From a Family of Creative Talents

By Oggie Medina

I came from a clan of creative artists.

Some of my artistic relatives are LVN director Felicing Constantino (or FH Constantino), singer Yeng Constantino, LVN actor Antonio “Tony” Medina, New Vicor Dancers/Solid Gold Dancers/Eat Bulaga Dancers member Au Medina, Dyna Dancers/Solid Gold Dancers/Eat Bulaga Dancers member Emily Samson, actor Ven Medina, actor Pen Medina, actor Ping Medina, actor Alex Vincent Medina, director-actor Leo Martinez, actor Jay Ilagan, actor Robert Arevalo, glass sculptor Ramon Orlina, National Artist for Dance Leonor Orosa-Goquingco, Radyo Balintataw host Cecile Guidote-Alvarez, New York City-based soprano Guinevere Perez, and ZUMA creator-comics writer Jim M. Fernandez, among others.

I remember I won best actor when I was in Grade One at Aquinas School in San Juan City. I was imitating then actor Joseph Estrada, who in later years became President of the Philippines.

Years after at the age of 66 years old, I won best supporting actor as a conservative Muslim father, Abdul, in Vince M. Tañada’s SA AZOTEA episode in SA Series. It was director-playwright-professor Anton Juan who nominated me.

In Vince M. Tañada’s BAYANI LOVE, I played a cameo role as American engineer George Tauffer, the adoptive father of Josephine Bracken, Dr. Jose P. Rizal’s last sweetheart before his execution in Bagumbayan or Luneta (now Rizal Park).

I am thinking what will be my next role aside from being an associate professor and international journalist?

How I wish to appear in an independent film in the near future.