By Ann Margrette P. Alfaro and Maria Criselda D.C. Tan

“It’s nice to be back home”

Vice Ganda happily shared how he finds his homecoming heartwarming, as he went on stage not for his fans who sees him regularly in his top-rated show─ Showtime, but a sea of green and gold ready to welcome their alumnus with pride.

He went on stage and faced the crowd of Tamaraws excitedly screaming before him. He rocked the FEU grandstand as he sang his rendition of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” and displayed his funny antics leaving the audience wanting for more.

He journeyed a tough road to fame and succeeded in conquering the center stage. But does his fellow Tamaraws know his life story when the spotlight’s not on him and his behind the stage, not as the celebrity, but a young and determined individual?

Back from where he started
He was born by the name of Jose Mari Viceral but he’s popularly known as Vice Ganda whom he humorously explained in one of his interviews with Korina Sanchez, “Yung Vice kasi galing yun sa apelyido ko na Viceral na pinamana na sa akin ng mga magulang ko, yung Ganda isa yun sa mga binigay sa akin ng Diyos unang-una pa lang, (Vice came from my surname, while Ganda was given to me by God right from the start)”.

Vice is the youngest among five siblings. At the age of 6, he was sneaking on a hill of garbage to look for coppers to sell so he could help his family earn a living. Now he is known as one of the country’s most promising stand-up comedians.

Vice dreamed to be a lawyer and took Political Science in Far Eastern University (FEU) but unfortunately, he failed to finish the course because of several reasons. His last stay here as a student is in 1996. “I’ve long waited for this. I missed this school. Actually, I have plans of going back to school and study but I was not accepted due to the conditions,” he said.

His longing dream of once again stepping on the grounds of FEU had been fulfilled last January 22, 2010 in Concierto Piyu, the concert for FEU’s founding anniversary. He was warmly welcomed by his fellow Tamaraws and once again share the celebration of his Alma Mater. “Naiinggit ako sa mga estudyante ngayon kasi ang ganda na ng campus kesa dati (I envy the students who are currently here because the campus looks better now compared then),” Vice Ganda said.

He shares every word about FEU with a fruitful smile, describing it in a short yet meaningful statement─“sobrang saya”. He has nothing but praises for this school. For him, most of the good memories he could remember are during the days he was still studying here. “Nandito ang lahat ng masasayang araw ko (I spend all my happy days here),” he added.

Unveiled identity
Vice Ganda grew up in a community where poverty and violence surrounds him. He kept his sexuality so long, that his father never knew about it until he was of age. His father was a barangay kagawad and a basketball player to whom he and his brothers inherited their height. He was his father’s favorite because he plays basketball very well and was thought of as the only boy in the family. His father would often maltreat his two older gay brothers, Emmanuel and Babot.

When his father died, Vice was able to go out of his closet eventually but still kept the secret from his family. At the age of 16, Vice tried to commit suicide due to confusions but his attempt never succeeded. Eventually, he was accepted by his mother wholeheartedly and because of his talent and perseverance, Vice never experienced any discrimination. His unique life story was featured on “Maalaala Mo Kaya”, ABS-CBN’s drama anthology, which brought both laughter and tears to its viewers.

As part of his quest for her own identity, Vice left his footprints in the grounds of FEU as he co-founded the Society for Homosexual Emergence/Sigma Homo Epsilon (SHE) in 1994. SHE is an organization for the gay community in FEU. When asked why he founded such organization, he answered that he wanted the gay population to reveal who they really are and not to be afraid of their true selves, for they wanted others to accept them for whoever they may be. “The gay students then don’t have a formal organization, so I decided to build up one,” he added.

FEU gave them the freedom to express themselves the way they wanted to. “Tinanggap nila kami ng bonggang bongga without discriminations (They accepted us whole-heartedly without discriminations),” Vice Ganda said. The gay students can freely do feminine gestures, wear make-ups and can grow their hair long. “Binigyan nila kami ng kalayaan na gawin yung ninanais naming gawin (They gave us freedom to do the things we desire to do),” he confessed.

As for the current members of SHE, they felt proud when they found out that it was Vice Ganda who founded the organization that made them feel belonged and accepted by the people around the campus. “Na-flatter ako nung nalaman kong isa palang sikat na artista ang founder ng SHE (I’m flattered when I found out that the founder of SHE is a famous celebrity),” Hazel Notar, current president of SHE, stated. “Inspirasyon si Vice sa lahat ng bakla sa FEU (Vice serves as an inspiration to all the gay here in FEU.),” he added. When asked what kind of benefits they got when they joined the said organization, she answered “Na-lessen yung discrimination samin. Nagkaroon ng mas mataas na respeto at appreciation samin ang mga estudyante dito (We gained respect and appreciation from the students),” Notar happily shared.

“May nag-text!”
His star shined as soon as he was discovered in a comedy bar. He had the talent to sing and a sense of humor that made him loved by his audiences. Soon he was able to penetrate the showbiz industry. Starring as Joko, Toni Gonzaga’s cousin in “Maging Sino Ka Man: Ang Pagbabalik”, as Tita Ganda in “Pieta” and as Salaminsim in “Dyosa”, Vice has received many show, concert and film offers. His filmography includes “Apat Dapat, Dapat Apat: Friends 4 Lyf and death”, “Condo” and “In My Life”.

He is one of the judges of the popular “Showtime”, a talent-variety show of ABS-CBN which features performers who aspires for stardom. The young and the old can’t resist laughing with his frolics and aspirant comedians are now impersonating him. Not only that his line was famously adapted by the youth today, his ‘Ostrich dance’ also became a hip laugh-off.

Whatever he has right now, it’s definitely not an instant fame. Like everybody else, he had gone through hardships both with his personal and family life. He started in comedy bars where he sings and eventually discovered his “call” for entertaining people simply by cracking effortless jokes. When asked what he did to make this all happen, he answered that he prayed and waited.

“I don’t plan, nakaka-frustrate kasi ‘pag ‘di mo nakuha yung gusto mo eh (it’s frustrating whenever you don’t get what you want), I also wanted to inspire students by making them aware that one can reach a goal na hindi mo kailangang itago ang pagkatao mo. Wala sa sex o gender yan (I also wanted to inspire students by making them aware that one can reach a goal without having to conceal one’s self. It’s not about sex or gender.),” he added.

Vice’s bright star is a living proof of the essence of accepting who you are in finding the courage of exploring to different avenues. His story proved that no matter how rough the path to success is, no matter how hard the world could possibly be. If we are determined nothing is impossible. As what he said, one can reach his goal for being who he is.