MANILA – Richard Yap, more known as Sir Chief in the daytime hit series “Be Careful With My Heart,” revealed that entering showbiz was never part of his plan when he was younger.
In the April 2013 issue of Yes Magazine, Yap disclosed that he actually envisioned himself to be a doctor.
Born from a family with a traditional Chinese father, Yap said he had to stop studying his pre-medicine course even if he already had his own career mapped out.
“I was in the second year of my pre-med course, medical technology, when my father voiced out what he told me what he really wanted for me. Gusto niya talaga ako mag-business management. Ako gusto ko mag-medicine,” he said.
“Very traditional Chinese kasi siya so gusto niya lalaki ang mag-take over sa business kasi dalawa lang kaming lalaki,” he added.
But Yap made a deal with his dad.
“Sabi niya ‘Mag-business ka, kung hindi, hindi na kita susuportahan.’ Sabi ko ‘Sige, trade off. If you want me to study business, gusto ko sa Manila ako.’ That was the deal we made,” he said.
Born and raised in Cebu, Yap admitted that living in Manila was one of the hardest decisions he ever made.
Nonetheless, Yap fulfilled his father’s wish for him to pursue a business management degree at the De La Salle University.
Despite this, Yap said his dreams of going back to a medical school didn't stop. “Gusto ko talaga i-continue 'yung med. Actually, after two terms sa La Salle, I took a leave of absence kasi I wanted to go back to med nga,” he said.
At that time, Yap admitted that he was considering applying for a pre-med course at the University of Santo Tomas (UST).
“Pero sabi ng UST, I have to go back to first year college, I have to start all over again. That’s when I thought ‘I wasted two years na. Hindi na lang. Tapusin ko na lang ‘yung business, two years na lang naman,’” he said.
With all these at the back of his mind, Yap said showbiz was never included in the picture.
And up to this time, Yap wonders what is it in him that people loves.
“Naisip ko,’Bakit?’ Parang pumasok lang ako sa showbiz, naging guwapo na ako. Dati naman, walang nagsasabi sa akin noon, nanay ko lang. There’s nothing naman extraordinary about me. I’m just on TV. ‘Yun lang iyon. That’s the only difference,” said Yap, who is currently in the Middle East for the first leg of the "Be Careful With My Heart" world tour.
Asked what he thinks is next for him now that he’s already in showbiz, he said: “Every job has a reason for you to be there. I guess we are all here at some point in our lives because we are going to do something better. Hopefully, this will lead to bigger or better things in the future.”
Yap rose to fame after he played Papa Chen in the ABS-CBN series “My Binondo Girl” but he became a household name after he accepted his role on “Be Careful With My Heart.”
