Without health issues, Gary V wouldn’t be as ‘disciplined’

At 59, Gary Valenciano—true to his title “Mr. Pure Energy”—continues to be one of the country’s most dynamic performers. And this despite living with type 1 diabetes and facing life-threatening illnesses later on in life.

But has he ever wondered what kind of life or career he could have had if he didn’t have to deal with all those health issues? Would he have achieved more?

After giving it some thought, Gary surmised that if it weren’t for his diabetes, he probably wouldn’t have been as disciplined as he turned out to be.

“I might have done other things that would have destroyed [my health],” he told the Inquirer at a press conference for this upcoming concert, “Pure Energy: One Last Time.”

He could have ended up drinking and smoking, which, in fact he did back when he was in high school and during his early days in the industry.

“I had a proclivity for smoking. I used to do it in high school. I was not a daily smoker, but I would smoke every so often to stay awake for my studies. I also smoked once in a while when I first entered show biz. But I eventually realized that it was affecting my voice, even more so as a diabetic so I decided to give that up,” he related.

One of Gary’s weaknesses is junk food. So, he could only wonder, he joked, how big of an appetite he would have had if he weren’t a diabetic. “Can you imagine the amount of food I would eat?” he said, laughing. “I so love junk food, especially V-Cut. It doesn’t matter where I am in the world, or even if there’s caramel or truffle whatever …just give me V-Cut! And Clover Chips.”

“I have them once in a while. Being diabetic doesn’t mean you can’t eat those. You just have to prepare for it, take more insulin … I just have enough to scratch the itch,” he added.

‘Took a long while’But perhaps most importantly, his music probably wouldn’t have the same kind of impact. Because his message is shaped, in one way or another, by his struggles. “I wouldn’t have been as disciplined and my message wouldn’t be as authentic. I can’t complain because I’m still here,” he said.

In May 2018, Gary underwent a heart bypass surgery. A few weeks later, he was diagnosed with kidney cancer, prompting the need for partial nephrectomy. This January, he had two stents placed in his heart. With everything he has been through, there were times, he admitted, when he couldn’t help but think of quitting.

“The simplest of movements left me feeling winded. It was hard. I underwent depression. But my doctor encouraged me to continue dancing, riding my bike and working out. I was told that these things would do me good,” said Gary, who also contracted hepatitis, tuberculosis and COVID-19 in the last couple of years.

“It took a long while for me to get back to where I was before,” he added.

But he did get back. And watching Gary strut his stuff in his “Back at the Museum” show series last year, one wouldn’t think that his body had been ravaged by any illnesses. While it may seem to his devoted fans that he hasn’t lost a step, Gary’s discerning eyes see otherwise.

“When I go watch my videos, I see people enjoying themselves. But because I have such a high standard for myself, I see spots where I’m like, “I should have given that move more oomph,’ ‘Next time, I should just stay put on that part.’ It’s really tiring. And I’m open with it. Sometimes, after performing with my son, Gab, I’m like, ‘Oh my God, pahinga muna ako.’”

“I takes me longer to recuperate after shows. After a big two-hour concert, my schedule should be free the next few days. I would play golf, at most. But I wouldn’t bike or work out,” he added.

Bigger venues

As such, “Mr. Pure Energy: One Last Time”—to be held on April 26 and 27 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena—will be Gary’s last concert in a large venue. With stage direction from Paolo Valenciano and music direction from Mon Faustino, the two-night event will highlight Gary’s “biggest hits” and “showcase his many talents.” Visit www.smtickets.com

While he can still dance circles around his colleagues and other younger artists, holding a big concert at an arena, he pointed out, is a different animal.

“It has nothing to do with my health. But performing at bigger venues is different because the dynamics are different. Your moves need to be bigger and that’s not easy. And my body is starting to feel that,” he said. “Only artists who perform at big venues will understand.”

Gary isn’t getting any younger. The last thing he wants to do is leave his fans with an arena concert where he’s just a shadow of himself. “People around me were telling me that I can’t call the show ‘One Last Time.’ But I’m human. I’m 59. If I were to do another arena show, it would probably be when I’m 62.”

“I don’t want people watching me go, ‘Magaling, pero humihina na siya, ano? Medyo hinihingal na rin.’ I don’t want to reach that point,” he added.

Recently, Gary attended Regine Velasquez’s “Regine Rocks” show at the Mall of Asia Arena, which unwittingly reminded him of what he was walking away from. “When I heard the crowd, I was like, ‘Are you really giving up all of this? Won’t you miss it?’ Oh, no doubt, I will miss it. But there are other things I can do,” he said.

So, no, he’s not “retiring” or “slowing down.” He’s simply “moving on.” He will just be as busy, if not busier, in the coming years. He will continue to go on tours or do smaller-scale shows. He will continue performing in “ASAP” and plans to revisit other fields of performing.

“I want to do theater. I want to go back to acting and do a movie. I want to score a movie—things I haven’t tried before,” he said. “I’m also planning to put up an online show with singer-songwriters. I might even do a repeat of ‘Back at the Museum.’”

Asked how he wants to be remembered after his last big hurrah, he said: “As someone who gave his all, but still has so much more ahead of him.” INQ