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Like many child stars who rose to fame in showbiz, Ice Seguerra also went through what is often called an “awkward stage” in his career.

Ice was previously known as Aiza, who won the Little Miss Philippines title in 1987 and later starred in numerous movies.

During this transitional period of his career, Ice performed gigs with barely anyone watching. So when his late mother, Caridad Seguerra, mentioned that he would be offered a song—the hit track “Pagdating ng Panahon”—he did not immediately believe it.

“Honestly, ang state of mind ko at that time, I was very cynical. Siyempre, di ba, kahit sabihin mong… alam naman natin na sa industriyang ito ay walang forever. Pero masakit pa rin kapag galing ka sa sobrang sikat ka 'tapos bigla ka na lang-- Masakit siya, e!” Ice recalled when he spoke to selected entertainment media, including GMA Network, during the media conference for his new album Pagdating ng Panahon (25 Years Later) last Saturday, April 25.

According to Ice, his older colleagues from his previous noontime show had warned him about this stage in his showbiz career.

He shared, “I remember when I was younger, na-prepare ako. Sinabi sa akin 'yu, na nangyayari yung awkward stage. So mentally, na-prepare ako. But the emotional part of that, yun na parang… Kasi akala ko, 'pag na-prepare ko yung utak, ganun na kadali tanggapin.

“Honestly, kahit nung time na nalaos ako, I never stopped working. Kasi, you know, I'm supporting my family. So, since nabawasan yung income ko, kailangan kong maghanap ng iba pa, 'di ba? So, I never felt like I stopped working.

“Pero the feeling of, you know, before, kahit saan ka magpunta, ngumiti ka lang [people would scream]. Siyempre, cute ka noong bata ka. Pero noong tumanda ka, kailangan mo na magka-love team kahit taliwas sa damdamin mo, di ba? Before magsho-show ka, ang daming nanonood, ito wala.

“Even noong time na nag-showband ako, I remember, yung binigay sa 'min mga patay na araw like, Tuesda, so talagang wala. Ang nanood lang noon dalawang table. 'Tapos, yung isa kong table, nandoon yung mama ko. At yung isang table lasing, hindi naman talaga nakikinig, gusto lang uminom. Ang sakit niya, e. Masakit siya talaga.”

Ice said it was a good thing that he was also busy with school while going through the “awkward stage.”

Ice said, “Siguro it was a good thing also that I was in school. Kasi imagine mo, kung ito na lang yung mundo ko, siguro it would be harder. But since I was able to balance my normal life, like my life outside of the industry, I still had friends. May gano'n siyang aspeto na na-enjoy mo.

“But siyempre, at the end of the day, ito na yung alam mong gawin—mag-perform, magpasaya ng tao. Pero parang hindi ka mahal ng mahal mo. So, masakit siya.

“Siguro, nag-cope ako by not really listening to my feelings. And I think that's how I do it. I rarely acknowledge my emotions outside of the stage.”

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“Pagdating ng Panahon”

Twenty-five years after the release of his hit song “Pagdating ng Panahon,” Ice can now say that the right time has come in his showbiz career.

He said he felt this “momentous event” during his recent Being Ice concert last February.

First, Ice said the venue of his concert, the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City, was meaningful to him.

“Breathing ground ko 'yun,” said the OPM hitmaker. “For the longest time, diyan kami nakatira malapit sa Nepa Q Mart. Most of my films, diyan sa New Frontier nag-premiere. Yung Joker, kung saan ako nag-showband, diyan lang din sa Aurora Boulevard. At the same time, dito rin kami tumatambay ng family, nanonood kami diyan sa COD.

“Bumalik kami doon sa kuwento na 'yon noong last concert ko.”

Part of the right timing in Ice's career was also his transition as a trans man.

He explained, “I also transitioned my name, right? From Aiza to Ice. I'll be very honest, nahihirapan pa rin ako because, basically, almost everybody else, 'di ba, they know me as Aiza pa rin.

“Sa Spotify ko, if you look at Aiza, ang daming listeners. Kapag tiningnan mo yung Spotify ni Ice Seguerra, wala pa sa kalahati yung listeners ni Aiza Seguerra.

“So parang medyo may ano, 'Tama ba ang mga desisyon ko sa buhay?' May ganung pakiramdam.

“But when I did that concert last February, and then when I reintroduced 'Pagdating ng Panahon' and told them about the story… Siguro dahil very fresh sa akin yung journey ko. Then, when I saw the audience, parang I felt the love—the love that they first gave me when I was 'Pagdating ng Panahon' was first released.

“Now, despite of all the changes in my life… These people, marami sa kanila, sila yung fans ko noong bata pa ako. Parang that kind of acceptance and love from the fans, doon ko na-feel noong night na yun—sobrang overwhelming.”

Reflecting on the success of “Pagdating ng Panahon,” Ice said, “I think there are things that are planned by human beings, and there are also things that are planned by the universe that you just have to let it happen. I am grateful that I did.

“I think 'Pagdating ng Panahon was that—hindi naming plinano or at least, on my end, hindi ko plinano, but when it happened and how it happened, you just accept it.

“I'm grateful that I did, at least once in my lifetime, it happened to me. Yun pa lang, it's more than enough memory for me to move forward, and every time I look back sa time na 'yon, ang sarap.”