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Regine Velasquez-Alcasid likened Mark Bautista’s early beginnings in show business to her days competing in singing contests back in the day.

One of the many highlights of Mark’s “Mark My Dreams” concert, which took place at The Theatre at Solaire last Saturday, August 31, was his duet with the Asia’s Songbird to her classic hit “Tuwing Umuulan” which was an original soundtrack from her 2000 film Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw.

After their performance, Regine recalled how the Pop Heartthrob started in the singing competition series Star for a Night, where she was the main host and where Mark was runner-up to Sarah Geronimo.

“Nakita ko si Mark, bata pa lang siya. And the first time I saw him, he really had this nervous look,” she recounted. “And noong kwinento sa akin ng staff kung bakit, kasi wala pala siyang pamasahe pauwi. So, ’yong mindset niya, he has to win.”

Seeing Mark’s determination to win so he can simply have pocket money to go home back then made Regine look back at her early days as a kontesera.

“Meron din akong ganyang experiences. ’Yong tumawid ako ng bukid, tapos nasa gitna ng bukid kasi ’yong stage ng singing contest. So, maglalakad ka lang, hindi na kasya ’yong tricycle doon. So, lalakarin mo ’yon na naka-three inches ka na high heels. So, wala kang choice,” she looked back.

“So lalakarin mo ’yon. Ang mindset ko ‘My goodness, kailangan ako manalo dito kasi lalakarin ko ’yon pabalik!’ Can you imagine kung natalo ako? Ang lungkot ng lakad mo ’di ba? Gagawin mo lahat at ’yon ’yong nakita ko kay Mark, ’yong determination niya nandoon,” she added.

Regine, then, praised Mark for his beautiful voice and his personality among the people he interacts with.

“He had this huge, beautiful, and so clear na voice talaga. I have fallen in love with his voice and his personality, he was so quiet,” she said. “You are so very talented and I just want you to know that I’m so so proud of you. From then hanggang ngayon, you’ve never changed. Kung ano ’yong pakita mo sa akin, ’yon ’yong pakita mo sa ibang tao na nakakasalamuha mo. I am so proud of you.”

Mark agreed with Regine when she looked back on his determination back then to compete in Star for a Night, believing it was his only chance to have a career in singing.

He also recalled the time where Regine asked for his number after the competition, only to learn that he had already signed with Viva.

“Grabe si Ms. Reg, gusto akong makilala,” Mark recalled telling himself that time. “Parang feeling ko baka makapunta ulit ako ng Manila. Kasi akala ko tapos na ’yon, eh. Na parang after ng contest, [feeling ko] uuwi na ako.”

“May naniniwala pala sa akin. So, baka talaga pwede ko ipagpatuloy ito,” he realized.

Mark, then, told Regine that she was one of the reasons why he joined Star for a Night, which plummeted him into the successful star he is today.

“Ikaw ang susi. Ikaw ang instrument. Totoo po ’yon, totoo po ’yon. Sabi mo nga dati, ikaw ang nagluwal sa akin,” he told Regine.

The “Mark My Dreams” concert served as Mark’s celebration of 21 years in the showbiz industry. Apart from Regine, Mark’s guest line-up for the concert included the likes of Christian Bautista, Erik Santos, Katrina Velarde, Jona, Rob Deniel, and Arthur Nery.

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