“Ruben Gonzaga:Up CLose and Personal with Father Patrick”

    Ruben Gonzaga – the natural. That is how I could briefly describe this friend who despite the fact that he was a big winner of Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition has remained unaffected and is as I said a very natural person.

    I was watching the big night of that Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition and was very touched when  Ruben emerged as the Big Winner. You see, I could easily identify with him the fact that he is a fellow Mindanaoan, he is from Davao and I am from Agusan del Norte.  I next saw Ruben co- hosting TinTin Bersola-Babao a nutrition-related show “Busog-Lusog”.

    Last December however, I was delighted to meet Ruben in person on the set of Dragonna. I was contacted by Beegee Soldao to play the role of the Police Chief in Dragonna which was the featured story in “KOMIKS” – an early Saturday evening show. It turned out, Ruben was playing the role of a Policeman and I was his Chief.

    During that brief (only two taping days) time that we had worked together, I recalled how easy it was to get along with Ruben. We hit it right as soon as we started talking to each other. I vividly remember at one point, we were hoping to appear in a show as a regular artists.

    So when I went to ABS-CBN in response to a text message from Hazel Parfan that I was requested to see the Director of a new teleserye for a possible casting, I was very happy to meet Ruben again as he was also being considered for a regular role for the same show.

    We were both lucky, we were selected to play the roles of priests (I got the role of Father Jude and he got the role of Father Patrick) in the now top-rated show “May Bukas Pa”.
    Since our tapings “May Bukas Pa” normally last till the early mornings of the following day, Ruben and I together with the rest of the men playing the role of priests sleep side by side in the air-conditioned tent as soon as opportunity to sleep comes along during the stand by periods.

    Ruben as Father Patrick is the monastery’s gardener and since his role is supposed to be lover of flowers, the character calls for him to be little effeminate wearing loud color shirts.  I could never forget the scene which was one of Ruben’s moment: when Father Patrick “had fallen” from the bell tower. He was supposed to be dead already. We had to cry when we saw him dying only to be healed by Santino. It was the first time that I had shed tears on cam! After that touching scene, it become easy for me to cry!

    Enjoy more scenes with RUBEN GONZAGA –father Patrick – the natural!