'I think he’s a living genius' - Ronnie Henares on Michael V.

Sa Pepito Manaloto mas naging close sina Direk Ronnie Heneras at ang Kapuso actor/comedian/host na si Michael V. a.k.a.  Bitoy. Kaya naman tinanong ng GMANetwork.com si Direk Ronnie kung paano niya mailalarawan ang kanyang kaibigan.

“Kami ni Bitoy, only became truly friends when we started Pepito Manaloto. He’s a wonderful person. Wala akong masabi tungkol sa kanya na masama,” ang kuwento niya.

Inamin niya na fan siya ni Bitoy at hangang-hanga siya dito sa lahat ng bagay.

“I think he’s a living genius. We talked a lot about philosophical things, crazy things. He can do everything. There’s practically nothing he cannot do especially when he really wants something. He makes it a point to learn how to do it,” pagbahagi niya.

Naalala niya pa nang nag-undergo siya ng major operation. Si Bitoy daw ang nakahandang tumulong sa kanya. Sa katunayan, agad itong pumunta sa ospital para sa kanya.

“When I was in the hospital, he was my first visitor. I know he’s so busy but he found time to be able to come in the hospital. He spent an hour there. For someone like him, that’s a long time. He actually came to me and said, ‘Direk, if you need anything, call me,” kuwento pa niya.

Sinariwa din ni Direk Ronnie kung paano ba siya nagsimula sa Pepito Manaloto. Namimigay daw siya noon ng GCs para kay Bitoy nang bigla siyang tanungin para sa isang role na gagampanan niya. Medyo nag-alangan daw siya sa umpisa.

“I was calling him to talk about his GCs to find out where I could deliver it. And then he asked me, if I'd still do acting, I answered ‘Well, I haven’t done it for quite some time I think I can still do it'. Then, I asked why”.

Sabi raw ni Bitoy sa kanya, “I’m putting up a show, It’s called Pepito Manaloto and I have a role for you.”

Patuloy ni Direk Ronnie, “I said, 'Basta kasama ka. Pag kasama ka, game ako', that’s how Pepito Manaloto started.”

Nagkaroon daw ng reading para sa kanyang magiging role. Na-impress naman daw siya pero nang tanungin niya si Bitoy kung ano’ng atake ang kanyang gagawin para sa karakter ni Tommy Diones na kanyang ginampanan pa rin ngayon sa Pepito Manaloto: Ang Tunay na Kuwento, ito ang kanyang naging kasagutan:
 
“‘Would you give me an idea, what the character is?’ Sabi niya, ‘No problem, just be yourself.’ When I’ve read the script, I looked across the table at Bitoy and said ‘Pare gusto mo atang sampalin kita’,” natatawa niyang ikinuwento.

Patuloy pa niya, “Sabi ni Bitoy, ‘Bakit?’ Sabi ko naman, ‘Anong be yourself?' Ibig sabihin ganyan ako? (laughs) That was memorable. I can’t forget that.”

Panoorin si Ronnie Heneras bilang Tommy Diones sa Pepito Manaloto: Ang Tunay na Kwento linggo-linggo pagkatapos ng Kap’s Amazing Stories.

--Text by Eunicia Mediodia, Photo by Bochic Estrada, GMANetwork.com.