MANILA, Philippines?Twenty years ago, then newbie singer Ogie Alcasid threw his hat into the show biz ring by way of initial gigs in small watering holes, along with a number of then unheralded talents. If memory serves, we caught one of Ogie?s fledgling sets in a showcase bar. We thought he was a frisky and funky young performer; otherwise, however, his performance gave little indication of the big multimedia star he is today.

The first big boost to Ogie?s stellar career came when he was tapped to play the Everyman sort of hanger-on who followed the Ms Universe candidates around like a lovestruck puppy when the international beauty tilt was held in Manila.

Ogie?s aw-shucks performance as the beauty pageant?s ?running gag? clicked with viewers, so the singer discovered that he had effectively launched an alternative career as a comedian.

Through the years, Ogie?s singer-comedian ?split personality? has turned out to be a one-two punch that has catapulted him all the way to the top, especially in the TV and recording fields.

On numerous sitcoms, and especially on the long-running ?Bubble Gang,? Ogie has played all sorts of zany characters, bending genders like pretzels?all the way to the bank.

Most remarkably of all, Ogie has of late launched a third career?as a hit songwriter. His love songs, have been sung and recorded by the biggest musical artists in the land, and it should only be a matter of time before he composes his first musical.

Speaking of stage musicals, it was while directing one of them, ?Sino ka ba, Jose Rizal?? libretto and music by Nonoy Gallardo, that we first worked with Ogie.

While we were casting the title role with producer Celeste Legaspi, she informed us that Ogie wanted to play it. Initially, we nixed the idea, because Ogie was best known then as a comedian, and we thought his funnyman image would prevent viewers from taking his portrayal of our national hero seriously.

But, Ogie was determined to play Rizal, so he did the ?unthinkable? for a star like him: He asked for an audition! Impressed, we agreed to conduct a one-on-one audition for a key scene in the demanding show, to see if he could hit all the required acting highs and lows.

Well, he did? with uncommon passion, versatility and conviction. When we emerged from the two-hour audition, we announced that we had found our Jose Rizal?in Ogie Alcasid.

And a marvelous Rizal Ogie turned out to be, with rave reviews heralding his performances up to the end of the musical?s run.

That?s why, when we were asked to direct another musical, ?Mapaghimalang Birhen ng Caysasay,? we didn?t hesitate to cast Ogie in that show?s male lead role, Hay Bing (alternating with Cocoy Laurel).

Again, Ogie was eager to do the musical, because its story was set in Taal, Batangas, and the Batangueño star?s family turned out to be devotees of the miraculous Virgin.

The musical was so successful that it?s being mounted again on Oct. 25, with two shows in Taal. Ogie is also very busy with performances and other events marking his 20th year in show business, but ?Birhen ng Caysasay? means so much to him that he?s agreed to play Hay Bing again in both shows on Oct. 25.

Well, that?s Ogie Alcasid for you. He may be in top of the show biz world, but he knows his priorities, and is keen on using his popularity to promote significant and meaningful projects.

May his next decade in the biz be similarly prosperous, productive and blessed with more ?pogi points? to add to the impressive number of achievements ?Ogie da pogi? has already racked up!

?La Boheme?

To mark Giacomo Puccini?s 150th birthday, the Philippine Opera Company and the Cultural Center of the Philippines present his best-loved opera, ?La Boheme,? on Oct. 3-5 at the CCP Main Theater.

The production, directed by Floy Quintos, transports the opera?s story (while still sung in Italian) to a modern-day colony of young indie artists searching for their place in the sun.

Playing major roles are Jennifer Uy, Ana Felco, Elaine Lee, Maribel Miguel, Juan Alberto Gaerlan and Lawrence Jatayna. Helen Quack conducts the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. Call 832-1125, local 1801-1806.