behind the ban imposed on her by recording executives in the early ‘80s. “They said that I was hard-headed, that I was too rebellious because they were already planning for an album but I was against the idea of (cosmetic) surgery. I was brought to Makati Med but I ran away. Ayokong magpagalaw (ng ilong). I had this fear na ‘pag ginalaw ang ilong, talagang mag-babago o baka anuman ang mangyari.”

“I truly believed that I was able to come to Manila because of the voice that God gave me.”

While it’s common knowledge that most singers use a variety of techniques to improve their voice, Dulce confessed she has none. She is completely unaware of the vocal techniques. “I just sing, whatever comes out of my voice then, that’s it.”

Her first vocal coach was Minda Azarcon, the mother of music composer Cecile Azarcon. The only thing Dulce needed to learn was to tone down her voice.

“I was too loud like I was always belting out. I didn’t know that there should be a soft tone probably because when I was young, I would sing in rice fields and practice on top of a guava tree or the roof of our house. We had no radio or TV,” shared Dulce, who grew up in Villa Bulsita, Pardo, Cebu.

Music fans know that Paano was among Dulce’s biggest hits. The song, composed by Doming Amarillo and lyrics by George Canseco, was originally recorded by Pilita Corrales. But it was Ako ang Nasawi, Ako ang Nagwagi that people could easily identify with Dulce. There’s no denying that the song speaks about love. So, I asked Dulce what’s the most important lesson she learned in love to which she responded with a positive outlook.

“I don’t want to say (to anyone) not to give your all, na magtira ka para sa sarili mo. People would often tell me not to give my all kasi todo bigay raw ako. But love is worthless if you don’t give your all?

“So, whatever misfortune in love that happened to me, I didn’t blame anyone. I never regretted anything. Nangyari ang nangyari and for me, you just have to go on with life. Bangon, tuloy ang buhay. Just move on.”

Dulce also stressed the importance of staying strong and “to keep on fighting, especially when one has children because you’re a pole. Ikaw ‘yung pwede nilang hawakan, lalo na kung mga bata pa sila.”

When it comes to men, Dulce reminds her children not to rush into things and to pray to God for the right one. She also prays to God to choose the right person for her children.

“Huwag silang gumaya sa akin na ako’y hulog lang nang hulog, in-love nang in-love. That’s what happens when I’m in love. And if you also need to be the man of the house, you’ll do it. It happened to me. I just hope that it will never happen to my children,” said Dulce, who has five children namely, Deejay, Dave, Dana (with Danny Cruz), Jem, and Abby (with Bernard Cruzata).

Regarding the affairs of her heart, Dulce said she has no other love but God. She even quipped that at her age, “parang tama na. Kapoy na uy (Cebuano for pagod na).”